Frequently Asked Questions on our Services

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

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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 at http://www.Reriani.com. For more articles and PR tune-up tips, please visit www.PrudentPressAgency.com and www.SkyNewswire.com. Joseph Reriani is a Media Consultant 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 admin @ Reriani.com. You may freely copy and re-publish this article without altering any part in the body.

Public Relations Simplified

Public Relations Simplified

Public Relations can be defines as the art of creating interest in you, your company, and your product/service by convincing others (namely media outlets such as print, TV, and radio) to report about who you are, what you do, and why it's important to the world at large.

Sounds pretty simple, doesn't it? PR is perhaps a little deceiving in definition. PR involves a lot of hard work and dedication. There are several things you must do (and do well) in order for the media outlets to recognize your expertise and your business.

First and foremost: You must be an expert at something. No one will want to book you for their show or write an article about you unless you've done your work and are an expert in your field. So, before you go any further, be aware that if you are not already an expert (usually, if you own a small business, you are an expert) you need to take some time and learn about everything related to your product or service. The worst publicity is the kind that says you don't know what you're talking about.

The next thing to do is to zero in on your buying audience. Take your buying audience and identify various segments - different segments of your audience will require different promotional efforts. Figure out what magazines and newspapers they read, the news and television programming they watch, and the radio stations and programming to which your audience listens.

Now you can zero in on the media audience that will be the most effective in your PR Campaign. If you're selling high-end computer servers, for example, sending a press release to Parenting magazine is not your best bet. I would suggest gathering an extensive list of all media outlets that might be interested. If you are sending your materials to several hundred media outlets, you will have a greater chance of publication (or booking) than if you send it to only 20.

The next logical step is to create a press release. Generally, TV and radio producers do not have the time to read press releases. Send it to them anyway. It may just fall through the cracks and find its way into an interested producer's hand. Newspapers and other print publications will usually pay more attention to your press releases than their radio and TV counterparts.

Press releases sent to print publications should differ than those you send to radio and TV outlets. Print outlets can publish a press release at little or no charge; so make sure that your press release is newsworthy and includes all the information (the who, what, where, when, why, and how) as concisely as possible. You should limit all your press releases to a single page. The first paragraph of your press release is vital. Many editors won't get past this first paragraph if they do not like it. Use this paragraph to inform them of what you are promoting. It should be no more than four sentences and should include all the points you are making throughout the rest of the press release. Do not go into great detail here. Most of the people to whom you are sending your press release will not care about the details unless they read the rest of the press release. If you insist on going into greater detail about you or your product or service, include the details on another page in your media kit. Make sure to include your contact information at the top and bottom of every page you send to the media.

Press releases sent to radio and TV producers should be much shorter. Generally, they don't have the time to read the press releases. When they do, they just read the headlines and sub-headlines. These headlines should only be one line. They should only take a couple seconds to read; and they should immediately show the value/benefits of what you are promoting. The media is obsessed with certain topics - sex, money, and health - so try to incorporate these ideas in your headlines. Make sure to bullet your main points. Keep the bullets in order of importance; readers probably won't get past the first three. And keep the list short, five bullets is probably best.

Make sure you record who you send your press releases to. Keep track of their names, addresses, phone number, employer, specialty area, source information, and any other information you have on this particular person. Make sure your list is always up-to-date, there is a huge turnover rate in the media. You don't want to waste your time sending your media kit/press release to people who no longer work for those outlets.

Follow up with the editors/producers to whom you send your press release/media kit. Telephone them within 3 days of receiving your press release/media kit (Note: FedEx packages are opened more frequently than any other delivered package - so if you're sending your press release/media kit out and you have the resources, send them via overnight FedEx delivery). When you get these people on the phone, ask them if they got the press release, if they have any questions about it, or if there's anything further you can do to help them. Building relationships with media outlets is essential; but it's a one-way information street. To have a successful relationship, you must be willing to give them information, to do some extra research for whatever project they're working on - YOU must help THEM in some way. Offer your expertise for whatever project on which they are currently working. Or, if you have no expertise in that area, offer to make contact with some of your associates on their behalf for their piece. These people are addicted to information. The more information you give them, the more apt they are to help you promote yourself! So don't be shy! Ask if and how you can help them!

