Frequently Asked Questions on our Services
When was
SkyNewswire.com founded?
Prudent International Inc the parent company of
SkyNewswire.com was
incorporated in 1999 by Joseph Reriani then working as a freelance journalist
for various media organizations. He was joined by Jackie Mugambi in 2003 a newly
graduate broadcast student who started off on a volunteer basis and rose to
direct www.SkyNewswire.com when it was
started. Both websites have over 7,000 registered members and receive over
350,000 unique hits monthly generating over 1,000,000 page views. We define a
page view as one person viewing one press release or classified advisement.
We originate numerous news announcements each year, with a dramatic impact on
perception, credibility, capital and commercial markets around the globe in
virtually every industry sector. Our news has appeared in the past on such media
outlets as MSNBC, CNN, PR Report, The New York Times, PR Week and many other
newspapers, magazines and websites.
Prudent International Inc is a privately held company registered in the USA and
The Netherlands in the E.U.
What happens to my press release when I post it on
your networks?
After being approved by our editorial team, your press release will be
posted on our website front page. This makes it accessible to the over 350,000
unique monthly visitors who access our networks as well as over 30,000 RSS and
XML feed subscribers also known as syndicated news feeds.
You will also most probably find your press release in
other high traffic news outlets like Google News, Google Finance and
Yahoo News
minutes after appearing on our front page.
Your news release will also be
searchable on most search
engines within a day to a week compared to the average 6 month to a year it
takes most new websites contents. For more on the benefits of submitting your
news release FREE on our website go to:
http://SkyNewswire.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=13
For our
paid services, you get all the
free
services benefits plus PR crafting, consultation and/or distribution
services depending on your chosen package. We maintain a database of over 85,000
media contacts in over 70 categories and have partnered with many specialist wire services
around the world to better target our media reach. We have the
capability of placing your press release in front of journalist computers and
other places they frequent depending on the nature of your news release.
Prudent Press Agency & SkyNewswire.com Web Sites
Both websites currently have a combined traffic of over 350,000 unique visitors
monthly generating millions of page views. We describe a page view as one person
viewing one press release. All press releases are posted on our site
indefinitely and only removed from our site if the originator deletes it or it
is found to compromise our editorial guidelines. Please see our
Terms and Conditions.
Search Engine Submission
Each press release appearing on our websites is
optimized for search engine
indexing. This is one reason why your press release will appear on the major
search engines within a day to a week and within minutes on news sites such as Google News,
Google Finance and
Yahoo News among others.
Syndicated News Feed
XML/RSS news feeds are a popular way of distributing content on the internet.
XML and RSS technology has made it possible for publishers and individuals to
easily stay updated on the contents of particular website simply by placing a
small code on their websites or email subscription. We are currently aware of
over 30,000 XML and RSS subscribers to our websites though this number could be
much much higher. XML/RSS news feeds increases exposure to your press release.
Media Distribution - Fax, Post, Telephone and Email
We currently maintain a database of over
85,000 media contacts in over 70
categories. Different media personalities choose to be contacted in different
ways though the most popular mode still remains email. Traditional modes of
press release distribution such as fax, and post are still widely used mostly by
feature writers who are less constrained by time.
How do I upload a press release?
Go to our website home page at
www.SkyNewswire.com and register for a free
account. Check your email after a few minutes for a verification link to
activate the account. Please ensure that you enter your email correctly as this
is where your verification link is sent to. Activate your account and you are
ready to go. Login to your account and take advantage of our
free
press release services benefits.
How long does my press release remain online?
Your press release remains online forever, that means that it never expires.
Most users leave their release online even if it becomes old news. One advantage
is that it will be available under search results and result in hits to your
website. Leaving older releases online is an effective way of letting the media
know where you have been as an organization. In certain circumstances you may
want to remove a press release but that decision is entirely up to you.
What are the advantages of a paid release?
In addition to all the features you get for a free press release, you receive
highly targeted distribution to the media, press release and articles crafting
as well as public relations consulting depending your chosen package. You can
also create your own custom package (please
contact us). You may also opt to employ the services of our experienced
editors and journalists in crafting and polishing your press release. We
currently have over 20 customized PR packages.
What other media services do you offer?
We offer numerous
media services including Edgar filing services for public
traded companies, long term media communication and consultation services,
various press release write-up and distribution packages. Working with numerous
journalists and writers puts us at an added advantage of knowing what they are
looking for in terms of sources, news angles and content and we are able to
create that valuable bridge between you and them. We also offer professional
website analysis in relation to public relations.
