Lisa Hoang of Honolulu, Hawaii writes: “I am a professional child and family photographer. I own a boutique, on location portrait studio that caters to high-end clientele. I want my business to be talked about among the elite, with my clients beginning a relationship with me from the time their babies or born, or just before… Read More
Brick & Mortar
Philadelphia remodeling firm needs marketing ideas
Teresa Berger of North Wales, Pennsylvania writes: “As marketing director for Creative Contracting, Inc., a Philadelphia-area design/build remodeling firm, it’s my responsibility to get the company and its ownership more exposure in the community. The owner wants me to get him in front of more people, and find outlets for giving seminars and speeches to consumers, business networking organizations… Read More
National mag wants Wisconsin expert on small biz retailers
A writer for a national magazine is looking for experts in Wisconsin who she can interview for advice on how small businesses can enter the world of retailing. She called my good friend Tom Beug of The Summit Group in Milwaukee yesterday, and he emailed me asking if I know anybody. He’ll be talking with her… Read More
Wal-Mart purges 1,000+ magazine titles from its racks
More bad news for the publishing industry and for Publicity Hounds who are targeting primarily traditional media. Wal-Mart is purging its racks of more than 1,000 magazine titles. The big loser? Meredith Publications, whose Better Homes & Gardens is out. So is the sister magazine, Ladies’ Home Journal. See which other magazines stay and which ones… Read More
Whole Foods magazine will feature only its own products
If your product is for sale at Whole Foods Market, go ahead and pitch a story idea to the editor of Whole Foods magazine. But don’t waste your time pitching if your product isn’t sold there or if you think a story in the magazine can help get your product onto store shelves. That’s the advice… Read More
Laurel, Montana photo studio needs publicity ideas
Kammy Thurman of Laurel, Montana writes: “I hope your Hounds can help our photography studio, Anchor Photography. We’ve been in business several months and we want to become the most recognized studio in our area. “That will be tough because we’re up against studios that have been in business for 30 to 50 years, and more. I… Read More
How to publicize a solo law practice
Way too many attorneys act as though we still have those laws prohibiting them from advertising. How else to explain why so many of them are just plain lousy when it comes to marketing their services and, specifically, generating free publicity? In this 32-minute interview, attorney Cole Silver asks me about my best publicity tips for sole… Read More
How to get your book or other product into Target
If you sell a book or other product that’s a good fit with customers who shop at Target, you have a lot of work to do. For starters, you should be pitching a story to the Minneapolis Star Tribune that ties into what you’re selling. That’s because most buyers for Target live in Minneapolis, where the… Read More
BBB’s ‘accredited business’ boosts your credibiity
I love knowing that in a few weeks, I’ll no longer be just a “member” of the Better Business Bureau. I’ll be an “accredited business.” That sounds better. It also lends an aura of credibility to small businesses like mine that join the BBB to, among other things, be able to display the BBB logo on the… Read More
Viking merchant wants ‘best of’ lists, tips
Donald Hansen of Issaquah, Washington writes: “Your readers responded well to an earlier question about need for help with our (then-Danish, now US/worldwide) website of Viking Age artifacts in replica at VikingTrader.net. We used some of the suggestions to good effect and also your special report on how to get into the inflight magazines. “Now… Read More