If you’re like me, you rush over to one of the stock photo services when you need a graphic for your website, blog, a press kit, a sales page, or a Facebook Note.
But even at a buck or two each, you can burn through your credits quickly.
I just discovered the really snazzy Marketing Graphics Toolkit for only $10.95. It comes with 21 modules of premium graphics content. Here are a few samples of what you’ll get, and some examples of how how you can use them:
Red Arrow Buttons—Lots of Them!
Perfect for sales pages, icons on my Facebook page, and to draw attention to parts of a blog post.
Price Badges
A set of nice looking price badges in five different colors. You can add these to your order buttons, put them on top of your ebook covers, or use them in your sales copy. You get web ready transparent PNG files ($9.95, $19.95, $29.95 and $39.95) + you also get PSD source files so you can make it say any price you want.
High-Res Ebook Covers, Including 3D
I’m going to use these for my 52 special reports. I don’t have graphics on the sales page, just the titles of the special reports, and the visuals will help me sell more of them.
Visual Headlines
Visual headlines on sales pages are a great way to REALLY make your headlines pop. You’ll get two visual headlines: one for main headline and one for sub-headline. They come in layered PSD format so you can easily modify the text in minutes. You also get different highlight and underline effects.
Guarantee Stickers
Tests show that a guarantee can boost your sales drastically. You get a set of professional guarantee signs in 8 different colors, including transparent PNG files and also source PSD files.
Handwritten Fonts
With handwritten fonts, you can add some personal notes to your website, blog and Facebook Welcome Page that say things like “check this out,” “watch this video,” etc. You’ll get direct links to websites where you can download several fonts.
Premium Header Templates
You’ll get several premium website headers for your blog or sales pages or blogs. They come in layered PSD format and all of the elements on the headers can be modified. You can change the text, change the colors, add your own images, move things around, combine elements from one header with another, etc. Lots of possibilies for customization, or just use them as is after editing your own text.
Buttons and Checkmarks
There are dozens of uses for these—press kits, web pages, marketing materials, your blog, Facebook fan pages, etc. They come in transparent PNG format so you can use them on any color background. You also get source PSD files.
This is just a small sampling of what you’ll get. You’ll also find Add to Cart buttons, call-to-action buttons, backgrounds for PowerPoint slides, numbers icons, footers, photo frames and lots more.
Full disclosure: I get paid affiliate commission if you buy, so don’t get confused if it looks as though you’re buying directly from me. Max, the designer, is simply depositing the money directly into my PayPal account. I think you’ll like this package so much that you, too, can join the affiliate program and earn commission that’s deposited directly into your PayPal account. You don’t even need a shopping cart.
Update on April 5, 2011: If you buy this package, you’ll be taken to a page and offered another product. On that page, scroll to the bottom to find the download link for the graphics package. Many of my readers were confused about this. So was I.
Share this on the social media sites, at your blog, in your newsletter, in your speaker handouts and in other marketing materials. Your followers will love you—and your classy looking website, blog and marketing materials.
Click here to read the testimonials and see what else is in the package.
The Publicity Hound
13 press release topics when there’s nothing newsworthy
That was true two decades ago when we wrote press releases primarily for journalists and we had to worry about insulting them with trivia about our business.
But now that we post them online, mostly to pull traffic to our websites, we’re free to write about whatever we wish.
Here, then, are 13 press release topics when your pockets are empty and there’s absolutely nothing newsworthy to write about. They’re excerpted from my free email course on 89 Ways to Write Powerful Press Releases. (PR people, take the course to sharpen your press release skills. And then use the tips below when you’re scrounging for ideas to publicize your clients.)
Publicity Hounds who have a subscription to Expertclick, The Yearbook of Experts, which lets you post up to 52 press releases a year, will find these tips particularly helpful.
1. Take a Stand on a Controversial Topic
Controversial topics can include everything from the old standbys such as abortion and gun control to local issues like proposed zoning laws.
