The Publicity Hound’s
\nTips of the Week
\nIssue #441 March 10, 2009<\/p>\n
Publisher: Joan Stewart<\/p>\n
===============================<\/p>\n
“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”<\/p>\n
================================
\nIn This Issue
\n================================<\/p>\n
1. Rate Cards are for Dummies<\/p>\n
2. Use Twitter Hash Tags for Publicity<\/p>\n
3. Promote Social Networking Sites Offline<\/p>\n
4. Another Oversized Check–Ugh!<\/p>\n
5. How to Promote ‘Going Green’<\/p>\n
6. Help This Hound<\/p>\n
7. Hound Joke of the Week<\/p>\n
8. And at My Blog…<\/p>\n
========================================
\n1. Rate Cards are for Dummies
\n========================================<\/p>\n
As newspapers march toward the graveyard, smart Publicity Hounds
\nsee the parade as a golden opportunity to buy advertising at
\ndirt-cheap prices.<\/p>\n
At Stompernet’s Internet marketing conference in Atlanta over
\nthe weekend, publicity expert Don Crowther reminded us that rate
\ncards are for dummies. Never, ever pay the full ad rate listed on
\nthe card.<\/p>\n
“Always negotiate,” Don says.<\/p>\n
Desperate newspapers will sometimes accept a rate far below
\nwhat’s on the card. Or they’ll make you pay the full rate but
\ngive you two ads for the price of one.<\/p>\n
Another way to save, Don says, is to buy remnant ads.<\/p>\n
When newspapers or magazines have extra ad space at the last
\nminute because another advertiser has pulled out, they might let
\nyou have it at bargain-basement prices. Don says he has bought
\nremnant ads in the New York Times for 10 percent the price on the
\nrate card.<\/p>\n
If you’re buying a remnant ad, you’ll be expected to provide the
\ncopy for it almost immediately, and you’ll also have no control
\nover where the ad is placed.<\/p>\n
Don’s rate card tips work equally well for college newspapers
\nwhich, by the way, have a very loyal readership among an audience
\nthat doesn’t read daily and weekly papers. Since the start of the
\ncurrent school year, daily newspapers at several major colleges
\nhave cut back their publication schedule to one edition a week–
\nusually on Friday–because of weak advertising.<\/p>\n
Everybody wants publicity you don’t have to pay for. But when you ====================================== If you’re planning a special event like an industry convention or At the opening session, announce from the stage that audience A hash tag is the character # followed by a short word that For example, at the Stompernet Internet marketing event I That makes it easy for other attendees, and even people who You might be asking: Why would Stompernet want the rest of the Here’s why:<\/p>\n –It creates interest in their membership site. I guarantee that –Of the 500+ people who attended the Stompernet event, many –No more whining that “The Daily Tattler didn’t cover our event, There are lots more ways to use hash tags for publicity<\/a>. Tell us =========================================== Don’t get so caught up tweeting on Twitter, uploading videos to The next time I order business cards, I’m adding this to the back Follow me on Twitter<\/a> You can also add your “how to find me” social networking I’m also adding those phrases to the bottom center of every page Social networking leaving you overwhelmed? Join the crowd. Learn =================================== If I see one more oversized cardboard check in a local newspaper I’m not sure what I’ll do, but it won’t be pretty.<\/p>\n Please stop planning those schmaltzy check-passing ceremonies, And while you’re at it, no more boring ribbon-cutting events with As for ground-breaking ceremonies, nobody is breaking much ground Need I say more?<\/p>\n Dan Collins has created dozens of fun, exciting events that This week, six Publicity Hounds have tips for Colleen Schmid of From Joel Prunty:<\/p>\n “Being green is a popular story line already. How about twisting From Jeff Rutherford:<\/p>\n “Many politicians from the right and the left are seeing the “If you get turned down by local politicians, what about other From Meryl K. Evans:<\/p>\n “How about using Twitter to provide one green tip per day, “Then put all the tips in one blog post or article to distribute The Publicity Hound says:<\/p>\n Colleen, how about pitching your story on March 20, the first day Send your own Help this Hound question to me<\/a> and include your city and ================================== Keri Gerlach of Greenfield, WI writes:<\/p>\n “I’m the marketing director for Clement Manor, a retirement<\/a> “More specifically, I’d like ideas on how to encourage families The Publicity Hound says:<\/p>\n OK, so where do people in their mid-60s hang out?<\/a> How about it, ================================== Buy a dog a toy and it will play with it forever. Buy a cat a ================================== How to use Twitter hash tags for promotion, publicity<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week Issue #441 March 10, 2009 Publisher: Joan Stewart =============================== “Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity” ================================ In This Issue ================================ 1. Rate Cards are for Dummies 2. Use Twitter Hash Tags for Publicity 3. Promote Social Networking Sites Offline 4. Another Oversized Check–Ugh! 5. How to Promote\u2026 Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","iawp_total_views":2,"wds_primary_category":6,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[10],"class_list":{"0":"post-27","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-tips-of-the-week","7":"tag-twitter","8":"entry"},"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Joan Stewart","author_link":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/author\/jstewart\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43249,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27\/revisions\/43249"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nhave to buy an ad in the traditional media, check out “Special<\/a>
\n Report #48: Smart Tips for F~ree, Cheap and More Effective Ads.”<\/a>
\nIt give you lots of value advice for only $10. Read more about it.<\/p>\n
\n2. Use Twitter Hash Tags for Publicity
\n======================================<\/p>\n
\na speaking engagement, even a teleseminar, invite the Twitter
\ncommunity to buzz about it.<\/p>\n
\nmembers who tweet about the event should use a hash tag, and then
\ntell them what it is.<\/p>\n
\ndescribes the event, or a particular topic, on Twitter.<\/p>\n
\nattended over the weekend, audience members were asked to mark
\ntheir tweets by typing “#Stompernet” within each one.<\/p>\n
\ndidn’t attend the event, to go to Twitter’s search box<\/a> and type in
\n“#Stompernet” and find all the tweets about the event.<\/p>\n
\nworld to take advantage of information at an event that only
\nmembers and their guests can attend?<\/p>\n
\nif you search for all the “#Stompernet” tweets and read them, you
\nwill find at least three tips you can start using today to
\nincrease your bottom line. Membership is currently closed.<\/p>\n
\ntweeted about it. Each of those people has an army of followers.
