Issue #1133 June 17, 2017
Publisher: Joan Stewart
“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”
In This Issue
- Why You Might Look Weird on Twitter
- Pitching Advice from NPR
- TV Studio Tip
- Hound Video of the Week
This Weekend in the Hound House:
I’ll be scouring the department stores and consignment shops for an outfit in periwinkle, blue or black to prepare for a speaking engagement June 28. This is known as “Plan B.” See “TV Studio Tip” #3 below.
1. Why You Might Look Weird on Twitter
Twitter looks different because of a major redesign.
Aside from layout changes, the most important thing you need to know is how your profile image looks. Once you have access to the new layout that’s being rolled out now, look at your photo, which is round instead of square, as shown in the example here. Make sure it lines up correctly and that part of your face hasn’t disappeared.
In an article for Social Media Today, writer Andrew Hutchinson recommends:
“Make sure you check out your profile–on desktop and mobile–from your audience’s perspective and update as required to ensure you’re making best use of the new layout and features.”
To do: Twitter made far too many changes to summarize here. Read about all of them in the article “Twitter’s Given Apps a Major Overhaul – Here’s What’s Been Updated.”
#Twitter #Twitterupdates
2. Pitching Advice from NPR
National Public Radio has always been a confusing labyrinth of national shows and local stations, many of which want you to pitch different ways. So there’s no one-size-fits-all piece of advice I can offer on how to get onto a show.
This week, while consulting with a “Rent My Brain” client who wants to get onto NPR, I shared tips I found from NPR editors. The advice is directed to journalists who are pitching their own stories to NPR. But it works just as well for a Publicity Hound like you.
Here’s the most valuable tip:
“Ask the person you’re pitching what they want in a pitch: Since all editors are different, just ask. What format should I use for my pitch? How long should it be? Many editors even have their own specific pitching guidelines or examples they can send you.”
To read: Read “What makes a good pitch? NPR editors weigh in.”
#NPR #PublicRadio
3. TV Studio Tip
If you’re going to a TV studio for an interview, or you’re a speaker or trainer who is invited to do a live-streaming event for a client inside a TV studio, this is important.
Call the studio at least a week before the event and learn all you can about the equipment. That’s what I did to prepare for the June 28 live streaming “Lunch & Learn” for Florida real estate agents. I’ll be in an Orlando TV studio, presenting a one-hour session on how to get free publicity.
I called the TV studio this week and asked lots of questions about the props I’m bringing, the microphone, the camera and the set. Then I asked, “What else do I need to know about something I didn’t ask you?”
The producer replied, “Don’t wear green because you’ll be in front of a green screen.”
I was planning to wear an emerald green jacket. In front of a green screen, which is “erased” and replaced with a “fake” background, it would have looked as though I was missing my torso.
To do: Before any speaking engagement anywhere, know every technical detail early enough to pivot to Plan B. Sage advice from my mentor, Tom Antion, who offers more than a dozen free training webinars on all aspects of public speaking, Internet marketing, digital publishing and seminar scams you should avoid. Find them all here using this affiliate link.
#TVPublicity #SeminarScams
4. Hound Video of the Week
Jordan Weisman caught his dog’s love for the local UPS driver on camera. As the truck approaches, the dog gets so excited that he ends up jumping inside the truck. Can you see why?
[Tweet “#PublicityTips –Why You Might Look Weird on Twitter #Twitterupdates”]
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