When you’re done with the press release, generate extra publicity by writing a letter to the editor of your local or national newspaper. How to Use Newspaper & Magazine Editorial Pages shows you all the ways you can rally support for your cause or issue by using editorial pages, from writing letters to asking for a meeting with the newspaper editorial board.
2. Write About Your Blog
If you’ve started blogging for business, write a press release about it so people who want information on your topic can find it. Or devote the release to some of the things you mentioned in a specific post.
This blog, for example, helps people solve problems writing press releases, and I encourage people to submit questions to me. It also teaches people how to use social media sites to self-promote. I could write two press releases, or more, just telling reades about ways they can use this blog. You can, too.
Visit other bloggers who blog on the same topic, or a similar topic, and post comments at their blogs. By linking back to your blog from your comments, you will improve the page ranking of your own blog.
3. Lead Readers to Free Articles at Your Website
If you have free articles that solve people’s problems, or entertain them, say so.
Are your articles arranged by category? Are they updated monthly? Do you let the media, ezine publishers, newsletter editors and bloggers reprint them? Do you feature articles from other industry experts?
4. Tell People Where to Find You on Social Media Sites
Smart Publicity Hounds use Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Quora profiles to position themselves as the go-to sources in their industries.
Do you post your photos and videos to Flickr? Do you have a YouTube channel chock full of helpful how-to videos? (Here’s mine.)
5. Create Your Own Holiday
Create your own day, week or month of the year, or your own holiday, at Chases Calendar of Events. The listing is free. You can then use that holiday as a springboard to even more publicity.
The topic doesn’t have to be serious. In fact, the more fun, the better. I love Doing Business in Your Bathrobe Day.
6. Make a Prediction
Predict something that ties into your area of expertise—or not.
Predict when gasoline prices, the stock market or interest rates will rise and fall. For fun, predict who will win the Super Bowl or when the first snowfall will occur in your area. Predict the winner of local or national elections.
7. Issue a Proclamation
Congratulate the local high school football team for winning a state title, or a local business for celebrating its 10th anniversary.
8. Write Tips That Tie into an Upcoming Holiday
Professional orgnizers can write about how to stay organized during the Christmas holidays. A child safety expert can offer tips on how to keep kids safe during fireworks season on the Fourth of July.
9. Identify A Trend You’re Seeing in Your Business or Industry
You don’t even have to think very hard to identify a trend you’re seeing. How has your customers’ behavior changed the way you do business? What’s happening with your orders? Is your nonprofit serving more people in a particular age group or income level?
If you want to cheat, Google “Top trends in the (fill in the blank) industry” and write about one of those.
10. Comment on Breaking News
This one’s easy. The news can tie into your business or industry—or not. If you’re an expert who welcomes interview requests for radio talk shows, say so in the release. See 6 ways to tie your pitch to breaking news for PR and publicity.
11. What Event Are You Attending?
Most people don’t think it’s a big deal if they attend a trade show or industry conference. But why not turn this into a publicity opportunity?
Write a press release telling people that you’d welcome meeting them. Encourage them to ask you questions about problems they’re facing.
12. Take a Poll or Survey
Sites like Survey Monkey make simple polling a breeze. You can also take a poll on Facebook. Don’t forget to write a follow-up press release that reports on the results of the poll.
13. Explain How to Solve a Problem
Press releases offering tips and advice are often the very best for pulling traffic to your website. That’s becauase you can dazzle readers with your expertise, help them solve their problem, and then link to a website where they can find more information about a product or service you sell that can help them even more.
What topics do you write about when the idea well is dry?
Tools to Help You:
How to be a Kick-butt Publicity Hound
Keywords: The Magic Magnets That Pull Journalists & Consumes to Your Press Releases
The New Rules of Press Releases: How to Write them for Consumers, Not Only for Journalists
The Big Press Release Samples Ebook: Press Releases for Every Occasion and Industry