Do you ever reject press releases? Yes, we do under certain circumstances. Every press release must pass a review
process by our editors. We never verify any
of the news or proofread any of the
free press releases. Correct grammar and
spelling are the submitter's responsibility. Remember the importance of
submitting well-conceived and well-written press releases.
A few of our general guidelines include - We will not post ads and will reject
press releases that are not deemed newsworthy. Press releases that we perceive
to be inflammatory or intended to cause harm to a third party will not be
accepted. In addition, we will only post press releases which are in standard
press release format. Please see our Terms and Conditions.
Do you accept press releases for adult content? No, we do not accept press releases for adult content.
Is Prudent International Inc a public traded
company? No, Prudent International Inc the parent company of Prudent Press Agency and
SkyNewswire.com is a privately held for-profit company.
Press release or News Release?
For a number of reasons, including search engine optimization we use the terms
press release, news release and media release interchangeably. They all mean the
same thing.
Does distribution through your networks guarantee
that the media will use my press release? No, no newswire service can guarantee that the media will use your news release.
We do not control the media only try to get your news to them in the best way we
can. For all free press release, the ultimate responsibility for success lies
with you. Did you create a compelling story? Is it newsworthy? Will others find
it newsworthy? See other parts of this website for our weekly "PR Tune-Up" newsletter which can help you
greatly patch up your media relations".
Will my press release be used elsewhere on the
Internet or in print?
We cannot guarantee that your release will be picked up and used by other media
outlets. The ultimate responsibility for success lies with you. Did you create a
compelling story? Is it newsworthy? etc. Google News, Google Finance and
Yahoo News pick up most of our stories minutes after publication.
Do you offer a clipping service?
No, we do not offer a clipping service of our own but subscribe to those of
other newswires. We can very easily and cheaply find out what the media is
saying or has said about you for a nominal fee. Please see our
services package here
How can I access my press release statistics?
Every press release has an individual hit counter that displays the page
impressions since publication. This information is available to the general
public. It is to your advantage to direct as much traffic to your press releases
as possible by placing links to it in as many websites as possible.
Why do you encourage publishers to create links to
their press releases on their website?
The main reason is to shorten the period search engines take to index your press
release page and also to create a "search bundle" for your press release on the
internet. The more links that point to your press release on the internet the
higher placed and visible it will be be using relevant keyword searches.
How many employees does Prudent Press Agency and
SkyNewswire.com have?
Prudent International Inc currently has 7 employees working as editors, copy
tasters and journalists. All have a background in journalism and media studies
with a combined 80 years of experience. Joseph Reriani is the Executive Editor
of Prudent Press Agency while Lilian A. Matama is the Executive Editor of
SkyNewswire.com responsible for crafting and enforcing editorial policies of the
websites. They are also usually the first link between the newsroom and
customers. Protus Nyamwea, Geodfree Otieno and Sami Khan are copy tasters and
editors all holding diplomas and/or degrees in journalism and public relations.
We also work with over 50 freelance journalists and writers located in 13
countries who supply us with various news and feature articles which we market
to the media on their behalf.
Do you write and edit press releases? Yes, for a nominal fee, our editors can help
craft a professional press release
ensuring that such vital aspects as newsworthiness, grammar and timeliness are
met in your press release. We will also offer advice on news angles and best
times to distribute your release. An analysis of your website will also be
conducted to ensure that journalists can easily find information about you. We
have a team of talented news crafters editors that are able to help you write
your press release.
I am a freelance journalist/writer how can you help
me?
If you are interested in joining our growing team of freelance journalists,
reporters feature writers, specialist writers, photographers we would very much
love to have you on board. Prudent International Inc specializes in marketing
the work of freelancers to the media. We have over the years helped numerous
first time journalists get published. Contact either Joseph Reriani at
editorial@Prudent Press Agency.com or Jackie Mugambi at
editorial@SkyNewswire.com
depending on the network you wish to work with. Please note that you can not register as a freelance journalist on both
websites.
What is Prudent Press Agency?
It is a newswire service for the entire business sector. Our parent company
Prudent International Inc, was incorporated in 1999 originally distributing news
to continental North America before branching to the rest of the world in early
2002. We have access to a strong 85,000 newspapers, magazines, websites, radio
and television editors and journalists worldwide in over 70 diverse categories,
the outcome of over 2,000 hours of phone calls and sending faxes. A
professionally written News Release can make the difference between a successful
PR campaign and an utter failure. Our in-house editors and PR department will
prepare your news release in the globally accepted PR format stressing the most
news worthy features of your release. We pride ourselves in serving over 7,000
registered individuals and businesses who periodically use our services either
to post their media releases for
FREE or buying one of our well priced PR packages.
