Become an Industry Expert

Issue #828 June 21, 2014
Publisher: Joan Stewart

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

In This Issue

1. Become an Industry Expert
2. Summer Story Ideas
3. Join Me Today on iHeartRadio
4. Hound Video of the Week

This Weekend in the Hound House:

My family is coming for a visit late next week. I’m almost done purging the last of the junk from my basement–all except for one little room off to the side that’s…well, let’s just say it will be padlocked. I don’t know why I’m so paranoid. I’ve seen their basement and it isn’t pretty.

1. Become an Industry Expert

If you’re intimidated by know-it-alls, those people who seem to be walking around with the Library of Congress inside their heads, relax.

When it comes to being an industry expert, you can leave them in the dust.

You don’t have to KNOW more than they do. You simply have to DO more than they do.

To be considered an expert, what you do is just as important as what you know. I’ll argue that it’s often more important.

That was the key message during a free webinar this week sponsored by Cision. I urge you to watch it because it’s excellent. It lists the five levels of expertise and gives real-life examples of all five:

Level 1: The Resident Expert

Level 2: The Local Hero

Level 3: The Rising Star

Level 4: The Industry Rock Star

Level 5: The Global Superstar

Watch “How to Gain Exposure as an Industry Expert.”

2. Summer Story Ideas

In celebration of the first day of summer, here are some tried-and-true summer story ideas the media will love during the next three months:

–How rising gasoline prices will affect you, your business and your family. Escalating turmoil in Middle East might lead to a price spike that’s higher than usual.

–Close-to-home vacations, entertainment and things to do with the kids–especially on a budget.

–How to grill the ultimate steak or burger. Also, how to avoid food poisoning during picnics.

–Clothing trends local companies are seeing on Casual Friday.

–Unusual volunteer projects that rely on college students.

–Etiquette tips for summer weddings, company picnics and family reunions.

–The hottest apps and tech tools that help with things like family vacations, keeping the kids busy and staying organized. (A great idea for authors, speakers and others who live and breathe technology.)

–How the weather affects the price of anything.

You’ll find dozens more story ideas, tips on how to pitch them, advice on how to follow up your pitches, and how to repurpose all that great publicity you’re getting in the fourth edition of my ebook, How to be a Kick-butt Publicity Hound. It’s the very best all-around, one-stop-shop learning tool I’ve created.

3. Join Me Today on iHeartRadio

You are the media. Yes, you!

So stop relying only on newspapers, magazines, TV and radio to tell your story.

That’s the message I’ll be sharing this afternoon when I’m a guest on The TEC Show, a talk show from 2 to 3 p.m. Eastern Time on WISN-AM 1130 in Milwaukee. Regardless of where you live, you can listen if you sign up for a free account on iHeartRadio.

TEC is a professional development group for CEOs, company presidents and business owners in Wisconsin. I’ll be talking about “How to Use Free or Inexpensive Web Tools to Publish, Broadcast and Tell Your Story.”

TEC will add the recording to its podcast (smart!) and I’ll share it with you on Tuesday.

Sign up for an iHeartRadio account.

4. Hound Video of the Week

Watch as these five dogs patiently wait their turn before exiting the car. Did these guys go to charm school, or what?