Issue #737 July 30, 2013
Publisher: Joan Stewart
“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”
In This Issue
- The Simple, Powerful Tips List
- Phone Charging Stations
- Pitch a Follow-up Story
- Hound Video of the Week
This Week in the Hound House:
Thanks to the many ideas you submitted on ways to improve the
“Welcome to My Website” video, I’m having the video professionally shot Thursday morning, along the beautiful marina in the town where I live. Yes, my dog will be with me. I’m hoping she sits still long enough to make the final cut. Stay tuned…
1. The Simple, Powerful Tips List
9 Ways to Keep Your Toddler from Whining
7 Things the Smartest CEOs Do Every Day
5 Things Your Computer Repair Shop Doesn’t Want You to Know
They’re called tips lists or tip sheets, and I’ll bet you’ve written at least one.
The media love them because they’re so short and they fill odd-size holes on a magazine page.
Readers love them because they take less than a minute to consume. Self-promoters adore them because they can be used numerous ways.
I’ve written about several Publicity Hounds who have landed interviews with media outlets after journalists discovered their tip sheets online.
What you might not know is that these short lists are more powerful than ever.
In the old days, about all we could do was write one, use it at our website and in our press kit, and send it to the media. Today, with a glut of mostly free tools at our fingertips, we can spin that tips list into multiple formats for multiple uses, especially for sharing on social media sites.
Tips lists that I tweet often get more retweets than anything else I share.
The best lists follow a certain format. They can’t be too short or too long. The headline MUST be enticing. The author resource box should be so clever that it forces readers to click on the links. Otherwise, what’s the point?
Join me from 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, Aug. 1, when I present the webinar “17 Ways to Use the Simple Tip Sheet to Make It More Powerful Than Ever.”
If you’ve written a tip sheet that has gotten fabulous publicity, send it to me and I might refer to it in the webinar (more publicity for you!)
2. Phone Charging Stations
Urban Outfitters is generating publicity for the phone-charging stations it has added to stores in New Your City and Washington, D.C.
It sounds fancy, but it’s a simple wooden table with 10 iPhone chargers available for free.
Passersby who glance at the storefront and see the charging station might be persuaded to come in if their iPhone is low on juice.
This idea would work even better in bars and restaurants where people sit for extended periods of time and can watch over their expensive phones.
Do you know a retailer, bar, restaurant or nightclub that needs publicity and more foot traffic? Pass along this idea. Here’s a tweet: Free phone chargers in Urban Outfitters stores boost foot traffic. RT @PublicityHound.
Thanks for RTing!
3. Pitch a Follow-Up Story
Did you get publicity six months ago? A year ago? Even three years ago?
If so, would the journalist, broadcaster or blogger who covered you want to know what’s happened since then?
These are called “follow up” stories and the media love covering them. First, if they covered you already, you’re a sure bet. Second, their readers and listeners might want to hear “the rest of the story.”
Go back through the last few year’s worth of publicity hits and ask yourself, “What can I offer as a follow-up story?” Publicists, do the same for your clients.
You might surprised at how many story ideas you can generate from just one publicity hit.
See “A Simple 5-Part Formula for Delivering the Perfect Media Pitch and Hitting It Out of the Park”.
4. Hound Video of the Week
Thanks to Publicity Hound Christine Buffaloe of San Diego, Calif., my virtual assistant, for sharing this heartwarming video of a Boston Terrier puppy that suffers from “Swimmer Puppy Syndrome,” the inability to stand, sit or walk. You’ll be cheering this little dog right through to the surprise ending.
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