The Publicity Hound’s
Tips of the Week
Issue #498 March 30, 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. What’s New in In-flight Magazines
2. $500 for Best Publicity Success Story
3. 7 Ways to Promote Yourself on Radio/TV
4. Be My Guest at Mobile Marketing Class
5. Promoting Social Media Services
6. Help This Hound
7. Hound Joke of the Week
8. And at My Blogs…
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1. What’s New in In-flight Magazines
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In the old days, when you wanted to pitch the editors at in-
flight magazines, you had to stand in line behind the 2 zillion
other people who were pitching them.
Not anymore.
Today, you can sometimes find editors, freelancers,
correspondents, bloggers and others who write for those
publications at their own blogs and at Facebook, Twitter and
LinkedIn. You can connect with them there, read their stuff,
comment, build the relationship and then, when the time is right,
pitch.
But few PR people and self-promoters bother with that because the
vast majority of writers for in-flight magazines are freelancers,
and they’re too difficult to find. So the publicity mutts resort
to the one-size-fits all press releases and “spray and pray”
pitches that go nowhere.
Their laziness presents a perfect opportunity for you if you know
who’s who in the in-flight magazines and where they hang out
online.
Guess what? You’re in luck.
I just finished updating “Special Report #29: Fly High with
Publicity in the In-flight Magazines.” This year, I’ve added
contact information for several new magazines we just discovered,
and deleted magazines that no longer publish.
This year, there are 52 in all. If your PR client or your topic
is a good fit, the publicity could be fabulous because these
magazines reach a well-educated, more affluent audience of
business travelers and tourists who are a captive audience at
30,000 feet.
In this year’s update, you’ll find links to editors’ blogs and
links to their profiles on the social media sites, including
names and email addresses of editors at some of the smaller
magazines. You won’t find some of this information anywhere
online. We had to sniff it out, or call to get it. The entire
update took more than 50 hours of research and checking.
This year, I’m adding a big bonus–an interview with Orion Ray-
Jones, the North American editorial director of Ink Publishing,
which publishes 30 in-flight magazines in my report. He shared
several incredible tips that will give you an edge on your
competitors who are trying to find their way into these
publications.
He even told me which section of his magazines is traditionally
lacking for good news items. The shortage is so severe, he said,
that his editors are “absolutely desperate” for this type of
content. (Many of you can provide it.)
The entire package, including contact information and pitching
tips for 52 magazines, plus the interview, will be ready on
Friday.
Take advantage of my pre-publication offer–$25 off the $97
report, but only if you order before 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday,
March 31. Order using the link below, claim your discount, then
check your email on Friday.
You’ll receive the MP3 link and the electronic transcript of the
interview with Orion, plus all the contact information for 52
magazines.
Order the report and save $25 right now at
http://tinyurl.com/inflight2010
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2. $500 for Best Publicity Success Story
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If you can explain how the tips in this newsletter have changed
your life or your business, and you have a great publicity
success story to share, you could win $500 in products or
services from my website at http://publicityhound.com
Two weeks ago, I asked you for ideas on how I can promote the
500th issue of my newsletter on April 13. A few suggested asking
for publicity success stories, and that’s what I’m doing. I’ll
ask readers to eventually vote on the best one.
See all the details on how to enter at http://ow.ly/1pUu8
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3. 7 Ways to Promote Yourself on Radio/TV
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Most people who want to get onto radio or TV think that all they
need is a clever pitch, or a book, or a good PR person.
Wrong, wrong and wrong.
You need to THINK like radio and TV producers. And you need to
differentiate yourself from all the other Hounds in the pack. In
this video, Steve Harrison shares 7 ways to promote yourself to
radio and TV news and feature shows:
http://www.freepublicity.com/get-on-tv-video/?10011
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4. Be My Guest at Mobile Marketing Class
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Stompernet’s first class in Mobile Marketing, the course I’ve
been writing about here, is tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern Time, and
I’m inviting you to be my guest, even if you haven’t signed up
for the course.
Dan Hollings, the mobile marketing guru, will show you how to
build a mobile site (or page). It will work on almost ALL mobile
phone platforms.
He’ll also ask you to step inside the mind of your customer and
think about what they’d want from you on their mobile phones:
–Mobile ecoupons
–Maps, directions
–Hours of operation
–Phone number (click to call)
–Menu, list of products/services
–Reviews/testimonials
–Discount offers
–Event information
–Interesting content (in micro chunks)
–Twitter, Facebook or FourSquare links
–A way to opt in for something “mobile”
Choose just one or two, and make that the foundation for your
page. Sound intriguing? Join me tonight by signing up here, and
don’t worry if you can’t make it. All the calls will be recorded,
for viewing later. Sign up here and you’ll receive instructions
on how to participate:
https://stompernet.infusionsoft.com/go/SM/SN332
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5. Promoting Social Media Services
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This week, eight Publicity Hounds have tips for Jennifer Melnick
Carota, aka The Gift Therapist, of Pittsburgh, Pa., who needs
ideas on how to promote her social media services.
From Bridget (Weide) Brooks:
“Offer free or low-cost teleseminars or group programs (using
social media to promote them, of course!!) to introduce your
concepts to your target audiences. Having a fixed price option to
get people started is a good way to get them in and get them
started.”
From Sonia Singh:
“Volunteer with a non-profit or government-supported organization
for small business, like a micro lender, SBA Women’s Business
Center, Small Business Development Center or SCORE.”
From Janine Libbey:
“Offer to speak at a Chamber of Commerce function. It is a great
way to get exposure. These events are always promoted in the
newspaper and in the chamber’s email newsletters. Plus, there is
implied endorsement from the chamber.”
The Publicity Hound says:
Read all the responses to this week’s “Help This Hound” question
at http://ow.ly/1pWZx
Send your own question to:
mailto:JStewart@PublicityHound.com?subject=HelpThisHound
and include your city and state or province.
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6. Help This Hound
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Nancy S. Millar, director of the convention and visitors bureau
in McAllen, Texas, writes:
“I have a doozy. Our great little city in the southernmost part
of Texas is on the border with Mexico, which is having terrible
problems now with violence, though we’re fine on this side of the
border. But that’s not what people are hearing.
“McAllen has a lot going for it. It was just ranked one of the
top economies in the U.S. by the Brookings Institution, is right
in the middle of the country’s Number One birding destination
(the Rio Grande Valley), is a well-known winter destination
because we’re so far south, and we have an active arts and
entertainment culture with lots of Mexican influence.
“How can I turn this situation into something more positive–and
do it with no budget? Thanks for any ideas your Hounds can
share.”
The Publicity Hound says:
That is, indeed, a doozy, but my Hounds love challenges like this
one. Hounds with great ideas for Nancy can post them to my blog
at http://ow.ly/1ss8I
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7. Hound Joke of the Week
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Sign at a veterinarian’s office:
“We will be back in 5 minutes. Sit! Stay!”
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…
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Consider retweeting these blog posts:
75 sample press releases in free ebook
http://ow.ly/1sEyt
How Einstein Bros. Bagels exploded its Facebook fan base
http://ow.ly/1stOt
Spirit in-flight magazine wants photos of your dog
http://ow.ly/1ssve
Employees, trying something new at work? Let columnist know
http://ow.ly/1ssYM
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Joan Stewart
a.k.a. The Publicity Hound
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