Your media kit should highlight your press release. Without a great press release, sending a media kit is an act of futility. Media kits are no longer necessary for initial mailings; they do better as a follow up tactic. Your media kit should be presented in a nice two-pocket folder with your business card included. Keep your media kits short, no more than a few pages; and you can include any of the following in addition to your press release:

• Company history • Personal history • Suggested questions • Brochure • Articles • Your photograph • Testimonials • Quizzes, trivia, or giveaways

Visit other parts of our website at www.PrudentPressAgency.com and www.SkyNewswire.com for more detailed articles on Media Kits.

Make sure to print your logo and contact information on the cover of your folder. If you are in a money crunch, print out some labels and stick them on there - but make sure that information is there. You will also want the entirety of your contact information on every page of your media kit. If any of these elements get separated from the rest, you want them to be able to reach you!

As you can tell, this information is really only the tip of the iceberg. While PR is time consuming, it is an integral part of your marketing efforts. Take the time, plan what you need to do, and get a PR strategy working for you.

Tune-Up You must fully believe in what you're publicizing - the media has a way of sifting through the hype and seeing the product/service for what it's worth. Enthusiasm is contagious. When you promote your product, be enthusiastic and sincere. Impassioned people always find their way to the top! Believe from the heart that what you're promoting will change the world, that you promoting it makes a difference, and that YOU know more about it than anyone else. You can't fake it! Joseph Reriani - PR Consultant

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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 at http://www.Reriani.com. For more articles and PR tune-up tips, please visit www.PrudentPressAgency.com and www.SkyNewswire.com. Joseph Reriani is a Media Consultant 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 admin @ Reriani.com. You may freely copy and re-publish this article without altering any part in the body.

Commons Misconceptions About Public Relations

Commons Misconceptions About Public Relations

If you have completed your marketing plans for this year, then it is time to look at the implementation of those plans.

The full extend of how Public Relations (PR) can work for your company can be easily brushed aside at the planning stage because of the many myths that surround PR as a marketing arsenal.

Here are some common myths about the role of PR that you should re-consider.

Myth: PR is less certain than advertising. With advertising, we know what we get from the start.

Wrong. If you are viewing PR as solely media-related, that is partially true. With advertising you have guaranteed placement, you know how much it will cost and you know how many will see your message. But certainty of outputs doesn’t mean that your audience will absorb the message. If you were to use PR and it were to generate editorial coverage there is plenty of research to show it will be more believable than your advertising and have probably many times the impact with consumers. It will also come at much lower costs. Surely, these days it is more important to think about how many different ways you can reach your consumer. So can you afford not to look at whether PR might be able to create media publicity for you?

Myth: The opportunities to use PR in marketing are limited.

Wrong. PR is now used across the board. Internationally PR budgets for many companies have increased over the last years. Your competition is most probably using it. PR has evolved to be a key marketing tool in the B2B sector. It is now routine to include a PR agency along with your advertising agency – either as a permanent part of the marketing team for ongoing brand support or for special launches and new product and services introductions.

Myth: PR should be bought in when we have decided our launch strategy for 2005.

Wrong. PR is often The Launch Strategy. In fact, the most potent use of PR is before the advertising so that any news value is exploited prior to advertising. That is also the time to work with the influencers and opinion formers namely the media. There are plenty of examples showing the power of PR in launching products - including Microsoft Windows 2000 to Coca Cola’s new vanilla flavour.

Myth: PR is impossible to measure

Wrong. The measurement of PR results has been an issue for many companies over the years. PR is not like advertising and should not be measured in terms of the dollar value of the space/time gained. For most companies today, PR is far more strategic in its planning and its execution. PR therefore should be measured strategically against business or communication goals. If you’re only measuring PR for coverage, then maybe you need to think about ‘how’ and ‘why’ you are using it in the first place.

Each day, www.PrudentPressAgency.com and www.SkyNewswire.com transmits news releases directly into working newsroom computers and desktops of major media organizations. Click here to view a few of the general and specialist media we are able to reach with your release.

www.PrudentPressAgency.com and www.SkyNewswire.com also feeds the news to major news retrieval database services, online publications, developers of web sites and intranets.

