Taglines, those pithy one-liners that follow the name of an organization, can let people know within two seconds what your organization does and how it helps them.

Yet too many companies don’t have a tagline because they can’t think of something clever.

If that’s you, Nancy Schwartz’s 2010 Tagline Contest for Nonprofits will inspire you. Nancy is a nonprofit marketing expert, and she’s sponsoring the third annual Getting Attention Nonprofit Tagline Award (a.k.a. The Taggies).

“A strong tagline does double-duty—working to extend your organization’s name and mission, while delivering a focused, memorable and repeatable message to your base. It’s one of your most basic, and effective, marketing tools, but a GettingAttention.org survey showed that 72% of nonprofit organizations don’t have a tagline or rate theirs as performing poorly.”

You can see a complete list of 2008 and 2009 tagline winners here.

These are some of my favorites:

Montana Historical Society:
Big Sky.  Big Land.  Big History.

Texas Nonprofits:
Building community deep in the hearts of Texans

The United Negro College Fund:
A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste ®

PA Breast Cancer Coalition:
Finding a curenow…so our daughters won’t have to

Nothing But Nets:
Send a net.  Save a life.

Homeboy Industries:
Nothing Stops A Bullet Like A Job

NYC Theatre Spaces:
Where Actors Find Their Space

If you want to enter this year’s competition, turn it into a fun contest for your organization. Ask your employees, volunteers and others to submit ideas for the your tagline, and then award a prize for the best one. Once you’ve chosen it, enter it in the 2010 Taggies contest.

Do you have a clever tagline? If so, share it here.

The most fun thing in my office: A miniature replica of my first car, nicknamed “The White Tornado”

Fiction writers often struggle with what to write about at their blogs.

Help is on the way.

1. What writing problems do you struggle with, and how do you solve them?
       
2. Share fun facts about geographic locations where your romance novels or other fiction takes place.
       
3. Pay attention to questions people are emailing you. Often, these are great fodder for a blog. (Excerpted from the handout “101 Ways to Find Content for Your Blog” from the teleseminar Time-saving Tips for Smart Business Blogging.)
       
4. What’s the most unusual thing in your office that inspires, entertains or humors you?  Make sure to include the photograph when you post.  Mine is a miniature replica of my first car: a 1962 white Chevy Nova we affectionately nicknamed “The White Tornado.”
       
5. What sparks your creativity?
       
6. Who is your hero?  And why?
       
7. What one event in your childhood had the greatest effect on your writing career?
       
8. If you weren’t doing what you do today, what other job would you have?
      
9. Who is your best friend, and what do you like best about him or her?  List your best friend’s favorite books. How do they compare to yours?
       
10. What “lesson from mom” do you still live by today?
        
11. What’s the one thing you want to accomplish, or write about, before you die?
        
12. If you could spend a week anywhere in the world, where would it be?  Would you write or read there, or do something else?
        
13. Do you have a pet that keeps you company when you write?  If so, write about him or her.  Has your pet taught you anything about writing?  If so, what?
        
14. What’s the worst writing mistake you ever made that taught you a valuable lesson?
        
15. What’s the most unusual place you have visited?
        
16. What’s the most unusual book you’ve read that’s made a lasting impression on you?
        
17. If you could have a quiet dinner with just one author, who would you choose?
        
18. Create a survey that’s related to the topic of your book and share it with readers.  Report the results.
        
19. Create a fun quiz about one of your books and award a cool prize.

Finally, the very best free tool for finding content for your blog is Google Alerts. Create one or more alerts using keywords or keyword phrases that tie into the topics you write about. You’ll have so many ideas for blog posts that you’ll wonder how you ever worried about finding enough.

Authors, what do you blog about? Which posts elicit the greatest number of comments from your readers?

Here’s a great example of how to generate publicity from an embarrassing mistake.

When the editors of Texas Dogs & Cats magazine discovered a typo in a paid ad in the April issue, they invited readers to find the typo. Everyone who emails the editor with the correct answer gets a coupon for $5 off an order of $10 or more.

Brilliant.

Deadline for entries is April 30.

