The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #434 Jan. 20, 2009
Publisher: Joan Stewart
========================================
“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”
=========================================
================================
In This Issue
================================
1. Put Your Pet in the White House
2. The Real Power of Your Press Release
3. Formula Five is Live
4. Still Not Blogging?
5. Promoting Sensitivity Training
6. Help This Hound
7. Hound Video of the Week
===================================
1. Put Your Pet in the White House
===================================
When the party’s over tonight, you just know that Malia and Sasha will start pestering mom and dad for that puppy.
How about giving the First Family a taste of what the White House will look like if they choose a pet just like yours? Heck, let’s make your pet the Official Obama Pet–right now!
Head over to Pawfun.com, a new custom photo T-shirt site for pet lovers and participate in the Obama spoof that lets you super-impose a photo of your pet, and then send it as an e-card.
While you’re at the site, how about ordering a T-shirt that shows your pet with its new owners?
Talk about perfect timing. Social media expert BL Ochman and her partner, Caimin Jones, launched the site late Saturday night. Since then, eager pet lovers have sent the e-cards more than 4,500 times.
“While there’s no shortage of T-shirt sites, our goal is to make ours more fun than the rest,” BL said. “And we’ve picked a niche we’ll go deep into instead of trying to be all things to all people. That’s because the Internet, and increasingly the world, is a niche-or-be-niched place these days.”
She and her partner will be using all the social media tools on Pawfun.com that they’re always trying to get their Fortune 500 clients to try–but now they’re the client.
What an incredibly clever tie-in to today’s world event. BL always keeps me posted on what she’s doing, and I’ll share her success stories with social networking, and anybody else’s, here. (Hint: Send me your success stories.)
=======================================
2. The Real Power of Your Press Release
=======================================
How much power do you really have to promote your product, service, cause or issue with the lowly press release?
If you’re hoping to generate a major story in the traditional media, not much. That’s because journalists despise them and delete nine out of 10 press releases. A big story usually
requires a customized pitch, not a one-size-fits-all press release.
If you’re hoping to catch the attention of bloggers, consumers and those on the social media landscape, quite a bit. But only if you throw most of the old press release writing rules out the window.
For example, in the old days, we absolutely could NOT write a press release that smacked of promotion or it would repel journalists. Today, however, smart Publicity Hounds use the press release to give away information and tips, and then link to what they’re promoting at their websites–not with just one link high in the release but with several links throughout.
That tactic means you can completely bypass traditional media and go straight to the decision-makers who will find your release, if you’ve written it correctly, when Googling.
If you’re new to releases, or you’ve been writing them for years, sign up for my free email tutorial “89 Ways to Write Powerful Press Releases.” It’s an intensive 12-week course delivered by email. Stick with it right to end and it will be like you’ve earned a master’s degree in writing and distributing releases. You’ll know more about the topic than most professional PR people.
I’m honored that the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary under the Department of Homeland Security is using the course to train its communications officers at the grassroots level through an online training site. Deputy Chief Tom Nunes of the Public Affairs Department says they’re even creating quizzes for students as part of the course. Cool!
Haven’t taken the tutorial yet? Sign up or buy the entire course in a handy ebook for only $27. You can read the long, long list of glowing testimonials from happy Hounds who loved it and are already generating fabulous publicity as a result.
========================================
3. Formula Five is Live
========================================
For the last several weeks, I’ve been raving about “Formula Five,” the business building program that’s perfect for any business, regardless of what you’re selling.
Business owners just like you have already earned tens of thousands of dollars only using 1/20th of Formula Five. Today, you can be one of the first to get the whole enchilada so you can start doubling your business this year.
Even if Formula Five isn’t within your budget right now, at least check out the package of videos on the page, take good notes and start tweaking your business to make more money starting today.
P.S. This is a no-brainer. Just hope your competitors haven’t heard about it.
=======================================
4. Still Not Blogging?
=======================================
Attention bloggers, or those who are just creating a blog.
Learn proven tips on how to drive thousands more visitors to your blog, sell your products and services there, and write compelling posts that build a loyal customer following and position you as an expert.
