The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #551 April 19, 2011
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. Fail to Prepare? Prepare to Fail
2. Your Twitter Lists
3. Top-quality Animoto Videos
4. Jack Canfield’s Tips for Authors
5. Promoting Photos on Glass
6. Hound Video of the Week
7. And at My Blog & Mobile Site…
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1. Fail to Prepare? Prepare to Fail
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If you, or your PR client, are interviewing with the media, and
you haven’t prepared answers to difficult questions, particularly
if you’re in a bad news situation, you’ve blown it.
That’s what happened last week when a correspondent for the BBC
interviewed Mike Lazaridis, the co-chief executive of Research In
Motion (RIM), the Canadian firm behind Blackberry.
After discussing the new Playbook tablet, the focus of the
interview shifted to the company’s problems in India and the
Middle East, where governments want to gain greater access to the
tight security system used for Blackberry’s business users.
Lazaridis wasn’t ready for the question and complained that it
was unfair. His PR person tried to intervene. Things got ugly.
The correspondent kept his cool. But Lazaridis got flustered and
eventually ordered the camera person to “turn that thing off.”
Bloggers, like PR consultant Greg Simpson in the UK, started
writing about it and sharing the YouTube video. Take a look:
http://pressforattention.com/
Ben Franklin had it right when he warned: “By failing to prepare,
you are preparing to fail.”
Be prepared. Crisis communications counselor Jonathan Bernstein
explained how to deal with sharp reporters (and nasty, hostile
ones) when he was my guest during the teleseminar, “How to Keep
the Media Wolves at Bay.” Learn more about what we discussed
here:
http://publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-tapes/media_wolves_atbay.htm
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2. Your Twitter Lists
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Frustrated that you aren’t getting in front of the right experts
and journalists on Twitter?
Do you have too few quality followers?
Is hardly anyone retweeting your fabulous content?
You can change all that by using Twitter lists. Here are three
ways to use lists:
Save hours of time researching journalists, broadcasters,
Internet radio hosts, freelancers, beat reporters, editors and
others by looking for lists that other people on Twitter have
created. Within seconds, you can even find lists of journalists
in specific cities.
Want to get in front of influential bloggers who write about a
particular topic? Save hours of time by finding them on Twitter
lists that other people have created. (You can do this even if
you aren’t tweeting.)
If your favorite journalists, or journalists who you want to
notice you, are on Twitter, and you have a Twitter account,
create a “(Fill in the blank) Journalists” list and add them. If
you have a food-related story to pitch, for example, and you want
to get in front of food journalists, add them to a “Favorite Food
Journalists” list. And then let them know you’ve done so.
They’ll be flattered. This is a great way to start a
relationship with journalists before you pitch them.
You’ll find two more ideas at my blog at
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6929
And you can access the video replay of a webinar I hosted on
Twitter lists and directories at
http://publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/twitterlists.htm
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3. Top-quality Animoto Videos
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I love Animoto, the web-based program that lets me create slick
videos, accompanied by music or my recorded voice, within
minutes, using stock photos and text and even video clips.
The program is particularly helpful when I don’t have time to get
all dolled up for a talking-head video.
But I just realized I haven’t been adding my Publicity Hound logo
to the beginning and ending of all my videos. This important step
introduces newcomers to my brand, and solidifies the brand in the
minds of those who know me. No problem. My assistant can log into
my account and correct this problem for me very quickly.
Other tips for great Animoto videos:
–Be concise with your copy. Shave all unnecessary words.
–Choose the appropriate music from their library of more than
1,000 selections. (A great task, by the way, for a virtual
assistant.)
–If you use Animoto to present one of your products, consider
including an image of the product in its packaging, so that
customers can identify it easily when looking for it in a store
or at your website. Your Animoto video can also include a short
video clip of you demonstrating how to use the product.
–Include a call to action at the end of the video. Direct
viewers to a purchase page, a Facebook fan page or a newsletter
sign-up box. I subscribe to the Pro package, which lets me direct
my viewers to a specific page at my website without making them
click on anything. Powerful!
–Create short videos of no more than two and a half minutes.
Authors, I’ve even seen some well-done book trailer videos
created in Animoto.
Take a free test drive at the Animoto website, and create an
unlimited number of videos for non-commercial use, at
http://animoto.com/?ref=obcetdav
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4. Jack Canfield’s Tips for Authors
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Jack Canfield is one of the most successful authors and speakers
of all time, despite the fact that 144 publishers rejected the
first “Chicken Soup” book he co-wrote with Mark Victor Hansen.
Canfield was featured in the movie “The Secret” and co-created
the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series which has sold over 115
million books.
In fact, at one point he had seven books on the New York Times
Best Seller List simultaneously–a world record.
Want to hear how Jack became so successful and how you can use
his strategies to get where you want to go as an author, speaker
or entrepreneur?
If so, you’re invited to a free telephone seminar on Wednesday,
April 20, where you’ll hear Jack interviewed by my friend Steve
Harrison.
Whether your book or project is still in the idea stage or you’re
already a pretty advanced marketer, you’ll come away with fresh
insights you can use. I’m a compensated affiliate.
Go here now to register for Wednesday’s call:
http://www.teleseminarwithjackcanfield.com/?10011
Even if you’ve heard Jack before, you’ll come away with
strategies you can use right away, like:
–What to do if you find yourself reluctant to aggressively
market your work.
–The two mindsets you need to create a best-selling book.
–How to find someone to sponsor your book.
–How to systematically create word-of-mouth marketing for your
book.
Go here now to register for Wednesday’s call with Jack Canfield:
http://www.teleseminarwithjackcanfield.com/?10011
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5. Promoting Photos on Glass
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Matthew Bivens of Gainesville, FL, needs ideas on how to promote
his company called Fracture, at http://www.FractureMe.com, which
gives people an innovative way to print, mount and display their
personal photographs on shatter-proof glass.
Jenna Photography suggests:
“Get a couple of photographers (portraits, wildlife, etc.)
involved on your Facebook page. Once they start promoting you on
their pages, word will spread like wildfire. We photographers
love sharing ideas with other photographers and clients,
especially when it’s something that can be used in shoots or to
display our work.”
Here’s my idea:
Start sending samples of your work to the most influential
bloggers in certain niches.
For example, do a Google search for “Top 10 mommy bloggers.”
Choose one. Visit her blog. See if you can find a photo of her
with one of her children. Or her favorite vacation spot or
whatever.
If you need a high-resolution photo, contact her, tell her who
you are, and request the photo so you can send her a sample. Be
sure to link to your website.
Do the same for bloggers in other niches–travel and vacations,
pets (this niche is huge!), authors and books, weddings, special
events, etc.
Also, consider sending a sample product and a press release to
the “new product” sections of magazines that would be a good fit.
(Pets, travel, etc.)
Add your own ideas to these at http://publicityhound.net/?p=8200
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6. Hound Video of the Week
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Thanks to Publicity Hound Tracey Bennett of Honolulu, Hawaii, for
this five-minute video of a trainer taking his dogs through an
incredible series of tricks. Stay with it at least until the two
and a half minute mark.
http://www.flixxy.com/dog-show.htm
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7. And at My Blog & Mobile Site…
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Piggyback onto the Royal Wedding with 70+ story ideas
http://publicityhound.net/?p=8242
Authors, meet me May 7 in Denver
http://publicityhound.net/?p=8227
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Joan Stewart
The Publicity Hound
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