\nSome of those followers might think the tips are so valuable that
\nthey’re worth “retweeting,” thereby exposing millions more people
\nto Stompernet.<\/p>\n
\nboo-hoo.” By using hashtags, you turn your entire audience into
\njournalists and let THEM report on the event for you. Often,
\ntheir reach on Twitter will be far greater than the reach of many
\ntop-tier media outlets like CNN and the New York Times. Plus,
\nthose tweets live online forever, just waiting for the search
\nengines to find them.<\/p>\n
\nhow you use them by adding comments to my blog post.<\/p>\n
\n3. Promote Social Networking Sites Offline
\n===========================================<\/p>\n
\nYouTube and finding friends on Facebook that you forget to let
\nthe offline world know where they can find you at these sites.<\/p>\n
\nof the card:<\/p>\n
\n<\/a>
\nConnect with me on LinkedIn<\/a>
\n<\/a>
\nLike my Publicity Tips Page on Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n
\ninformation to printed brochures, paper and plastic bags,
\nreceipts, invoices, catalogs, calendars, books, print
\nnewsletters, stationery, postcards, handouts, product packaging,
\nannual reports, print media kit, CD and DVD labels, notepads and
\nprint advertising.<\/p>\n
\nat my website, along with all my other contact information.<\/p>\n
\ntime-saving tricks and tools on “How to do Social Networking, Run
\na Business & Still Have a Life.” BL Ochman, a giant in social
\nnetworking circles, explained how during the teleseminar I hosted
\nwith her a few months ago.<\/p>\n
\n4. Another Oversized Check—Ugh!
\n===================================<\/p>\n
\nor on TV or at somebody’s website…I’ll…I’ll…<\/p>\n
\nshooting photos of oversized checks and then offering the photos
\nto the media.<\/p>\n
\nthose giant cardboard scissors. You can do better.<\/p>\n
\nthese days for new construction projects. But if you do, please
\ndon’t subject your audience to the equally monotonous
\ngroundbreaking ceremony. You know the kind—a dozen suits in
\nhard hats, all lined up from left to right, each one posing with
\na foot on the spade.<\/p>\n
\nreally generate buzz for Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Md.
\nHe explains how you can take his own ideas and apply them to
\nwhatever you’re promoting. “Fun Alternatives to Boring Ground-
\nbreakings, Ribbon-cuttings and Check-passings” is available as a
\nCD or electronic transcript.
\n====================================
\n5. How to Promote ‘Going Green’
\n====================================<\/p>\n
\nHeathrow, Fla. on how she can promote her consulting business
\nthat shows homeowners and companies how to “go green.” She asked
\nfor ideas on how she can tie in to Earth Day on April 22.<\/p>\n
\nit into a St. Patrick’s Day story? That way, you don’t have to
\ncompete with all the other green Earth Day stuff.”<\/p>\n
\nwisdom in going green. Why not try to coordinate with a local
\npolitician–you’ll go through their home, accompanied by a
\nreporter from a local TV station or newspaper, of course, and
\ndiscuss all the ways that they could improve their homes to go
\ngreen.<\/p>\n
\nlocal community leaders?”<\/p>\n
\nbuilding up to the big reveal on Earth Day? After all, one tip
\nper day is doable for families and doesn’t overwhelm them. With
\neach tip, they’ll think, ‘Oh, is that all it takes? I can do
\nthat.’<\/p>\n
\nin its entirety on Earth Day.”<\/p>\n
\nof spring? Demonstrate how people can go green while doing their
\nspring cleaning. Many local TV stations have those morning
\nnews\/feature shows that would welcome this story. Check out TV
\nproducer Shawne Duperon’s tips on “How to Get on the Local TV<\/a>
\n News Tomorrow.<\/a>” It’s available as an electronic transcript
\nyou can be reading as soon as your order is approved.<\/p>\n
\nstate.<\/p>\n
\n6. Help This Hound
\n==================================<\/p>\n
\ncommunity.
\n<\/a>
\n“My biggest challenge is a limited budget and limited resources
\ntargeting long-term care and assisted living. Not many folks are
\nout there touring facilities until they have to, and given the
\neconomy, most are waiting even longer to sell their homes.<\/p>\n
\nto \u2018window shop\u2019 now so that when the time comes for their
\nparents, they’ve done their homework and have an idea about what
\nfacility they might choose. The sons and daughters we are seeing
\nare in their mid-60s.”<\/p>\n
\nHounds? How should Keri be directing her marketing efforts? Any
\nniche social networking sites for over-50 people in Wisconsin?
\nShare your best ideas at my blog.<\/p>\n
\n7. Hound Joke of the Week
\n==================================<\/p>\n
\npresent and it will play with the wrapper for 10 minutes.<\/p>\n
\n8. And at My Blog…
\n==================================<\/p>\n