Here’s the best part. You don’t have to be a techie.
==========================================
5. Promoting Sensitivity Training
==========================================
This week, five Publicity Hounds have tips for Pegine Echevarria of Jacksonville, FL, who is launching a licensed training program called “White Guys Are Diverse Too!” She is looking for ideas to capture the interest of corporate and government chief diversity officers.
From Candy Tutt:
“In all honesty, I would recommend changing the title of the project. While it is catchy, it will be perceived as separatist and off-putting to many people. Our society still tends to tip the scales in favor of “white guys” and the program title perpetuates a feeling of cultural superiority.
“If, in your experience white guys tend to walk out of D&I programs thinking they are excluded and not valued for the unique individualized impact that they bring, perhaps the D&I sessions are not geared to reaching the very people at whom they are aimed.”
From Kevin Gaydosh:
“Constant portrayals by the news media and popular culture as Walter Kowalskis or Archie Bunkers displays a prejudice–yes, prejudice–that is perhaps the biggest fear/largest turn-off that the target audience has with much diversity training.
“Also, I’m not in HR, but an earlier Hound might be correct in suggesting a name change. While an arresting, attention-getting and (to some) a cute/funny title, it’s doubtful that many Fortune 500 companies are going to post that seminar up on their Intranet or in the employee break rooms precisely because of the title.
“Perhaps it would be best if you pitched your program under a new (PC) moniker but touted it as being better than the competition because you do pay particular attention to this often ‘overlooked, under appreciated’ group.”
From Dal Jeanis:
“You might want to contact companies, especially minority-owned companies, that do diversity (or cultural sensitivity) training. Provide each company with two f~ree copies of your book. If they add your book in as, say, one-third of a course, then you’re golden.
“One current events hook you can use to promote your mix is the following: With Obama’s success, pre-existing diversity programs are going to need major retooling. Are they needed at all? Diversity trainers say yes, some pundits say no, and Pegine Echevarria says no, but they need to address all the consistencies of diversity.”
The Publicity Hound says:
Pegine, how about going over to LinkedIn and using the question and answer feature to generate some additional feedback and exposure for your training? I wouldn’t post the identical question you asked in Help This Hound, but there are lots of other things you could ask about.
Scott Allen, a LinkedIn expert, says the Q&A feature is a fabulous way collect information and let the world know what you’re doing. But you have to use it correctly. He explained how during the teleseminar I hosted with him on “How to Use LinkedIn to Promote Anything–Ethically & Powerfully.”
(This product is no longer available, see “LinkedIn Update: What’s In, What’s Out & Under-the-Radar Tricks to Help You Crush It in 2013.”)
Read all the responses to this week’s Help This Hound question.
Send your own Help this Hound question and include your city and state.
==================================
6. Help This Hound
==================================
Beth Stafford of Concord, N.C. writes:
“I am an artist working in collaboration with my dog to produce some of the wildest, most colorful and joyous abstract art around.
“Our label is ‘PiCassieO,’ combining her name (Cassie) with an artist name (obviously) who represents the human half of the team (me). We have a store at CafePress which opened in July. It is so far non-profit, even though the merchandise is really great!
“I have been attempting to promote it on my own website and through our blog, but am spending too much time on nonproductive promotion and not enough on the art. I need a few quick, simple tips to get the ball rolling.
“Warning: My budget is ‘thread’ instead of ‘shoestring,’ and I’m a disaster at social networking on the web. Help!”
The Publicity Hound says:
To quote BL Ochman, mentioned in item Number One above, the social networking train has already left the station. If you’re not onboard now, you’ll get eaten alive by your competitors who are.
But that’s not all you can do. Hounds with great ideas for Beth can post them to my blog.
==================================
7. Hound Video of the Week
==================================
Save this video to watch on one of those Days from Hell when you need a pick-me-up or something to make you smile.
It’s a CBS report from a few weeks ago on the Animal Odd Couple— an 8,700-pound elephant named Tarra and her best friend, Bella the dog.
Thanks to Publicity Hound Kim Condrin for sending it.
Share Your Two Cents