From the media standpoint, Prudent Press Agency provides a unique, valuable channel filled with news from the organizations that shape today's news. News from www.PrudentPressAgency.com and www.SkyNewswire.com covers cutting-edge developments in science, medicine, the arts and humanities, law, public policy, higher education, social issues, environmental advocacy, and other important topics of public concern.

By accessing www.PrudentPressAgency.com and www.SkyNewswire.com, the media can broaden, expand and balance the voices, views and perspectives that its publications present to readers, viewers and users on a daily basis.

Tune-Up PR Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Be Promotional. If you can't get enough objective distance from your company to write a press release that's not filled with hype and puffery, hire someone to write it for you.. Joseph Reriani - PR Consultant

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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 at http://www.Reriani.com. For more articles and PR tune-up tips, please visit www.PrudentPressAgency.com and www.SkyNewswire.com. Joseph Reriani is a Media Consultant 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 admin @ Reriani.com. You may freely copy and re-publish this article without altering any part in the body.

Press Release Write-up and Distribution FAQs

Press Release Write-up and Distribution FAQs

As we mentioned in our last features announcement, Prudent International Inc introduced a new Press Release package that combines Press Release "write-up" and "distribution" for only US$149.95. This new package is intended to bring quality and affordable Press Release services within the reach of medium and small budget individuals and companies.

Our Editorial Team has prepared the following Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to help cement your understanding of the new Press Release package. More comprehensive FAQs can be found at: http://prudentpressagency.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=74

How much does your press release submission service cost? The price for "preparing" and "distributing" a press release of 400 words or less is only US$149.95. You will also receive a comprehensive press release distribution to more than 60,000 general editors and access to about 20,000 specialist magazines and websites. Your press release will also reach over 20,000 freelance journalists and reporters. To view part of the media we will reach with your Press Release, visit our Media List at:  http://www.prudentpressagency.com/medialist/index.htm
We also offer press release preparation services (without distribution) for only US$49.95.

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 them on their computers emails 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? Your press release is sent via email with the text formatted by us for line length and presentation. We also send out electronic faxes. The text of the press release is sent within the body of the 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.

How do I post my Press Release FREE on your site? To post your Press Release free on our website, register for a free account and login to your writers account. Go to the "Submit an Article" link and post your article. Our editors will review it to see if it meets our requirements before posting it on the website. Everyday hundreds of journalists and media editors visit our website in search of new articles and fill-ups. They are also part of the 30,000 syndicated RSS/XML subscribers on our networks.

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 high.
- 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 of US$ 149.95 includes quality press release write-up and distribution. We challenge 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 Prudent Press Agency reject Press Releases?
Every press release we post on our website or to the media must pass through a brief review process. We do not verify any of the news or proofread any press release that was not prepared by our PR team. Correct grammar and spelling are the submitter's responsibility. Please remember the importance of submitting well-conceived and well-written press releases. We do not review all releases for general content to make sure that the release 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 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 and journalists. Prudent International Inc was originally founded as a news wire organization. Many professional journalists and reporters around the world routinely sell their writings to the media through us.

Is PrudentPressAgency.com and SkyNewswire.com a not-for-profit company? No. PrudentPressAgency.com and SkyNewswire.com are a privately held for-profit company and a fully owned subsidiary of Prudent International Inc USA & E.U. We manage to keep our prices so 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 maintain high quality services.

Can I post my release via snail mail? Our Press Release 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 20 minutes. We can only do that if the news story comes in an electronic format (email or web page).
So, 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. 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 section on websites
4. Testing the agencies ability to produce quality PR write-ups at lower prices.
We charge US$49.95 for a 400 word piece. All our PR team are graduates in the field of journalism and/or Public Relations with a combined experience of over 80 years.

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 26, 2002) 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 you 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.

Tune-Up Traditional PR isn't in any danger of dying out from online media; rather, it will adapt and use new channels offered by such outlets as blogs, pod casts, and RSS feeds. Joseph Reriani - PR Consultant

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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 at http://www.Reriani.com. For more articles and PR tune-up tips, please visit www.PrudentPressAgency.com and www.SkyNewswire.com. Joseph Reriani is a Media Consultant 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 admin @ Reriani.com. You may freely copy and re-publish this article without altering any part in the body.

