The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #523 Sept. 14, 2010
Publisher: Joan Stewart
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“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”
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In This Issue
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1. 60 Ways to be Influential Online
2. Newspaper Ezines
3. Oprah’s Opulence Can Fool You
4. How to Find Content for a B2B Blog
5. Save the Dates
6. Hound Video of the Week
7. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…
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1. 60 Ways to be Influential Online
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Struggling to create a brand that stands out from all the rest in
the crowded online world?
Don’t know what you need to do right now to attract more
customers and earn greater trust with your prospects?
Earlier this summer, The Influencer Project, the shortest
marketing conference ever at just one hour, asked 60 top online
marketers to take only one minute and give at least one concise
and valuable piece of advice.
Sixty leaders. Sixty seconds each. Sixty ways to increase your
online influence.
I found a quick summary of the list at the Hubspot blog at
http://tinyurl.com/theinfluencerproject
Scan it, and choose two or three things you need to improve. You
can even download the free mp3 and transcript.
I’m going to be concentrating on Number 6, “Follow better
people,” and Number 7, “Align yourself with outstanding strategic
partners.”
A fast, easy way to do that is by looking at the Twitter lists of
people who I respect, and then following the people they’re
following and paying attention to their tweets. When I find
somebody with whom I want to partner, I’ll call and introduce
myself.
The webinar I conducted last month on “How to Use Twitter Lists &
Directories to Generate Publicity and Build Your Brand” walks you
step-by-step through the process of creating your own Twitter
lists, peeking at other people’s lists, spying on your
competitors, and choosing the five very best Twitter directories
where journalists and consumers can find you. Read more about
what you’ll learn how to do at
http://publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/twitterlists.htm
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2. Newspaper Ezines
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When you’re pitching traditional media, it’s all too easy to
overlook email newsletters, or ezines, published by those same
media.
In Milwaukee, for example, the Biz Times, a local business bi-
weekly newspaper, publishes nine ezines devoted to topics such as
real estate, politics, marketing and PR, manufacturing, money and
nonprofits. The issues are then archived online.
Readers, including those who don’t subscribe to the print
editions, can subscribe to the ezines for free. These kinds of
publications are often scrambling for content. They’re great
vehicles for press releases, calendar events and other news that
doesn’t make it into the print editions.
Media websites often have excellent search engine ranking–a big
plus for you, particularly if the archives include your press
release that has a link to your own website or blog.
At smaller publications, the editors typically are responsible
for both print and electronic versions. Bigger media outlets have
separate staffs. So check their websites before you pitch.
If your target market includes local businesses or nonprofits,
getting your story into local business journals is a must. But
knowing how to meet and pitch the editors and reporters can be
tricky. Paul Furiga, former editor of the Pittsburgh Business
Times, explains how to schmooze with business journalists at live
events, build valuable relationships with them and stay on their
radar screens so they call you when they need your expertise.
Read more about what Paul will teach you to do at
http://publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-tapes/usebusiness.htm
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3. Oprah’s Opulence Can Fool You
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Did you hear how Oprah opened the first show of her last season
yesterday?
She announced that she’s flying all 300 members of her audience
to Australia, with pilot John Travolta at the controls. You can
read about it here:
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/Oprah-Takes-Audience-
Down-Under-102775699.html
But don’t let Oprah’s opulence fool you.
She knows this economy is hammering households everywhere. That’s
why her producers are on the lookout for guests who can explain
how we can look and dress with class, without spending big bucks.
In other words, live the good life like a cheapskate, her
Australia publicity stunt notwithstanding.
A former guest booker for Oprah will give you lots of tips on how
to pitch the big TV talk shows when she’s Steve Harrison’s guest
during a teleseminar at 2 and 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 16. It’s
called “The Three Big Secrets for Getting Booked As a Guest on
Top National TV Shows.” I’m a compensated affiliate for this
program and I know this is one of Steve’s most popular sessions
because Publicity Hounds who miss it have asked if they can have
the transcript. There’s no transcript, so if you can’t make the
call, recruit somebody to listen and take notes for you.