Our website at
http://www.SkyNewswire.com receives over 30,000 media related visits
monthly.
Why do small entrepreneurs have a problem with some
of the more traditional newswire services?
It is a combination of brand and cost. The people who are most interested in
small business news do not tend to be on the political and hard news desk, which
is largely where the major newswires distribute their read.
Another reason is that small entrepreneurs cannot afford to spend US$700 for
each press release they want to put out nationally. We do a variety of things to
keep our costs as low as we can and use technologies that allow us to pass those
savings on to our customers.
"We have and continue to negotiate strategic relationships with
major wire
services in individual countries to ensure that our services remain
affordable and of the highest quality." - Joseph Reriani, founder and Executive
Editor Prudent Press Agency
If a company wanted to try out your service, how
would it go about doing so?
(The company) would place an order directly for one of our services
here.
The link has all the basic information and links to detailed specific contents
of our services.
What is PR packaging? PR Packaging involves purchasing a PR write-up and distribution packages in one.
One way we drive costs down is by combining two or more services for individual
releases. Over 90 percent of our clients renew their chosen packages.
How much does your press release distribution cost? The price for crafting and distributing a press release
of 400 words or less is only US$ 149.95. You receive a comprehensive press
release distribution to more than 50,000 general editors and over 20,000
specialist magazines and websites. To view some of the media outlets we will
reach with your Press Release go to our
media list
How soon does the press release go out? Your press release will be distributed between Monday
9hrs EST and Thursday 16hrs the following business day. This ensures that
editors and journalists receive it in their email in-box or fax machines the
next morning. We see stronger responses with press releases received in the
morning and well before weekends.
How are your press releases sent?
Our press releases are sent via email with the text formatted by us for line
length and presentation. We also send out electronic faxes to media outlets that
choose this mode. The text of the press release is sent within the body of the
fax/email message as many organizations will not accept attachments because of
virus and bandwidth concerns. If you have an image, we upload them to our
website and provide a link to them on our website. The subject of the email
message sent to editors will include your press release title or an abbreviated
version of it.
Your press release is also personally issued through Reuters, Associated Press,
Inter Press Service, Media General News Service Inc and others. We also post it
on our website under your chosen categories.
How do I post my Press Release FREE on your site?
To post your Press Release on our website,
first open an account
them login to your account after registering and verifying your email.
Go to the "Submit your Article" link and post your article. Our editors will
review it to see if it meets our requirements before posting it on the website.
Every day hundreds of journalists and media editors visit our website in search
of new articles and fill-ups.
What makes your press release services different
from your competitors?
- We never charge a membership fee. Unlike other press release services,
we have no hidden or extra charges. Our low prices stay low and remain among the
lowest in the industry but the quality of our PR services remain highest.
- We don't spam journalists. Our sources have opted to receive our press
releases and media communications. We also maintain a responsible remove list
for those who do not wish to be contacted by us. Beware of press release
services which bombard journalists with unwelcome emails: you'll run the risk of
weakening your impact and alienating the very audience you want to impress.
- We contact interested journalists directly. We reach more than 75
percent of our sources by name, and send press releases to their personal email
addresses. Most press release services simply use a generic "editor@newspaper.com"
format.
- Our low price includes quality press release write-up and distribution.
We dare you to find a cheaper service offering a combination of the two at the
quality and guarantee offered by us.
- We don't just send your press release. We send you proof of
distribution! We also watch the media for new angles to pursue in future. As a
client, you'll receive a customized report with links to your press release
between five and ten websites where it appears.
Under what circumstances does
SkyNewswire.com reject Press Releases?
Every press release we post on our website or to the media must pass a review
process. SkyNewswire.com does not verify any of the news nor proofread
any press release that was not prepared by us. Correct grammar and spelling are
the submitter's responsibility. Please remember the importance of submitting
well-conceived and well-written press releases.
We review all releases for general content to make sure that the story falls
within our guidelines which are as follows: - We will not post advertisements
and will reject press releases that are not deemed newsworthy. Press releases
that we perceive to be inflammatory or intended to cause harm to a third party
will not be accepted. We will also reject all releases that are written in all
capital letters which is perceived as screaming. In addition, we will only post
press releases which are in standard press release format.
Why are some of your articles free?
All Press Release articles on our website are free to editors, journalists and
our website visitors to read. SkyNewswire.com was originally founded as a
newswire organization. Many professional journalists and reporters around the
world routinely sell their articles to the media through us.
