Got Blogger Butt?

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #475 Oct. 27, 2009

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. Got Blogger Butt?

2. Rub Elbows with Editors

3. Tips from ‘Mars/Venus’ Author

4. How to Deal with Media Bias

5. Help This Hound; Win a Shovel Mask

6. Hound Video of the Week

7. And at My Blog…

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1. Got Blogger Butt?
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Thanks to those three little words, Publicity Hound Michelle
Tennant landed an interview with FOX News later today on the
topic of how women can stay healthy while in front of their
computers 14 hours a day.

When Michelle’s doctor ordered her to take off 50 pounds by
August of next year, she bought a treadmill. Her woodworker
husband made her a handy treadmill desk, a removable desk
attachment that lets her work on her laptop while working out.

Michelle, a publicist, blogged about it at
http://budurl.com/bloggerbutt and then pitched the story to FOX.
A producer called her, and she’ll use a webcam and Skype for the
interview later tonight. FOX is taping segments now for November
sweeps and loves any kind of angle that will appeal to the
masses.

You can do what she did. You can come up with a clever angle for
even the most routine story. Here are four tips from Michelle on
how to find a clever angle:

–Use alliteration in your pitch. “Blogger butt” turns the pitch
into a sound bite that’s irresistible to broadcasters.

–Magazine covers offer ideas galore for angles. “Women should
get out of their comfort zone and read the cover of a men’s
magazine, and men should read the cover of a women’s magazine,”
she says. Look for headlines you can steal. By substituting just
a few words, you’ve got an angle. Example from Cosmopolitan
magazine: 26 gutsy ways to make a fresh start. Your headline: 8
gutsy ways to make your office a fun place to work.

–Tie into breaking or seasonal news. “In this case, I tied my
breaking news into women in the workforce and weight gain in the
digital age.”

–Look for problem/solution angles that appeal to the masses. The
best angles tie into topics like saving money, staying young,
looking and feeling better, and being more successful.

Watch the video she produced about blogger butt at
http://storytellertothemedia.com/

Michelle, a graduate of The Publicity Hound Mentor program, has a
long track record of getting her clients into top-tier media. She
explained how she does it, and shared inside secrets on how she
connects with journalists, when I interviewed for my series of
lessons on “How to Create a Media Plan.” Learn more about it at
http://publicityhound.com/mediaplan.htm

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2. Rub Elbows with Editors
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Telephones and email aren’t the only ways to contact editors.
Here are three great ways to meet journalists face-to-face:

–At events sponsored by your local press club. Many press clubs
allow people who work outside the media to join. It’s a chance to
meet editors in a relaxed setting.

–At events sponsored by local business journals and magazines.
Business Journals generate a huge chunk of their revenue from
corporate sponsors at events such as power breakfasts, the 40
Under 40 awards ceremony, and the Book of Lists party. Pay
attention to what events they’re sponsoring and attend. Don’t
pitch at these events. Concentrate on building the relationship.

–By hanging out near the media room at trade shows. If you’re
attending a trade show as a participant, speaker or vendor, there
are lots of things you can do before, during and after the event
to make valuable media connections. Example: When you meet a
journalist at a trade show, invite him for coffee.

“Trade Show PR: How to Rise Above the Noise Level,” a recording
of an interview I did with PR expert Dan Janal, offers dozens of
tactics and strategies you can use long before trade shows begin,
and long after they’re over, to build valuable relationships with
the media. Learn more about the CD at
http://budurl.com/tradeshowpr

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3. Tips from ‘Mars/Venus’ Author
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John Gray says one of the biggest mistakes an author can make is
not understanding how to survive financially while writing and
promoting a book.

I know what he means. I’ve worked with clients who have taken
sabbaticals from their businesses or their corporate jobs to
write their books, only to reluctantly take out a second mortgage
just to pay the bills until their books hit the bookstores.

A second mistake, he says, is that they relied on the book for
revenue.

During a short interview with Steve Harrison, Gray discusses the
rocky road he traveled as a self-published author, long before
his ‘Mars/Venus’ success, and how anyone who is writing a book or
wants to write one can learn from his experiences.

You’ll also hear the one thing he did to come up with a memorable
title for his book on relationships. I’ve never heard this tip
mentioned anywhere. It worked. “Men Are From Mars, Women Are from
Venus” went on to sell 30 million copies and spent seven years on
the New York Times Best Seller List.

Listen to the interview, including what he learned about
appearing on Oprah, at http://budurl.com/menarefrommars

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4. How to Deal with Media Bias
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This week, three Publicity Hounds have tips for Ivy Mendoza of
Manila, Philippines on how to deal with a local newspaper editor
who refuses to print press releases about her client.
From Nancy Binzel Pierce:

“I suggest finding a neutral third party who is friendly with
both sides. Explain the situation to her (or him) and ask her to
help you re-establish a relationship.”
From Gin:

“Write a press release around the subject of forgiveness and bad
work ethics, then invite feedback from the public, adding
information about other available business services. The feedback
may indirectly reflect and change the opinion of the editor.”
From the Publicity Hound:

Forget about the Lifestyles editor. Call her direct supervisor
and explain what happened. If you don?t like that answer, keep
working your way up the ladder to the publisher. Everybody works
for somebody.

I’m also willing to guess that far more people read Craigslist in
the Philippines than that newspaper. See “How to Use Craigslist
as a Global Publicity Tool” at
http://budurl.com/howtousecraigslist

Read all the responses to this week?s ?Help This Hound question
http://tinyurl.com/editorsaysno

Send your own Help this Hound question to: mailto:
JStewart@PublicityHound.com
and include your city, state and province.

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5. Help This Hound; Win a Shovel Mask
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John T. Unger of Mancelona, MI writes:

“My original art, including my fire bowls, which I’ve been making
since 2005, has been copied by a manufacturer.

“He is now suing me in federal court to overturn my existing
copyrights and continue making knockoffs. I have a strong case, a
great lawyer and believe that if I can continue to defend myself,
the case will be resolved in my favor.

“I did not initiate this lawsuit, but am defending my art, my
creative rights, my reputation and my livelihood. I’ve already
spent over $50,000 out of pocket in defense of my original
designs. Seeking a judicial ruling in federal court will cost
more than most artists or small businesses can afford, but
attempts at settlement have been unsuccessful. I am holding a
fundraising sale of my artwork to finance a defense in court.

“What ideas do your hounds have for raising awareness of the
story, its broader implications for other creative professionals
and raising funds to see that the laws which protect copyright
are not weakened for other artists?”
The Publicity Hound says:

John called me to ask for my help with this problem, and I told
him my Publicity Hounds will come through with some great
suggestions on how he can defend he lawsuit without going broke.
What can he do in traditional and social media to spread the word
and muster support? Post your best ideas to my blog at
http://budurl.com/firebowl

The Publicity Hound who suggests the best idea will win a
beautiful shovel mask, made by John. The winner will be announced
here in two weeks. Check by blog post for photos of the shovel
mask and the fire bowl.

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6. Hound Video of the Week
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It’s almost Halloween and you can’t forget about your dog. Here
are several clever ideas for dog costumes.
http://ow.ly/wKW7

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 Blog…
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PR/social media book perfect for wanna-be publicists
http://ow.ly/wKRL

Want a Bulldog award? Teleconference explains how to win
http://ow.ly/wtww

Avoid press release buzzwords; use press release keywords
http://ow.ly/wtvO

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Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound