The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #572 Sept. 13, 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. Lazy, Cop-out Photos
2. Bad Guest Blogger Pitches
3. Your Book: A Premium Incentive
4. Promoting a Breast Cancer Auction
5. Help This Hound
6. Hound Video of the Week
7. And at My Blog & Mobile Site…
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1. Lazy, Cop-out Photos
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“We can’t think creatively. We’re lazy. And we don’t mind boring
you with this photo, which you’ve seen a thousand times before.”
That’s the message you send when you use these three types of
photos in a publicity campaign:
–The dreaded ribbon cutting, with the giant cardboard scissors.
–The ghastly check passing, with the oversized check that often
dwarfs the people on each end who are holding it.
–The uninspired groundbreaking, with eight guys in suits, ties
and hard hats, lined up side by side, each with a foot poised on
the shovel.
C’mon. You can do better than that.
Instead of a ribbon cutting, take a photo that shows how the
money is being spent. If it’s for the local food pantry, take a
photo of a volunteer stocking the shelves.
Dispense with the ribbon cutting. Instead, photograph the store’s
first customer making a purchase at the check-out counter.
Rather than a groundbreaking photo, create a helpful info-graphic
that explains various stages of the project, or a timeline for
completion.
Or hire a local artist to create an oil painting of the project.
Make inexpensive reprints available to the public. That’s a much
more interesting story.
That last idea comes from Dan Collins, the PR expert who was my
guest during the teleseminar on “Fun Alternatives to Boring
Groundbreakings, Ribbon Cuttings and Check Passings.” He has so
many creative suggestions for sidestepping boring photos that
you’ll swear off using the lazy ones forever. Read more about how
to access the transcript or audio replay at
http://publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-tapes/groundbreakings.htm
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2. Bad Guest Blogger Pitches
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This is starting to happen with annoying frequency.
Somebody emails me, offers to write a guest blog post and then
asks, “What would you like me to write about?”
I barely have time to figure out what topics I can write about.
The last thing I need is a guest blogger who I have to baby-sit.
Pitch a blogger the same way you’d pitch a journalist. Let them
know, without coming right out and saying it, that you’ve read
their blog. You know the kinds of topics their audience loves,
and you have an idea that’s a perfect fit. Also, explain your
area of expertise and why you’re the best person to write about
it.
Better yet, pitch two or three ideas. Include a link to your
blog, but do not tell the blogger to “visit my blog, take a look
around and let me know what you think.”
If you want exposure to my audience, make my job so easy that
publishing your post on my blog is a no-brainer.
When you submit the post, include one or two screenshots or
images. Write your own short author resource box. Link within the
post to other websites, when appropriate. And adhere to
Associated Press style. If you don’t have a stylebook, you can
buy one for less than $20 at http://ow.ly/6sXPb
Learn dozens more ideas on how to make a journalist’s or
blogger’s job easy by watching the video replay of a webinar I
hosted recently on “A Simple 5-Part Formula for Delivering the
Perfect Media Pitch and Hitting it Out of the Park.” You an
access it at
http://publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/pitchingformula.htm
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3. Your Book: A Premium Incentive
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Many big companies offer books as “premium incentives” to
encourage people to buy a particular product, much like your
favorite magazine might offer you a clock, T-shirt or other bonus
when you renew your subscription.
Some companies also buy books to give to their customers as
“thank you” gifts. Other firms buy books in quantity to train or
inspire their employees and buy 5,000, 10,000 or as many as
20,000 books from an author or publisher.
It’s not as hard as you might think to land these kinds of super-
lucrative deals–IF you know how the corporate market really
works.
Matthew Bennett, a self-published author who’s relatively unknown
to the general public, has sold more than 5 million books in
quantity to Fortune 500 corporations including Disney, Reebok,
NBC, Abbott Labs, Pfizer, US Healthplans, Subway and many others.
Want to learn how he does it and how you too can get started
selling your books by the truckload to big companies?
You’re invited to a free webinar (or telephone seminar) on
Thursday, Sept. 15, to hear Steve Harrison interview Matthew
about his methods and proven system for selling tons of books.
Register here:
http://www.authortrainingwebinar.com/?10011
Even though the call is free, I promote it as a compensated
affiliate, because too many authors spend far too much time and
effort selling single-copy books, and not enough on bulk sales.
Note: Steve has only 11 spots remaining for his National
Publicity Summit Oct. 12-15 in New York City, where you can
personally meet more than 100 producers and journalists who do
stories and shows for many of America’s biggest media outlets.
The price goes up after tomorrow, Sept. 14. Apply here:
http://www.nationalpublicitysummit2011.com/applyhere/?10011
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4. Promoting a Breast Cancer Auction
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This week, four Publicity Hounds have tips for Leticia Meireles
of San Diego, CA, on how to get more traffic to her online
auction that’s raising money for breast cancer research.
From Christel Hall:
“Leticia may get a big boost from social media. In fact, I just
tweeted for her cause:
“Birthday girl asks for friends/family to bid & buy to donate to
cancer cause, rather than give her b-day gifts:
http://www.32auctions.com/organizations/1878/auctions/2039.”
From Judith Bron:
“Every community has a hospital, hospice, health center or some
other health facility that works with breast cancer patients and
breast cancer survivors. Try contacting them and asking if you
can publicize your auction on their website, on their Facebook
page or other communications. If one of these organizations is
holding a dinner to raise funds for the cause, ask if you can
place flyers on tables at the event. Ask if you can put flyers at
health care facilities and in the cafeterias at local hospitals.”
From The Publicity Hound:
“Some big brands have donated items to your auction. Do they have
Facebook pages? If so, thank them publicly for the donation, tag
them, and link to the auction page. Same for all the local
businesses that have donated gift certificates and other items.
Their customers and fans might be very interested in bidding.”
Read all the responses to this week’s “Help This Hound” question
at http://publicityhound.net/?p=9341
Send your own Help this Hound question to
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=HelpThisHound and
include your city and state.
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5. Help This Hound
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Carrie Steuer of Itasca, IL, writes:
“I am a ‘Bra Lady’—a direct seller for Essential Bodywear.
“This month, I’m being featured in Family Circle magazine. It’s
an article about me, being a wife and mom and managing my bra
business.
“I am considering writing a press release or something else, but
I don’t know how to do that, or what to say, or what else I
should be doing.
“Can your Hounds lead me in the right direction? My website is
http://www.MyEssentialBodywear.com/breastfriend.”
The Publicity Hound says:
I love the bra care advice at your website I’ll bet other
magazines, women’s newsletter editors and bloggers would too.
Create a simple “tips list” and start pitching. Let’s see what
other suggestions my Hounds can post to my blog at
http://publicityhound.net/?p=9401
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6. Hound Video of the Week
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Thanks to Christel Hall of Minden, NV, for this video of a dog
that just couldn’t make it as a service dog and became a SURFice
dog:
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=BGODurRfVv4
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 & Mobile Site…
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10 ways to be an indispensable media source
http://publicityhound.net/?p=9348
Need a 2-page website? You can be a beta tester
http://publicityhound.net/?p=9386
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Joan Stewart
The Publicity Hound
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