Register at http://www.tvpublicityteleseminar.com/?10011
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4. How to Find Content for a B2B Blog
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One of the most frequent complaints I hear from business-to-
business bloggers is that they can’t find enough content for
their blogs.
Truth is, B2B blogs aren’t that much different from blogs written
for consumers. The strategies and tactics are the same: give
people compelling content that helps them solve problems.
If you struggle to find content for your B2B or consumer blog,
check out “18 Hot Topics for B2B Blogs” at
http://socialmediatoday.com/jeremy-victor/179555/18-hot-topics-b2b-blogs
If you’re a B2B blogger, stop convincing yourself that your job
is so difficult. Here are three other ideas, excerpted from the
handout “101 Ways to Find Content for Your Blog” that accompanies
the teleseminar I hosted with Patsi Krakoff on “Time-saving Tips
for Smart Business Blogging”:
–Do an audio interview with an industry leader, have it
transcribed and present it in Q&A format.
–Write a series of posts, each containing several industry word
definitions for people who don’t understand your lingo.
–When you answer a question on LinkedIn, turn it into a blog
post.
The handout, with 98 other ideas and tips on how to write a blog
post, is yours when you buy the CD, MP3 or transcript of the
smart business blogging teleseminar at
http://publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/businessblogging.htm
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5. Save the Dates
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Tuesday, Sept. 14 (today):
Join my partner, Jeanne Hurlbert, for a webinar on how to use
surveys in social media, at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Register at
http://mixiv.com/vp/87944/18826/ and sign up anyway if the time
is inconvenient, because she’ll be recording it and you’ll get
the replay link.
Thursday, Sept. 16:
Teleseminar on “The Three Big Secrets for Getting Booked As a
Guest on Top National TV Shows,” with Steve Harrison, at 2 or 7
p.m. Eastern Time. Register at
http://www.tvpublicityteleseminar.com/?10011
Friday, Sept. 17:
I’m speaking at the National Association of Women Business Owners
conference on “How to Use Online & Offline Publicity to Promote
Your Expertise, Build Your Brand and Boost Your Bottom Line,” at
the Radisson Greentree in Pittsburgh. Members and non-members
welcome. Register at http://www.nawboday.com Listen to a preview
call I did with Joanne Quinn-Smith of NAWBO at
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=30986&cmd=tc
Friday, Oct. 1:
Learn how to dovetail your PR efforts with social media,
including how to write and distribute social media press
releases. I’m hosting a webinar at 2 p.m. Eastern Time.
Registration details coming.
Wednesday, Dec. 8:
I’ll be presenting “What to do When Things Go Wrong (or Terribly
Wrong) with Publicity” as part of Dave Matheson’s virtual
“Blockbuster Online Success System” from 8 to 10 Eastern Time.
Read all about how the entire program will help you reach a
massive online audience who will love and buy your work. Register
at http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=959543
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6. Hound Video of the Week
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So you think you can dance with your dog? Thanks to Lois Heinlen
of Delaware, Ohio, for sharing this YouTube video of a dog and
its owner doing the Meringue, a dance from the Dominican
Republic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nc9xq-TVyHI&feature=
player_embedded
DOG JOKES & QUOTES EBOOK: 170+ G-rated dog jokes and quotes,
perfect for a dog-lover, your favorite vet, or just for a few
good laughs.
BONUS: Buy the ebook and you also get a compilation of the 50
best websites for dog humor.
http://publicityhound.com/dogjokebook/
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7. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…
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Great fodder for retweeting:
Catalog lets you search for PR, social media tools
http://publicityhound.net/?p=7015
Learn how to link surveys & social media at webinar on Sept. 14
http://www.mysocialmediasolution.com/?p=440
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Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound
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