Hook Journalists on LinkedIn

The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #695 March 5, 2013
Publisher: Joan Stewart

==========================================

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

===================================

In This Issue
===================================

1. “Can I Pick Your Brain?”

2. Hook Journalists on LinkedIn

3. How Not to Use Press Releases

4. Hound Joke of the Week

This Week in the Hound House: I just discovered tough, durable
Nitrile gardening gloves. Friends in my garden club say they fit
like a second skin. You can get them for under $10 on Amazon and
at nurseries.

======================================
1. “Can I Pick Your Brain?”
======================================

If a journalist asks that question, and you know you can help,
let him pick, pick, pick until he has what he needs and you’ve
convinced him that you’re an expert.

But what about tire-kickers and cheapskates–people who want
everything for free? What if someone connects with you on a site
like Facebook or Twitter and asks, “Can I pick your brain?”

Laura Roeder, a social media marketing expert, recommends you
respond with this simple phrase:

“I’m glad to hear you’re interested in getting deeper into this.
The next step is my one-hour consultation. Would you like me to
tell you how that works?”

Don’t you love that response? I do. It puts the ball back in
their court and gives them a way to exit gracefully. Laura wrote
more about this problem at
http://www.copyblogger.com/get-paid-for-your-time/

She was one of 60 marketing experts whose very best tips for
increasing your online influence are listed in this Copyblogger
post at http://www.copyblogger.com/increase-influence-online/.
The tips are as useful today as they were when first written
three years ago.

====================================
2. Hook Journalists on LinkedIn
====================================

A journalist types a phrase into the Google search engine,
looking for sources to interview on your area of expertise.

Your LinkedIn profile comes up on the first page of the search
results. She clicks on it and likes what she sees when she lands
on your profile page.

But she isn’t interested in inviting you to connect with her.
Instead, she wants to keep you on her radar screen because she
thinks you might be able to help her months from now.

She clicks on your company name, hoping to be taken to your
Company Page where she can follow your status updates.

But she’s out of luck. You don’t have a Company Page. She clicks
off your profile, goes back to the Google search list and chooses
someone else’s profile on LinkedIn.

You’ve just lost what could be a valuable media contact and,
potentially, thousands of dollars in free publicity. Don’t let
that happen!

Create a Company Page, fill it with rich multimedia, and know all
the ways to encourage journalists, potential clients and others
to click on the “Follow” button. LinkedIn even tells you which
content interests whom, how your data compares against similar
companies, and how to target your status updates to a very
specific group of business people.

LinkedIn expert Wayne Breitbarth will show you how to do all
that, and lots more, on the webinar I’m hosting from 3:30 to 5:30
Eastern Time on Wednesday, March 13, on “How to Use LinkedIn
Company Pages and Ads to Attract an Audience, Promote Your Heart
Out and Help Them Buy.”

I’m recording this one, and if the time doesn’t work for you,
I’ll send you the links for the video replay and three valuable
bonuses.

This is Wayne’s fifth appearance as a Publicity Hound guest
expert because my Hounds keep begging me to bring him back.

====================================
3. How Not to Use Press Releases
====================================

If you’re looking for big-time publicity, don’t rely on the lowly
press release to catch the attention of a reporter or TV
producer.

Those releases have their place. They’re best used on press
release distribution sites where they can go directly to
journalists who cover a certain topic. You can also use them to
reach consumers directly with your message.

But don’t use them to catch the attention of a busy reporter or
blogger show is undated with hundreds of other releases. You’re
far better off coming up with a compelling “hook” or angle,
customizing it for the media outlet and pitching it. You can then
offer the press release as back-up material if the journalist is
interested.

Join Steve Harrison for a free telephone seminar today–Tuesday,
March 5–at 2 and 7 p.m. Eastern, and listen as she shares tips
from other journalists and broadcasters on what will convince
them to cover your story.

You’ll also hear what a “Good Morning America” producer told him
is the absolute best way to pitch his show–something very few
publicity-seekers do but which dramatically increases your
chances of getting booked. And Steve will also discuss five
proven ways to create a compelling publicity “hook” or angle.

I’m promoting this call as a compensated affiliate, and I might
earn a commission if you buy something from Steve’s company down
the road.

====================================
4. Hound Joke of the Week
====================================

Maybe you’ve been looking for love in all the wrong places. A dog
will treat you better than anyone you’ll meet at happy hour.
Trust me. I’ve been to happy hour.

Reader Interactions

Share Your Two Cents Cancel reply