Is SkyNewswire.com a not-for-profit company? No. SkyNewswire.com is a privately held for-profit company. It is a fully
owned subsidiary of Prudent International Inc USA & EU. We manage to keep our
prices low because we rely on volume sales, advertisement placement for clients
and other media related services. Please note that our low prices never affect
our ability to deliver our high quality services.
Can I post my release via snail mail?
Our editorial team can turn around a news story and run an editorial news flash
banner on our site or post out your message to the media typically within about
30 minutes. We can only do that if the news story comes in an electronic format
(email, electronic fax or web page).
Sorry to say, the press releases which still come into our office daily on
paper, by snail mail are just thrown straight into the bin. They usually arrive
too late anyway, so they fail on two counts.
How much does it cost to have your agency prepare
my Press Release without distribution to the media?
We are asked this question many times. A one time PR crafting costs only US$
49.95. Among the reasons given for wanting a Press Release write-up without
distribution are:
1. Acquiring quality material for organizational and company in-house magazines
and journals
2. Acquiring quality material for advertisement brochures, leaflets and
pamphlets
3. Acquiring quality material for Press Release/ Media sections of websites
4. Testing the agencies ability to produce quality PR write-ups at lower prices.
What are the most important aspects of a Press
Release?
If you plan on preparing and distributing your own Press Release ensure that:
1. The first lines of your press releases includes: "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" (or
FOR RELEASE May 18, 2001) and "For more information, contact:" followed by your
contact information.
2. Craft a compelling headline. The headline makes your release stand out. Keep
it short, active, and descriptive. If you don't know how, read a number of
compelling headlines till you get some idea.
3. Hook reader with the first paragraph. A first paragraph shall summarize the
five W's: who, what, where, when and why. In fact, most readers will give up if
you haven't "hooked" them in the first few lines.
4. Put the most important information at the beginning. This is a tried and true
rule of journalism. Never hide golden points to the end.
5. Don't sell but answer questions! Making over-inflated statements is helpless
to your business. Write a release that answers questions about your business,
rather than piling flowery adjectives without saying why.
6. Avoid saying something is "unique" or "the best". Instead, show how people
will benefit - i.e. save time, save money, make their life easier, etc.
7. A 'non- biased' source is very helpful.
8. Provide all possible contact information including mail address, telephone,
fax, e-mail and web site (especially for online business).
9. Proofread & Proofread! Do remember to proofread your press release for
typographical errors before you send them out.
10. End your press release with "###" (without the quotation marks) after your
last lines of text. This symbol lets the editors know they have successfully
received the entire release.
Does Prudent Press Agency accept press releases for adult content?
NO. Prudent Press Agency does not accept explicit adult content pieces and
reserves the right to refuse all press releases containing or promoting adult
content.
Do I need two accounts for
both SkyNewswire.com and SkyNewswire.com?
Yes, you need two separate accounts for both websites. Each website has a
separate and independent editorial team responsible for creating their own
editorial policies. SkyNewswire.com headed by Jackie Mugambi (Executive Editor)
accepts fewer free press releases. The website mostly targets public traded and
fortune 500 companies as its clientele compared to Prudent Press Agency which
will accept most well crafted and angled press releases irrespective of source.
Can you give us some examples of how you manage to
keep your prices so low?
We are currently seven strong and do not have the expense that the major
corporate newswires have of releasing market-moving financial information
simultaneously on three continents. We also negotiate bulk orders with many of
the E.U countries newswire services and we pass these savings to our clients.
Tune-Up
An
important aspect of newsworthiness is universal appeal. That is, a story that
has an impact on 'everyone.' Consider the outpouring of sympathy from around the
world when Pope John Paul II passed away. Those that went to St. Peter's Square
and tuned in on television were not all members of the Catholic faith. There was
universal mourning for a man that had managed to reach out to people of many
faiths during his pontificate.
Joseph Reriani - PR Consultant
This article is part of
Joseph Reriani's "PR
Tune-up Blog" newsletter posted to over 6,000 subscribers weekly.
The newsletter was first published in 2002. For more articles and PR tune-up tips, please visit
www.PrudentPressAgency.com and
www.SkyNewswire.com.
Joseph Reriani is a PR
expert and Fellow with the Chartered Institute of
Public Relations- United Kingdom. He is the President/CEO of Prudent
International Inc and Executive Editor of
Prudent Press Agency. He is also
an Assistant Editor of SkyNewswire.com
directed by Jackie Mugambi . He is a trained journalist and specializes in helping
businesses, organizations, and individuals improve their public image by
effectively employing the power of public relations. Mr Reriani can be reached
at jreriani @ PrudentPressAgency.com. You may
freely copy and
re-publish this article without altering any part in the body.