A Headhunter's View to Hiring a Pr Agency

A Headhunter's View to Hiring a Pr Agency

Since so much has been written about how to go about finding a PR agency, I thought it timely to examine the process from my perspective - a consultant who is also a PR headhunter. Every year Prudent International Inc outsources PR tasks to other agencies for tasks that we are unable to fulfill due to a variety of reasons including distance, specialty promotions, celebrity appearances, local interviews special events etc. Throughout the world there are thousands of PR firms of all sizes who claim to specialize in dozens of different specialty categories. Nailing the right agency requires you to have some minimum knowledge of what you are looking for.

Where do you start? What do you look for? How much should you pay? What characteristics of the PR firm differentiates it from others - and are those differences important to your company? What size firm should you hire? What about account conflicts? Is the firm's location important? Who's going to work on your business? What about performance and results? What should you reasonably expect and how do you measure success?

These are only some of the questions that will undoubtedly arise in your quest to hire a firm.

From my experience, all of these questions should be asked and answered before signing on with a PR firm. However, the real issues that become important should be evaluated within the context of your company's needs and goals. Chances are the answers will fall somewhere in the proverbial gray area.

Should you decide to identify a PR firm on your own, there are many reference materials available which can help you quantify the players. However, without the tools and the inside knowledge of how PR firms work and which will work best for your company, the task can be very difficult and misleading.

Many solo searchers rely on references from colleagues, industry sources and the like to help them target a group of likely PR firms. The tough part however, is evaluating the relationship between members of your company and the PR firm. Additionally, not every PR agency is listed and quantified in every directory. New ones are popping up all the time and others are merging, being acquired or just fading away. When working with a limited knowledge-base, evaluation can become problematic.

The key to any successful PR agency search lies in the depth of the research expended. The greater amount of time spent researching the agency, its people, culture, working style, etc., the better chance you have of bringing home a winner. Also, it's easy to be distracted by fancy promotion and lose sight of the agency's key elements.

Sometimes the identification of a winning PR firm can be a slam-dunk. More often than not, it can be a very tricky process. If your company produces a highly specialized or technical product, chances are there will only be a few PR firms that will fill the bill. Whether it's engineering, biotechnology or baby toys, your choices will be limited. Add to that the numerous other specifications that you will invariably want to see in your new PR firm.

It's much easier if your product or service touches on issues such as abortion, guns or smoking. Options will be limited if your PR budget is unusually small or restricted, or if when your PR program is narrowly focused on, say, major mentions in key business publications, or, interviews for your CEO with major network media.

It's probably a good idea to go alone or with some minimum support from us when the budget is small, the PR program is limited and targeted to a highly technical audience or, when the agency's geographic location(s) is restricted. Of course, if management's view of PR is archaic or unrealistic, then the chance of a successful agency union is rather slim under any circumstances.

In my PR agency identification experience, the two most difficult parts of evaluating an agency are costs, (both actual and projected), and team identification and evaluation. Each tend to resemble a moving target that's hard to keep in your sights for too long.

As a general rule, PR agencies don't advertise their fees for services they perform. They tend to promote their expertise and experience in the business of PR and then charge you based on the size of your budget. By knowing that beforehand, they can tailor their services to your specific needs and stay within your budget.

As any other business, PR agencies must stay profitable. Just like management consultants or lawyers, PR people parcel out their expertise in the form of hourly charges. Whether you're paying a "flat monthly retainer" or hourly for services rendered, the agency will calculate the time spent working on your behalf in increments of hours to remain within profitable guidelines. Agency client management employees usually have an "hourly rate" that is levied against the time they spend on behalf of their client. That rate is usually a function of the employee's title. Obviously, the higher the title, the higher the rate.

Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Well, not so fast. There are many variables that impact this rather neat little picture. Variables such as employee promotions, employee title inflation, freelance consultants, the changing nature of your account, fee increases, out-of-pocket expenses, economic inflation or recession, conflicting accounts that pay higher fees, result measurement, client vs. agency expectations, irreconcilable differences and much more. We try to factor all these as best as we can. We charge a flat fee in head hunting expenses. We will interview you and a minimum of 5 other PR firms depending on where you are located. We have worked with tens of PR firms in the past and at times we are ready to recommend them. Please visit our services page at: http://prudentpressagency.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=36 for more information.

