The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #461 July 28, 2009
Publisher: Joan Stewart
================================
“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”
===============================
In This Issue
===============================
1. It’s All About Relationships
2. Social Bookmarking How-to
3. TV Interviews from Hell
4. Growing Hunger for Food News
5. Promoting a Website for Black Doctors
6. Have You Signed Up for My Newsletter?
7. Hound Joke of the Week
8. And at My Blog…
=====================================
1. It’s All About Relationships
=====================================
When Publicity Hound Gail Sideman met freelancer Alyson McNutt
English at a writers’ conference more than a year ago, she
pitched a story about her client, a Wisconsin jeweler who makes
diamond encrusted jewelry and other blingy rings, necklaces and
baubles for professional athletes.
Soon after the interview, Alyson wrote the story for ESPN the
Magazine. But with the economy headed south, Gail said, “I
figured it was a dead story. The last thing people want to read
about is athletes buying expensive jewelry.”
Gail kept the relationship with Alyson alive. They followed each
other on Twitter, connected on LinkedIn, and stayed in even
closer contact on Facebook.
Then it happened.
A few weeks ago, Gail learned that her client, jeweler Harry
Glinberg, is shown in a huge photo on Page 2 of the July 27 issue
of the ESPN magazine, holding up a fistful of flashy necklaces
and diamond-studded brooches. It accompanies a feature titled “6
Things About Dealing Athlete Ice.”
Read it, and check out the great quotes.
The story caught the attention of Charlie Villanueva, who plays
for the Detroit Pistons and is one of Harry’s clients.
“Charlie’s active on Facebook and Twitter and asked on those
sites how his jeweler got into ESPN’s magazine,” said Gail, a
sports publicist.
Traditional and social media publicity, she says, can work hand
in hand.
“A traditional pitch to a freelance reporter who writes for a
magazine turned into publicity on the social media sites. As a
publicist, that’s what I’m aiming for.”
While face-to-face communication with journalists isn’t always
possible, Gail says it can cement the relationship. Alyson has
since invited Gail to join her Fantasy Football League.
As you know if you’ve been reading this newsletter,
relationships with freelancers can prove incredibly lucrative. A
freelancer who writes for several publications might come back to
you again and again.
=====================================
2. Social Bookmarking How-to
=====================================
I know what you’re thinking. One more social media task to worry
about.
That’s right. It’s called social bookmarking, and it can increase
the power of everything you do in social media.
Unlike your blog, or Facebook pages, you don’t have to create
massive amounts of content. Instead, you simply need to find it
elsewhere online, and then bookmark it for others to enjoy. And,
yes, you can also bookmark your own content, with care.
Here’s the best part. Once you get the hang of social
bookmarking, you can turn over much of this to an assistant who
can do most of the nitty-gritty work for you.
The results of my Customer Profile Survey show many of you want
more how-to information on this topic. So I’m hosting a
teleseminar on “How to do Social Bookmarking to Promote Your
Expertise, Attract Followers & Pull Massive Amounts of Traffic”
at 8 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, Aug. 13. If the time is
inconvenient, sign up anyway and receive the MP3 download.
My guest is Colin Martin, a social media expert and avid
bookmarker who will share his best tips on how to use bookmarking
to build valuable relationships online.
About a week before the call, everyone who registers will receive
a link to four videos Colin is creating. They show in step-by-
step detail how to create your accounts at these sites, how to
bookmark content, how to make friends and join groups, and
everyday uses and results of this powerful marking tool.
=====================================
3. TV Interviews from Hell
=====================================
Don’t feel bad if you make mistakes when you appear as a guest on
TV news or talk shows. It’s part of the learning curve.
Being boring, overtly promoting your book, talking too much, and
failing to deliver pithy sound bites pale in comparison to the
mistakes two authors have made on shows where they appeared.
Watch both videos, which I’ve posted at my blog, and then comment
on which of the two you think is the worst. Promise me you’ll
watch both of them to the bitter end.
I can’t wait to see your comments.
=====================================
4. Growing Hunger for Food News
=====================================
You can say what you want about the bad economy. Foodies haven’t
cut back on their intake of food and beverage news.
I know. I’m a foodie from way back. And I’m still devouring the
Food Network, new recipes I find in magazines, and food feature
stories in local and national newspapers.
If you’re trying to pitch a food or beverage story idea, tying it
to the economy, or an emerging trend, or a celebrity, can be the
best way to grab a journalist’s attention.
But what if the newspaper you want to get into has laid off the
food editor? With so many journalists losing their jobs these
days, a good story idea just isn’t enough. You need to know how
to contact them and keep them on your radar screen.
Bulldog Reporter’s PR University will host an audio conference at
1 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, July 30, on “Maximizing Food and
Beverage Media Coverage in the New Economy: Epicurean Journalists
Field Live Pitches, Reveal Best PR Practices and Top Food Media
Trends.”
Learn how to tap into a growing hunger for food and beverage
news–and get your culinary offering on the menu at top
media today. Panelists include Hugh Garvey of Bon Appetit, Regina
Ragone of Family Circle, Megan Steintrager of Epicurious.com and
Nancy Hopkins of Better Homes & Gardens will explain how.
========================================
5. Promoting a Website for Black Doctors
========================================
This week, six Publicity Hounds have ideas on how Cynthia Barnes
of Fort Wayne, Ind., can market her website,
BlackHealthCareProviders.org It’s a nationwide free
referral service that helps consumers find African-American
health care providers in their own neighborhoods.
From Sonia Singh:
“Get involved with your local Black Chamber of Commerce.”
From Jen Fitzgerald:
“Create a competition nominating your favourite African-American
doctor. Also, there could be an African-American doctors’
association you could target.
From Jeff Rutherford:
“I would be willing to bet that there are online listservs or
LinkedIn groups for African-American doctors and medical
professionals to network. Start making personal, one-on-one
connections with five to 10 African-American doctors. Once you’ve
built a rapport, explained your site, and ask them to alert their
colleagues.”
The Publicity Hound says:
Read all the responses to this week’s Help This Hound question.
=========================================
6. Have You Signed Up for My Newsletter?
=========================================
Help This Hound takes a vacation this week, a great opportunity
for me to remind you to be sure to sign up for the new version of
this newsletter, or risk being dropped.
I’m changing email marketing companies and don’t want to lose
you.
================================
7. Hound Video of the Week
================================
You’ll love this “Bailey Plays Dead” clip from a segment of David
Letterman’s stupid pet tricks.
=================================
8. And at My Blog…
=================================
Which of these author TV-interviews-from-hell is the worst?
Share Your Two Cents