And the rest of them...

7. Okay, I've sent it, what next?
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Wait 2-3 days and then get on that phone. It's often by speaking to the press that you galvanise them into reading the release in the first place. If you possibly can it's worth rounding something up that you can then send onto the press as a next step (after enquiring by phone if they'd like to receive it first)..This could be a sample, review copy, invitation to a press event or just some ideas for articles that you could put together for them.

8. I can't really be bothered. Can't I just phone them and have a chat?
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Yes, you can, and it's great that you're prepared to do that. But even if you charm the pen into their hand they'll still want to see a press release and better to have one already written and to hand than to have to conjure one up under pressure.

9. Can I send it to more than one person at the same publication?
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Yes, yes, yes. That's common practice and no one will raise an eyebrow as long as you target well and don't bother people with things they don't cover.

10. How Can Do Your Own PR help?
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We can write your release for you - take it off your hands and make sure that it gets done. Alternatively, we also run a 7-day email course on how to write your press release course. You are taken through, step by step, putting together your own release, and then send it to us to get our feedback. For more details visit:

http://www.doyourownpr.com/products/how_to_write_a_press_release.asp

You'll be learning a skill that will benefit you and your business for years to come.

The Sixth Most Frequently Asked Question About Press Releases

Should I include Some Quotes?

The answer is yes, but it's much better if they are not from you - unless you are imparting some vital information or bits of advice.

What doesn't go down well are business owners who talk about how fabulous their product is, or how excited they are. We don't care!

What the press does like though are customer sound-bites or, even better, third party experts and celebrities. So, get your thinking hat on and ponder who you know...

Do Your Own PR offer a 7 day how to write your press release course, where you're taken through putting together your own release, and send it to us to get our feedback. For more details click here

The Fifth Most Frequently Asked Question About Press Releases

How Often Should I be Sending Out A Press Release?

Large companies like L'Oreal or ICI may be sending out a few a month but for most smaller businesses once a month or every six weeks is a good goal to aim for.

The best way to go about this is to block press release days into your diary, where you write up your release (or commission someone to write it for you)and get it out to the press. If you glance at your diary and see that one is coming up more likely than not your subconscious will get to work and by the time you've sat down at your PC it will have come up with some great ideas.

Do Your Own PR offer a 7 day how to write your press release course, where you're taken through putting together your own release, and send it to us to get our feedback. For more details click here

The Fourth Most Frequently Asked Question About Press Releases

How Do I Send Them - post or email?

When I first started in PR we didn't have email. It was only fax and I used to spend one day a week just standing by the machine and faxing...faxing...faxing...and at least one other day stuffing envelopes. We don't have to do that any more and that's great. But the problem is that everyone else can email too and journalists often get one hundred plus emails per day in their inbox. no wonder it's hard to get yours to stand out.

Again, if you've got great photos, putting them into an email might look good but may get your email blocked by a fire wall and presumed to be spam.

So, if you've got anything visual - where people need to see the photos to go "wow" I suggest that you email and post your release. It may cost more but it will be increasing your chances considerably of getting it seen and read.

Information type releases can be just emailed, but remember, keep everything in the body of the email (say photos etc are available by request) and follow up with a call.
Do Your Own PR offer a 7 day how to write your press release course, where you're taken through putting together your own release, and send it to us to get our feedback. For more details click here

The Third Most Frequently Asked Question About Press Releases

Who Do I Send Them To?

You can buy lists from organisations like www.romeike.com, you can make up your own with The Guardian Media Directory and a few days, or you can get us to put one together for you. But nothing beats actually looking at the publications yourself and working out which parts of a newspaper or magazine are right for you. And don't just buy one copy - start reading a few and get a feeling for language, target market and what you have that will suit it.

You rarely send things out to the editor (unless the publication is very small). It will probably be the features editor, news editor or perhaps a shopping, homes, health or women's editor. Remember, nothing works as well as reading the publication to see who's who. And, even then, you'll need to pick up the phone to find out if they are still there (vital in a publication that could have been written 4 months previously) and their correct email address.

Do Your Own PR offer a 7 day how to write your press release course, where you're taken through putting together your own release, and send it to us to get our feedback. For more details call 0208 504 4557.

The Second Most Frequently Asked Question About Press Releases

Can't I just have one press release and keep using that?

Press Releases are meant to be about news - either something that's happening within your organisation, or something that happening out there in the world that you can tie a story to. A stale release that gets used again and again is going to get noticed...and for all the wrong reasons.

That's not to say that you can't use some of your material in each release. The information on you and your business - how and why it started - will probably stay fairly stable, which means that you can re-use that and pour your energies into creating something eye-ctaching and compelling for the first few paragraphs.

Do Your Own PR offer a 7 day how to write your press release course, where you're taken through putting together your own release, and send it to us to get our feedback. For more details click here

10 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Press Releases

I talk to a lot of clients about press releases, whether we are writing them for them or helping them write their own. In fact there is such a hazy aura around the whole process I thought I'd put together a selection of the questions I come across most often.

1. What is it and Why Do I Need A Press Release Anyway?

A press release is more often than not a one page sheet that's sent out to press, either vie email or post. It's designed to catch their eye with some news or something unusual about your or your business. Whereas years ago all you had to do was send a press release out and you could be pretty confident that at least part of it would be reprinted, today that's very unlikely.

Nowadays, a press release is more of a tickler - something that alerts the journalists to what is going on in your business. If it's of interest, they'll follow it up and more often than not write their own piece or use a snippet of yours inside a larger piece.

And yes, it is a good idea to have one. Even if you're great on the phone and plan to seduce the press with a great phone story they'll more often than not want that encapsulated in a press release. So it makes sense to get one written before you phone.

Do Your Own PR offer a 7 day how to write your press release course, where you're taken through putting together your own release, and send it to us to get our feedback. For more details click here