Tune-Up: "Buying PR services is a commercial activity like any other and its up to the buyer to be aware. Be clear about your motives, agree on a time scale, fully brief the executives on your goals and most of all about yourself, listen to their advice, agree on measurable objectives, have regular reviews at least quarterly." Joseph Reriani - PR Consultant

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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 at http://www.Reriani.com. For more articles and PR tune-up tips, please visit www.PrudentPressAgency.com and www.SkyNewswire.com. Joseph Reriani is a Media Consultant 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 admin @ Reriani.com. You may freely copy and re-publish this article without altering any part in the body.

PR – What it is, What it should be and What it is made to be.

PR – What it is, What it should be and What it is made to be.

The following article has been prepared to help you better understand the concept of Public Relations (PR), its relevance and possible application. Our team of professional journalists and PR specialists are always at hand to help make your PR campaign a success when called upon by you.

Curious title do you think? Many times when we think of public relations we imagine a suave, schooled sophistiqué(e) addressing journalists. Indeed all of that goes with the territory, but has anyone ever asked what precisely is public relations?

As a concept, public relations is embedded in a number of job descriptions. Anyone who works as a spokesperson, customer service representative or any of other such dockets where people – skills are paramount will no doubt be in the venn of public relations. From this, we can distill a working definition.

Public Relations can therefore be defined as the art and science of interfacing organizational roles, objectives and procedures with public expectations. Perhaps that might sound a little too bookish. What that means in simple terms is this: one, that organizations have to deal with various publics in the course of attaining their goals. How they do this is what is public relations.

The definition has also referred to it as a science. That it is, because one would have to understand something of the human psyche. Knowing what usually works for what audience and when. Some time back a National Security minister found himself in hot soup when he disclosed the presence of a terrorist in his country. Ideally, this was good PR but wrong application. He had not yet studied the psyche of his publics to identify what would work and what would not. People did not just want to know of the existence of the terrorist but what the minister was doing about it?

As has been so often seen in corporations, public relations is usually seen as more of a reactive office, that is when the bigshots want to do some damage control. Same thing applies for government. Public Relations however should involve both an active and proactive component.

Well what is the difference, proactive and active? Active public relations should be the main buzzword. The reason is that it is ongoing. It is continuous and can be inducted into everyone within the organization. Everyone should become a good PR person for the firm. There are companies that everyone wants to work for. We all know them. What makes those companies unique? This is because employees at those firms exude a certain air of contentment and the radiance of happiness. It is all about nurturing environments. This effectively gives the equivalent of a swing vote to the company’s public image.

Shall we say that companies do not need a public relations man so long as they handle their PR policies well? Principally, no. the strand of active PR also comes into play when we look at the role of the PR department at any firm. See, one of their core functions is to get extra publicity at little or no cost. Bad publicity also counts. Active public relations will include regular press briefings, dispatches explaining up, and coming events. An active PR scheme should as much as possible endeavor to prepare annual calendars showing the latest and what they are doing. It is when an event, especially a tragedy or some other misfortune occurs that a PR department needs proactive PR.

Usually when something of the kind happens there occurs a knee-jerk reaction. In some cases, senior management denies knowledge of whatever it is. Eventually facts backed up by solid evidence surfaces, witnesses crawl out of the woodwork and the whole thing blows out of proportion. Then when the heat gets so intense the PR guys are called in and it’s time for damage control. This is called a reactive PR. The trouble is that when companies behave in this predictable fashion they cede control over the event to the media, who with glee tear and destroy the company’s image.

The key idea behind a proactive approach is the need to own the effect of the event. A good PR department will seek to do this right from the initial stage. Many do this the wrong way: by lying (the devil with the blue dress, remember?). The best approach is to own up. No half-truths, no innuendo, no almost true stories. Trouble is egos, and sometimes very big ones are involved. It is up to every organization to decide what should be retained; whether it will be egos or the company’s image.

Owning the event requires guts because one must recognize that whichever way someone will get burnt. It is therefore my decided opinion that telling the truth no matter how ugly is always the best option.

