The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #519 Aug. 24, 2010
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. My New Twitter Strategy
2. Why Can’t They Find You on Twitter?
3. Replay of Teleseminar for Authors
4. Important Deadline Today
5. Let’s Ban Groundbreaking Events
6. Help This Hound
7. Hound Joke of the Week
8. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…
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1. My New Twitter Strategy
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If you’re like me, and you’re on Twitter, you love to share
helpful articles and blog posts you see elsewhere, and retweet
other people’s content.
Most of my tweets lead my followers to interesting and compelling
information written by other experts. Sure, I link to my own blog
posts and articles, but it’s a heck of a lot easier to just
scroll through my Google Reader and share somebody else’s
content, without thinking too hard, instead of writing my own.
When I read a blog post last week written by Mark Faggiano at the
Mashable blog, it dawned on me that I’m not doing a good enough
job positioning myself as a subject matter expert.
What’s missing, I concluded, is a steady stream of my own advice,
original thought and opinions about publicity and PR topics. If
you aren’t providing those, Mark says, you aren’t a subject
matter expert on Twitter. You’re simply a news channel.
Mark adds that subject matter experts should also avoid writing
status updates such as what they’re doing or where they’re going.
He even says that no status updates are OK.
Read his entire post at
http://socialmediatoday.com/markfaggiano/163726/three-keys-being-subject-matter-expert-twitter and then decide if you need to
change your Twitter strategy, too.
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2. Why Can’t They Find You on Twitter?
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If someone needs a person with your expertise, they can go to
http://www.Search.Twitter.com and search by keyword phrase, name,
location or topic.
But what if that’s not where they’re looking?
Instead, they’re at one of the dozens of Twitter directories. If
you’re not listed in those directories, they won’t be able to
find you. But they might find several of your competitors there,
start following them, and become rabid fans. And you’re left in
the cold.
Learn about the most important Twitter directories where you must
have a presence, and dozens of other tips on how to use Twitter
lists and directories to save hours of time, form relationships
with journalists, become that subject matter expert I mentioned
above, and create and solidify your brand.
My webinar at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 26, will include step-by-
step directions and advice on how to create a powerful strategy
for using lists. Many Publicity Hounds are confused about this
topic and I’m swamped with questions. If you can’t attend live,
you’ll get the link to the video replay and the MP3, plus
handouts and a free report on “How to Use Twitter for Business to
Network, Promote, Sell, Recruit & Profit.”
If you missed the five tips I sent you last week, you can read
them at my blog at
http://publicityhound.net/5-ways-to-use-twitter-lists-for-pr-
publicity/ or go directly to the webinar registration page at
http://publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-
tapes/twitterlists.htm
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3. Replay of Teleseminar for Authors
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Publishing and marketing mentor John Eggen hit it out of the park
during the teleseminar I hosted last week on how to “Write a
Client-Attracting Book Fast That Makes $150,000 Even Before It’s
Published” (and more thereafter).
Participants loved the timeline he gave on exactly how many weeks
you should spend writing, editing, designing, printing and
shipping your book. While some authors exceed his 90-day window
for producing a book, they still complete the task in far less
time than it takes many other authors who labor for years over
their books. Those unfortunate authors turn the process into a
grueling, exhausting exercise that eats up precious time and
exceeds their budget, often by thousands of dollars.
I recorded the call and you can listen to it, including the
killer question-and-answer session, at http://tinyurl.com/25blcta
There’s a valuable free gift (a $265.00 value) offered to
attendees during the interview, but it will only be honored for a
few more days. When it’s gone, it’s gone.
Claim your teleseminar recording at http://tinyurl.com/25blcta
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4. Important Deadline Today
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Today is the last day to take advantage of the early-bird
discount to attend the National Publicity Summit in New York
City, Oct. 20-23.
Only 24 of 100 slots are still open, and the price goes up by at
least $200 for anyone who applies after today.
When you attend the summit, you’ll personally meet over 100 top
journalists/producers who do stories and shows for major media
like: ABC’s The View, CNN, Fox News, Today Show, Woman’s Day,
MSNBC, 48 Hours, Live With Regis & Kelly, Fox & Friends, ABC’s
20/20, USA Weekend, Dateline NBC, Health, Entrepreneur, Family
Circle and many more top outlets. I’m a compensated affiliate and
I promote the summit because of the many great results I’ve heard
and seen from Publicity Hounds who have attended.
Apply at http://www.nationalpublicitysummit.com/apply/?10011
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5. Let’s Ban Groundbreaking Events
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This week, four Publicity Hounds have tips for Lois Kirkpatrick
of Fairfax, Va., who works for a large county government, and
needs alternatives for ground-breaking events.
From Jay Hamilton-Roth:
“Why not create a time capsule at the event? Have people bring
photos, newspaper clippings, drawings, etc. to bury. This could
involve kids and adults, with the bonus of a contest for the best
or smallest or heaviest time capsule submissions.”
From Karen Zapp:
“Get a Flip video camera and record a video as the contractor
begins the site prep work. Ideally, they’re excavating with heavy
equipment. Then have someone engaging in the foreground sharing
key pieces of information about the project.”
From Gail Sideman:
“Hold events that give back to the community when you announce
the opening/reopening of a government venue. For a library,
organize a book drive for those who cannot afford new books or
are challenged for transportation to the library. Some of those
books may also go to the shelter during its opening.
“Regarding the shelter, hold a drive for baby items, such as
diapers, bottles and the like so that the new facility may be
well stocked.”
The Publicity Hound says:
Read all the responses to this “Help This Hound” question at
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6913 and then check out “Fun
Alternatives to Boring Ground-breakings, Ribbon-cuttings and
Check-passings” at
http://publicityhound.com/publicity-products/marketing-tapes/groundbreakings.htm
Send your own Help this Hound question to:
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=HelpThisHound and
include your city and state.
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6. Help This Hound
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Deborah Lott of Giddings, Texas, writes:
?My husband and I opened a casual pizza and Italian restaurant in
the small Texas town of Giddings, population 5,000, on Hwy. 290,
a major highway between Austin and Houston.
?We have been open for only six months and are having a hard time
getting local residents to dine here. Money is tight so
advertising has been minimal.
?We are open to any and all ideas to help us keep our doors open.
The first three months we were open, we were doing great, but
this summer has been a hardship.?
The Publicity Hound says:
Deborah, you’re not the only restaurant owner who’s hurting.
That’s why tips from my Hounds are more important than ever. Post
them at my blog at http://publicityhound.net/?p=6959
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7. Hound Joke of the Week
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Thanks to Twitter follower @NathanBryce for this one:
A dog gave birth on the side of the road and was cited
for…littering.
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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8. And at My Blogs & Mobile Site…
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Great fodder for retweeting:
How to turn a Golf Digest article into more publicity
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6944
5 ways to use Twitter lists for PR, publicity
http://publicityhound.net/?p=6929
How to link your Twitter and Facebook accounts
http://www.mysocialmediasolution.com/?p=438
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Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound
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