It reminds me of a story I heard several  years ago about an author who discovered a missing line from her book after it had been published. She invited writers to write their own line to replace the one that was missing, and awarded a prize to the winner.

Does anyone know who the author was? What about embarrassing mistakes in your own work? Have you turned it into a contest?  If so, tell us how.

How has my free ezine, “The Best of The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week,” changed your life or your business?

That’s the question you should answer if you want to win $500 in products or consulting services from me.

Why $500? Because I’m doing this to promote Issue 500 of my newsletter, which I’ll publish on April 13.

Last week, I asked you for help on how to promote the 500th issue, and got several excellent suggestions. This promotion combines two ideas submitted by Publicity Hounds Diana Ennen and Kathy Slattengren.

The rules

• Answer this question in 200 words or fewer: What new publicity tactics do you use as a result of reading my publicity tips and what results did you experience from them? (You may link to a newspaper article/TV show clip). PR pros can discuss ideas they used for their clients.
• The 10 best entries I receive will be put to a vote by Publicity Hound readers (people will only be able to vote once).  The more helpful the tips in the entries, the better chance they will have at making the ballot. Blatant commercials that just promote you or your business won’t make the cut.
• The winner gets a choice of $500 in products or consulting services, or both.
• All entries become property of The Publicity Hound and can be used as testimonials at my website or blog.

And a Free Ebook of Ideas…

Now, I’ll sweeten the deal. All entries that adhere to the rules will be compiled into a free ebook that I’ll offer to all my readers, and I’ll encourage them to pass it along to their friends, followers and connections on the social media sites.

That’s a TON of publicity for you, with a link to your website or blog, if you participate and share a great entry.  Again, don’t enter if all you can offer is a free commercial or I won’t approve your comment or include you in the ebook. I want a success story and an explanation of how the tip worked for you.

Have at it, Hounds. Post your comments below. Next week, I’ll explain how to vote.

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?

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: 

1. What’s new or unique about your business?
      
2. What do you offer that your competitors don’t?                                                   
         
3. How do you help people solve problems, save time or save money?
       
4. What business mistakes have you made that you learned from?
      
5. What new trends have you spotted in your industry?
      
6. Is there a social or political issue you feel strongly about? (Write an opinion column, letter to the editor or blog post.) 
       
7. Are you sponsoring a contest or an award?
       
8. Can you piggyback your topic off a holiday or anniversary?
       
9. How are you using technology in your business?
       
10. Do you have any good visuals that tie into your story idea for television?
        
11. What about your personal life? (Hobbies, travels, food, clothing, etc.)
        
12. Have you formed an interesting partnership or alliance?
        
13. What how-to articles could you write?
             
14. What topics are good fodder for a tip sheet? (9 tips for….)
        
15. 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?
        
16. Are you the local angle to a national or regional story?
           
17. How are you using social media in your business? 
       
18. 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.
       
19. 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.

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:

1. 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.” 
        
2. No time for a Note? Write about it and share the link (http://tinyurl.com/bestof2009tips) in a Facebook status update.
       
3. Write about it in a LinkedIn status update.
        
4. Blog about the book, and include your own success story that ties into one of the tips. 
        
5. Offer the ebook as a bonus along with other products and services you’re selling.
       
6. Give it to your clients and customers.
       
7. Mention it at your weekly staff meetings.
       
8. Add it to the Free Articles page at your website.
       
9. Give it away to the winner of a contest you’re sponsoring.  
         
10. Offer the ebook as a freebie to help you capture names and email addresses at your website. 
       
11. 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.
       
12. 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.

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.

Register for the teleconference here or download the contest brochure. Deadline for entries is Friday, Dec. 18.

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.

Jill Cranford of Livermore, Colo. writes:
“My company, Stone2Furniture, which makes indoor and outdoor furniture from stone, is having an Ugly Patio Furniture Contest and we’ll be giving away a set of our stone furniture valued at $4,100. The contest runs through August. “So here I am with the rules drawn up, and it’s live on our website and in the Media Room. I sent out 130 snail-mail flyers and emails to editors. “My next step is getting it to the local news channels. But I am wondering if I am missing a step? I haven’t heard from any editors. I know this will be fun but I’m just not sure how to launch it.”