Welcome to the world of Electronic
Commerce. It's amazing but true -
you can use e-mail to get publicity
with the media. Articles can enhance
your visibility, name recognition,
reputation as an expert, and
position in your industry. But there
are some tricks of the trade that
are developing in this really new
marketing technique. E-Mail PR is
not hard to learn, and the benefits
are substantial.
The Golden Rule: Target &
Personalize.
Eight years of Internet experience
is there are several essential rules
that publicists must abide by in
submitting e-mail to the media if
they are to avoid the wrath of the
recipients and maintain their
credibility and reputation as a
credible PR practitioner. Here's "10
Commandments for Sending E-Mail to
The Media":
1. Think, think, think before you
write. Ask yourself why you are
writing, and what are you trying to
accomplish by writing. Put yourself
in the position of the person
reading your message. You are a busy
media professional. What would you
do upon receiving your message?
Publish it or toss it?
2. Target narrowly and carefully. Go
for the quality contacts and not the
quantity. Don't broadcast a query or
news release or announcement
toirrelevant media. Pick out your
target media carefully, based on the
industry or readership of the
specific media you are targeting.
Study the media your are writing to.
Write the way the editors write.
Make it easy for them to use your
submittal.
3. Keep it short -- Trim your e-mail
message so that it fills one to
three screens. Keep it three to four
paragraphs tops. Don't try to sell
the media your product. Do try to
get their interest and make a
request for more information.
4. Keep the subject and content of
your message relevant to your target
-- it's got to be newsworthy and
timely. The subject should intrigue
them enough to read your message.
Present and propose problem-solving
articles which advocate the benefits
or techniques associated with a
strategy, technique, product or
service. This article is an example.
5. If you are seeking publicity for
a product or service, or want to get
reviews for a new book or software,
use a two step approach -- query
with a hook and news angle before
transmitting a news release, or an
article, or offer to send a review
copy to those who request it. Offer
free review copies. To avoid angry
replies and complaints about
unsolicited e-mail send a very brief
e-mail requesting their permission
to send them a release before
actually doing so.
6. Tailor the submittal to the media
editorial style or content. Go to a
library, read it on-line, or write
and ask for a free media kit and a
sample copy of the magazine or
journal. Study the style and content
of the media. Then write the way
they like it. Seek to develop a
longer term relationship as a
regular contributor.
7. Address each e-mail message
separately to an individual media
target. Take your time and
personalize each e-mail. Don't ever
send to multiple addresses. It's the
easiest way to get deleted without
being read.
8. Reread, reread, and reread and
re-write, re-write, re-write before
you click to send.
9. Be brutally honest with yourself,
and with your media contacts. Don't
make claims about your product or
service you can't prove.
10. Follow-up in a timely manner,
with precision writing and
professionalism.
Remember, there are real people at
the receiving end. Your success with
the media depends on your respecting
the media and being courteous, plus
your credibility, reputation and
performance.
Good luck and prosper. It is not
hard to garner news coverage if you
take your time and do a careful job.
The benefits can be phenomenal.
E-mail is a good way to make the
most of limited funds. You can work
locally, regionally, or nationally
and all you need is a computer with
an Internet connection and e-mail.
You can and should use e-mail to get
news coverage for your business, but
you shouldn't rely on e-mail alone.
When used together with conventional
PR (mail, paper, phone and fax), you
get the maximum effect. Cultivate
relationships with media by becoming
known as a valuable contributor. If
you give them what their readers
want, they give you free publicity.
Paul J. Krupin operates IMEDIAFAX
(The Internet to Media Fax Service)
at www.imediafax.com
Imediafax transmits news releases
via fax or e-mail to custom targeted
media lists. Prices start at 25
cents per fax page, 15 cents per
e-mail. Quantity discounts
available.
