GETTING PRESS RELEASES PRINTED
            
            Writing a good press release and mailing it to the right 
       people is usually the quickest and least expensive way for any 
       business to generate a lot of new customers and orders.  Yet, the 
       majority of businesses don't write or make available to magazine 
       or newspaper editors a single press release.
           
            What a lot of businesses don't realize is that many magazines 
       and newsletters depend on these press releases to fill their pages. 
       And all you have to do to get you press release printed in some 
       publications is to mail them one.
        
            We've used a lot of press releases back when we didn't have 
       enough money to buy advertising.  And we still use them today, 
       for every new product we put on the market.  Over the years 
       we've learned that when writing a press release, these are our 
       main objectives:
            
       1.  To get the press release accepted by the magazine editor and 
           printed In the publication.
            
       2.  Once printed, to get the press releases read by people who get 
           the magazine.
            
       3.  To get the desired reaction from people who read the press 
           release and are potential customers.  (We define the desired 
           action before we write the press release.)
            
            As you look at the following examples of press releases 
       (available in the book--see last chapter), notice how many of them 
       do not look like a standard press release at all.  Instead  they 
       look like articles.  And this is intentional.  We've discovered 
       that writing a press release that looks and reads like an article 
       from the magazine has a good chance of ending up as a featured 
       article in the magazine.
            
            When this happens, not only do we get lots and lots of free 
       publicity, we usually also get an author's fee for the article.  
       That's right, they run the press release/article...and pay us for 
       writing it!
            
            Here's how to go about writing a press release that will make 
       you money.
            
                 Guide to Getting a Press Release/Article Printed
            
       1.  Identify magazines and newsletters whose readers are 
           specifically Interested in the product or service your press 
           release will be about.  Avoid the general interest publications 
           that cover a wide range of subjects and target just the 
           publications that reach your potential customers.  (Look in 
           Oxbridge Directory of Newsletters and the SRDS Consumer and 
           Agri Media directory for The best places to put your press 
           release.)
            
       2.  Once you've identified a particular magazine or newsletter 
           that reaches your audience, call and get a sample copy of the 
           publication.
           
       3.  With the Sample copy of the publication in hand, look through 
           it and identify all the press releases or press release/
           articles printed in it
           
       4.  Using the sample press release or article already printed in 
           the selected publication as a guide, write your own press 
           release.  structure your press release so it closely resembles 
           ones already printed in the publication.  Include all the 
           elements found in the Printed release.  This includes photos, 
           typestyle, total length of Press release, length of headline, 
           everything.
           
       5.  Once you've written and proofread your press release, print 
           it out in a format that fits in the magazine.  This is so 
           you'll have an idea of how it'll look if the magazine accepts 
           it.  If the press release is too long or too short, fix it.  
           You want to be sure your press release/article is just right 
           for the magazine.
           
       6.  After you've done all this, print the press release on your 
           laser printer using your best paper, attach a high quality 
           black and white photo, write a short cover letter, and send 
           the press release to the editor of the publication.
           
       7.  Repeat this same process with several other publications.
            
       General Notes:
            
       1.  On all press releases (but not on articles) include the phrase, 
           'Review copies available'.  This gives the editor a chance to 
           decide to write a full review of the product.  Don't do this 
           on articles though, they should be the equivalent of a review 
           for the product anyway.
            
       2.  Always include a photo with the press release.  We go to great 
           lengths to pose the photo in a manner that is most likely to 
           appeal to potential customers.
           
       3.  Always send a press release in a 9 x 12 envelope, with a 
           cardboard insert to keep it from being bent.
            
       4.  Always call the magazine and identify the proper spelling of 
           the name of the person the press release article should be 
           sent to.
            
       5.  Always be prepared to answer questions about anything printed 
           in the press release.  The editor may call, and if the press 
           release is printed customers will call.  Always treat these 
           calls like they are the most important ones you'll ever get.  
           Because they are.
            

       GOOD LUCK!