An approach where the truth becomes the rule rather than the exception becomes the way to go because it does two things. Though the company’s reputation may get singed, from the ashes there arises a respect for the company. In addition, a collateral benefit is gained. The company is perceived as dependable and reliable. It also ensures that if there should be any other notable future events, good or bad, the organization will be credible as well. That is what a good effective PR department should keep in mind.

Tune-Up: Developing a systematic planning prevents haphazard, ineffective communication that may result in unexpected outcomes. Thus, public relations managers need to follow a well-designed program plan that will help them execute their programs effectively and provide the desired results after the completion of the public relations program. Joseph Reriani - PR Consultant

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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 at http://www.Reriani.com. For more articles and PR tune-up tips, please visit www.PrudentPressAgency.com and www.SkyNewswire.com. Joseph Reriani is a Media Consultant 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 admin @ Reriani.com. You may freely copy and re-publish this article without altering any part in the body.

Posting your release on our website

Posting your release on our website

Reach thousands of editors FREE with your Press release by posting your piece on our website. Everyday newspaper, magazine, radio and television editors visit our website in search of fresh and new story angles for their readers. "What good is your PR message if it is not seen by the media?"

We have designed a New Press Release package, that combines "preparation" and "distribution" of your Press Releases for only US$ 149.95. At this price, you can afford to test the media response at a fraction of the PR distribution rate and get a professionally written PR piece. Numerous hours have been put into categorizing and familiarizing ourselves with the editorial policies of many media houses around the world. We currently have access to a strong 85,000 newspapers, magazines, websites, radio and television editors worldwide in over 70 diverse categories. You can a view some of them at:
http://www.prudentpressagency.com/medialist/index.htm

http://www.SkyNewswire.com/medialist/index.htm  

A professionally written and distributed Press Release can make the difference between a successful PR campaign and an utter failure. While there are many factors that help a press release become successful such as timeliness and newsworthiness among others, the write-up and distribution approach is critical.

If you don't have the time or resources to put into a well written press release, we have a standby professional writing staff to help make your press release a success. There are many reasons why you should choose us for your PR campaign needs. The most enduring reason being a guarantee that your press release will be effective.

Tune-Up: Basic to all public relations is good communication. Well - planned, effectively handled communications are essential to the success and even existence of organizations and causes.. Joseph Reriani - PR Consultant

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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 at http://www.Reriani.com. For more articles and PR tune-up tips, please visit www.PrudentPressAgency.com and www.SkyNewswire.com. Joseph Reriani is a Media Consultant 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 admin @ Reriani.com. You may freely copy and re-publish this article without altering any part in the body.

Photos, Graphics and the Media.

Photos, Graphics and the Media.

It is madness to approach a journalist without any preparation. If you're pitching stories about your company to the media, but photos are an afterthought, you could be missing fabulous opportunities for publicity.

A good photo or graphic can move your article from the back of a magazine to the front. Photos can be the deciding factor when you're pitching a story idea. An editor who knows that you can provide photos, or that their own photographer can take photos of something interesting, might be encouraged to say "yes" to your story idea.

Similar to your press release, all photos and graphics have to meet some minimum requirements to be acceptable or even considered by the media. We always upload all photos that accompany your press releases on our fast servers and provide them as html links to the media.

Consider asking your photographer to shoot "environmental portraits" of your experts. An architect, for example, might be shown holding several rolled up architect's renderings under her arm. A construction executive can be shown holding a helmet or other tools of his trade. Newspapers that don't have big photo staffs would probably welcome these photos but we always encourage having a couple with every press release.

Have interior and exterior shots of your company available for the media. The interior shots can show people at work. Please, no cliche "on the telephone" or "working at the computer" shots. The exterior can show your company name on the building.

Pie charts, bar charts and other graphics can often help readers understand complicated issues such as budgets. Offer to supply information to media outlets so they can create their own graphics to accompany your press release.

If a photographer from a newspaper or magazine takes photos at your company during an even, never demand to see the negatives, or dictate what photo they should use with the article, or ask for free copies of prints. The negatives are the property of the media outlet, and the media maintain full control over their use. If you want prints, expect to pay for them.

