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How can I promote issue Number 500 of my free newsletter?

Almost every Tuesday during the last decade, my readers and I have been sharing our best tips in “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week.”

If it’s Tuesday, and it’s Christmas, the ezine arrives via email on Christmas Day and the other 51 weeks of the year.

On April 16 this year, I’ll published Edition Number 500, and I’m looking for a clever promotion or contest that will engage current readers, create a buzz on the social media sites, and attract new subscribers.

Because I’m knee-deep in three other projects, I’m not even sure I’ll have time to pull this off. But I’d be crazy not to ask my Hounds for help.

What can I do to promote the newsletter, pull in new readers, attract attention for the archived issues, encourage people to submit questions for Help this Hound, and make this a really fun celebration?

Posted In: Authors & Publishers, Business Promotion, Contests, Publicity Resources, Publicity on the Internet
posted On: 3/16/2010: 11:26 am: By Joan
Comments: 5 Comments

19+ story ideas to generate publicity, PR for your business

If you’re looking for publicity from bloggers or traditional media but can’t think of an idea to pitch to them, here’s a quick way to find several.

Longtime Publicity Hound Norman Lieberman reminded me about this yesterday when he emailed me to see if I had a list of questions that Publicity Hounds can ask themselves, designed to uncover nuggets of information that are possible story ideas.

I gave Norm two resources. The first is my “Story Idea Tickler List,” part of the handouts for my “Savvy Media Relations” workshop:

What’s new or unique about your business?
What do you offer that your competitors don’t?
How do you help people solve problems, save time or save money?
What business mistakes have you made that you learned from?
What new trends have you spotted in your industry?
Is there a social or political issue you feel strongly about? (Write an opinion column, letter to the editor or blog post.)
Are you sponsoring a contest or an award?
Can you piggyback your topic off a holiday or anniversary?
How are you using technology in your business?
Do you have any good visuals that tie into your story idea for television?
What about your personal life? (Hobbies, travels, food, clothing, etc.)
Have you formed an interesting partnership or alliance?
What how-to articles could you write?
What topics are good fodder for a tip sheet? (9 tips for….)
On what radio talk shows would you be a good fit and what’s the hot story of the day that ties into your expertise?
Are you the local angle to a national or regional story?
How are you using social media in your business?
How can you piggyback onto celebrity news? For example, here are 10 ways to generate publicity from the Tiger Woods mess and here’s how Connie Dieken, a Cleveland TV personality and media trainer, got publicity by piggybacking onto celebrity outbursts.
Do you have an interesting stand-alone photo you can offer the media? Newspapers and magazines often use these photos as fillers.

If those aren’t enough, you can check out the free sample chapter of my ebook, “How to be a Kick-butt Publicity Hound” where you’ll find more ideas, and a fuller explanation of some of the ideas listed above.

What ideas have you pitched recently that other Publicity Hounds could also use? Share them here.

Posted In: Blogs, Business Promotion, Contests, Holidays, PR Consultants/Publicists, Photos & Graphics, Press Releases/News Releases, Publicity Resources, Social media marketing, TV Publicity, Writing Articles
posted On: 1/14/2010: 11:20 am: By Joan
Comments: 4 Comments

12 ways to use my free ebook of publicity tips

Have you claimed your copy of “The Best of The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week of 2009″ yet?

It not, grab it here. You’ll find the 26 tips that generated the most response from readers of my ezine last year.

I give away this ebook each year, and my readers eagerly look forward to it. Many of them regift the book to their own friends and followers. And the big attaction is that anyone can access the ebook. You don’t have to opt in with your name and email address.

What will you learn in this book? Plenty.

For example, I explain how to create your own day, week or month of the year. You’ll learn about lots of tricks and tools for participating at the social media sites. Read about 10 dead or dying PR tactics.

And for Publicity Hounds who are looking to connect with journalists, I’ve given you several resources. The book will help you, regardless of what business or nonprofit you’re in.

Use the ebook one of these 12 ways:

Create a Facebook note, and excerpt the entire tip. Use the photo along with the text, and you’ve got a nice little item that your followers and fans will love. Christine Buffaloe discussed Facebook notes when she was my guest during a teleseminar on “11 Ways to Avoid Missed Opportunities on Facebook.”
No time for a Note? Write about it and share the link (http://tinyurl.com/bestof2009tips) in a Facebook status update.
Write about it in a LinkedIn status update.
Blog about the book, and include your own success story that ties into one of the tips.
Offer the ebook as a bonus along with other products and services you’re selling.
Give it to your clients and customers.
Mention it at your weekly staff meetings.
Add it to the Free Articles page at your website.
Give it away to the winner of a contest you’re sponsoring.
Offer the ebook as a freebie to help you capture names and email addresses at your website.
Create a video that discusses the ebook and upload it to your website or to YouTube, then share that with your social media friends and followers.
Include the link (http://tinyurl.com/bestof2009tips) in a book you’re writing, or in handouts you’re using for a speaking engagement.

What about you? Have you thought of any other clever ways to use the ebook? If so, share them here. I’d love to hear them.

Posted In: Authors & Publishers, Blogs, Contests, Facebook, Holidays, Information Products, LinkedIn, Nonprofits, Pitching the Media, Publicity on the Internet, Social media marketing, Twitter, YouTube
posted On: 1/5/2010: 2:12 pm: By Joan
Comments: 2 Comments

Want a Bulldog PR award? Teleconference explains how to win

If you’re a PR firm or practitioner hoping to win a coveted Bulldog Award, you’ll have the chance to hear directly from three veteran judges on exactly what they’re looking for in a winning entry.

Bulldog Reporter is hosting a free 60-minute teleconference at 1 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, Nov. 3. It’s limited to the first 200 attendees.

The judges are Tom Hallman, a reporter and Pulitze Prize-winner for The Oregonian; Frank Zeccola, Bulldog Reporter senior editor; and Brian Pittman, Bulldog Reporter’s director of conent. They will be joined by David Norman, managing director of Kitchen Public Relations and a 16-time Bulldog Award winner.

Bulldog will grant 140 awards in three categories: media relations campaigns, PR agency management and individual PR professional accomplishment.

Posted In: Contests, PR Consultants/Publicists
posted On: 10/25/2009: 4:02 pm: By Joan
Comments: No Comments

Jill Cranford wins Kindle2 in Publicity Hound survey drawing

cranfordfamily2 Jill Cranford, co-owner of Stone2Furniture in Livewrmore, Colo., a company that makes indoor and outdoor furniture from stone, is the winner of the Kindle2, Amazon’s wireless reading device.

Jill’s name was chosen from all respondents who answered my Customer Profile Survey earlier this month.

If her name sounds familiar, it might be because she submitted a Help This Hound question in February via my ezine, The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week. Her company is sponsoring an “Ugly Patio Furniture Contest,” and she needed ideas on how to promote it. She’s giving away $4,100 in stone furniture to the lucky winner. The contest runs through Aug. 31.

Jill, shown here with her family, says she isn’t sure if she wants the Kindle, so I’ve sent her a gift certificate to Amazon.com for $359, the same value.

Congratulations, Jill, and thanks to all Publicity Hounds who completed the survey. I’m still sorting through the thousands of comments and putting a plan into place to help serve you better.