How should we go about collating all the information and facts surrounding a particular event? A simple rule of thumb is to find answers to questions pertaining to who, what, when, where, why or 5 W's of the event. And we do not stop at just the absolute facts and figures. These must be presented in the right perspective relative to some industry norms, trends and statistics. You may have to undertake some research by going through past industry and newspaper's reports.

The next step is to evaluate and prioritize the facts according to their relative importance in conveying your intended message to the media. The most important fact will form the basis for your story's angle.

Relate Message to Readers

What you want to say about your product or service may not be the same as what your readers want to know. What this means is that you and your readers may look at the same event from totally different perspectives.

To kindle your readers' interest, you must present your intended message from their perspective. If you have done a good job in understanding your readers, you should have no problem in empathizing with their view and interest.

Remember that practice makes perfect and the best way to learn how to write an effective press release is to observe how business news are reported in the business section of your newspapers.

10.2 Press Release Distribution

Press releases should be distributed to various publications. Smaller companies should start local and small. Here are some distribution tips:

• Local and/or small media are most likely to be interested in your story and it's the perfect way to hone your release writing skills. Try local newspapers, trade journals, industry specific magazines, websites, radio shows, and television shows. Don't send your release to just anyone, or you could be accused of spamming.

• Always remember to get specific contact information for your press release. A release address to a particular person will receive a lot more attention than a general release sent to the media outlet.
  
• Familiarize yourself with the editor or reporter's work. Find out the method she prefers to receive press releases. Don't automatically send them by email because some will prefer mail or fax. Find out their deadlines.
  
• If you are sending your release by email, never send an attachment. Copy and paste your release into the body of the email. Never send a bulk email. Address emails individually
  
• For your local media, check the publication or their website for information on how to submit a release. Do a search on popular search engines for websites in your industry that might just be interested in running your story. MediaPost (www.mediapost.com), which is an extensive directory for US media, may be a good place to submit press releases.
  
• Submit your site to a few online newswires and news websites. There are a number of sites that require payment. However, there are a few good free websites as well. Some of these are www.prweb.com, www.free-press-release.com, www.usanews.net and so on.
  
• If your budget permits, you may contact a good Press release agency. Such agencies distribute your press release to various industry specific websites and publications for a fee. However, care should be taken while selecting a PR agency. Some of these may just spam instead of targeting various sources.

10.3 When should you distribute Press Releases?