Stop spending precious time creating original content for all your social media sites. Here’s a valuable shortcut—a quick way to use expertise you’ve already shared with somebody, and turn it into a video. Several months ago, on LinkedIn, I answered a question about all the ways an author could use Twitter to promote a book. I… Read More
Publicity Blog
Lemon-Ginger String Beans quick and healthy
If you have a bonanza of beans this time of year, or you’re hankering for a fresh-tasting, healthy, lemony side dish, try these Lemon-Ginger String Beans. It’s a Weight Watchers recipe from the Best Eats cookbook and has only 1 point per serving and only 55 calories. I just discovered it and have made it three… Read More
How to pitch small business tips, stories to BusinessWeek.com
If you have advice, opinions, story ideas or a question related to small business for BusinessWeek.com, a high-traffic destination for anyone looking for business tips, check out their frequently asked questions. It includes tips on how to contact Karen Klein, who writes the Smart Answers column, and has a weekly podcast series. I suggest you contact Karen and offer yourself… Read More
Which of these author TV-interviews-from-hell is the worst?
I love showing you clips of TV interviews that are perfect examples of how NOT to act on camera. This week, you get not one, but two videos. Each can best be described as, uh, a “teaching moment.” Both authors start stumbling, right out of the gate. In the first video, author Uri Man’s comments… Read More
Meeting a journalist? 9 magic phrases the media love
One of the best ways to generate publicity from traditional media outlets is to form a relationship with reporters, editors, broadcasters and freelancers. That’s a critical step that 99 percent of the people miss! And what a shame. If you know what they’re looking for, how to talk to them, how to help them, and… Read More
Blog content in short supply? 9 ideas for bloggers
If you’re new to blogging, or you’ve been blogging for awhile but sometimes find yourself struggling for something to write about, here are nine ideas to get you writing quickly: 1. Take a poll. Using a free tool like Survey Monkey, you can poll your readers on a fun, controversial or hot topic. You will, of course,… Read More
Social media ROI includes free advice you get in a pinch
When people try to measure the return on investment at social media sites, they use the typical yardsticks—things like how much traffic they pull to their websites, how many people buy, and how many sign-ups they get for their ezines. One factor they frequently foget is how much time and money they can save using social… Read More
Nonprofit marketing: Contest offers ideas for creative taglines
Last year, nonprofit marketing expert Nancy Schwartz produced the largest collection of nonprofit taglines ever assembled as part of the GettingAttention.org Nonprofit Tagline Award Program. Her survey showed that most nonprofits either don’t have a tagline or have a tagline that performs poorly. “That’s a critical marketing and communication problem we’re trying to help solve, because a good… Read More
Website for black doctors needs marketing ideas
Cynthia Barnes of Fort Wayne, Ind., writes: “After moving to Fort Wayne, Ind., and being unable to find an African American doctor, I decided to create BlackHealthCareProviders.Org. “The site has a nationwide free referral service that helps consumers find black health care providers in their own neighborhoods. The challenges I face are getting the word out to enough doctors… Read More
PR pros, how do you calculate the value of online publicity?
Cynthia Flash of Bellevue, Wash. writes this question in the Help This Hound section of the July 14, 2009 issue of “Craigslist: A Valuable Publicity Tool.”: “I’m looking for a way to put a dollar value on web hits I get for my PR clients. “For example, if a client is mentioned in a blog, is that worth… Read More