Make sure all photos are scanned at print-quality and available for instant download at your website, preferably under a button called "Media Room" that can be accessed from the homepage.

Avoid using big clunky photos at your website because they slow down the time it takes a page to load.

Never, ever ask a newspaper or magazine to take photos of a check-passing, ground-breaking or ribbon-cutting ceremony. The media hate these staged events. And don't wimp out by uploading these cheesy-looking photos to your expensive website.

Are you starting to get the picture? Photos and graphics can be a powerful publicity tool--but only if you use them.

Tune-Up: In place of a check-passing photo, use a chart to illustrates what the money will be used for. Instead of a ribbon-cutting photo, how about a photo of a business person with a customer on the first day of business? The same rules that go into crafting a successful press release hold true for photos and graphics. Joseph Reriani - PR Consultant

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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 at http://www.Reriani.com. For more articles and PR tune-up tips, please visit www.PrudentPressAgency.com and www.SkyNewswire.com. Joseph Reriani is a Media Consultant 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 admin @ Reriani.com. You may freely copy and re-publish this article without altering any part in the body.

When to issue a news release

When to issue a news release

Did Ponce de Leon really discover a fountain of youth in Florida or did he merely have a great public relations man?

We will probably never know the true answer to this question just as so many questions still remain unanswered about many historic people and happenings because word of mouth has the tremendous power of creating legends of its own.

www.PrudentPressAgency.com and www.SkyNewswire.com has mounted campaigns for relatively obscure firms that have resulted in their becoming known and sought after as major entities in their respective fields of industry. Through the placement of articles in local, national and international publications, in conjunction with an advertising campaign, these firms have achieved the recognition and place within the industry that would have taken many years to achieve without a public relations promotion.

We’re frequently asked: “When should I issue a news release?” The time to do this is when you have something topical and newsworthy to say. All releases need a strong ‘hook’ – in other words, an angle that will appeal to editors and give your story a good chance of gaining coverage. So, what would be considered newsworthy?

For starters, perhaps your company is launching a new product or service? Or, you’re launching a new company from scratch? You should issue a release highlighting the benefits and applications of your particular product / service / market entrant.

If whatever you’re launching is technically innovative or it’s being marketed in an unusual or high profile way, you could have the basis of a release. In this case, make sure you don’t fill your release with unnecessary jargon or marketing-speak that could alienate editors and journalists.

Forthcoming events can provide ideal material for announcements. Are you holding any open days, speakers’ panels, rallies or debates? Charity events or donations from your organization to good causes are worth highlighting, as are initiatives that benefit the wider community. If celebrities or public figures are involved, your newsworthiness will increase. The level of interest will relate to the stature of your company and the nature of your event. If a famous chocolate factory held an open day with lots of freebies, it would be of national press interest.

Have you appointed any new members of senior staff? Won a large contract or client? Become involved in a sponsorship deal? Are you expanding or opening a new outlet? Have you received an industry award? If so, the trade press might be interested.

When you’re seeking newsworthy stories, don’t forget one of your best assets – your personnel. Have any employees been recognized for outstanding achievements? Do they have unusual hobbies? Have they received any unusual requests or orders from customers that your company has fulfilled? The local press might opt for a quirky human-interest story.

Remember to monitor current affairs for events into which you can hook. Can you associate your company with upcoming holidays or public projects? Statements that could be perceived as controversial, such as stating your organization's stance on a public issue, might gain coverage. Have you conducted research that gives you statistics you could release?

Finally, if you’re targeting different press sectors with the same story, write multiple releases rather than issuing one ‘catch all’ release. An announcement focusing on the metallurgy used to create your new range of stainless steel pans would be of interest to the trade press. However, it would not be considered overly thrilling by the national broadsheets and women’s magazines.

Tune-Up: Journalists are in continual danger of collapsing under information overload. Don't add to their problems by wasting their time with insignificant or inappropriate information. Joseph Reriani - PR Consultant

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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 at http://www.Reriani.com. For more articles and PR tune-up tips, please visit www.PrudentPressAgency.com and www.SkyNewswire.com. Joseph Reriani is a Media Consultant 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 admin @ Reriani.com. You may freely copy and re-publish this article without altering any part in the body.