The Ultimate PR Edge: Getting Reporters To Open Your E-Mails
by Bill Stoller

Youknow that getting publicity is vital to the health of your
business.  You probably also know that e-mail is the way most
publicity seekers get in touch with reporters to score that
precious coverage.  Heres what you dont know:  The vast
majority of e-mails sent to journalists never get read.

Bottom line:  if your e-mails dont get read, youhave no shot at
getting the publicity you so desperately need.

Here's how to beat the odds:

Avoiding the Sp*am Trap

To an email filter, your humble e-mail pitch may appear to contain
an array of trigger words and suspicious phrases.  A server that
relayed your message may be on a  blacklist - a"do not open"
list of known sp*ammers.  Or perhaps the filters having a tough
day and has decided to start blocking things arbitrarily.  You
cant prevent every instance of filter blocking, butyou can take
some steps to help lessen the chances of your e-mail ending up in
a black hole.

The most important step is learning how email filters think, and
creating e-mails that avoid the usual pitfalls.  Fortunately,
youll find that -- once you can do this -- many spamtriggers
are easily avoided.

Rather than taking up space here with all the how-tos,allow me
to simply direct you a terrific site on the subject:
http://www.wordbiz.com/avoidspamfilters.html

Getting Your E-Mail Opened & Read

After beating the email filter, next up is getting your e-mail
opened and read.  The key:  the subject line.  No matter how on-
the-money your pitch, a subpar subject line will killany chance
of getting the reporters attention.  Youve gotone shot at
getting your e-mail opened, make the most of it with akiller
subject line.

Heres how to do it: 1) Place the word"News" or "Press Info" or
"Story Idea" at the beginning of your e-mail subject line, in
brackets e.g.:   [Story Idea]:

2) Try to incorporate the reporter's first name also at the
beginning of the subject line.

3) If you know the name of the reporter's column, for instance
"Cooking with Linda", also try to incorporate that.   One more
thing -- if the reporter doesnt write a regularcolumn, try to
at least include their beat (e.g. Joe, re: your future pieces on
the wi-fi industry).

With these three tips in mind, a successful e-mail subject line
might read:

[Story Idea]: Linda, Here's a Tip for Your "Cooking with Linda"
Column

Thats a heading that will stand head and shouldersabove the
rest.

Here are a few more e-mail dos and don'ts: Do:

* Make the information you place in the subject line short and
to the point. Often, reporter's e-mail software cuts off the
subject at only a few words.

* Dont get cute or be toovague in your subject line.  For
example "Heres a Great Story!" is vague andsounds like spam;
"This Will Win You A Pulitzer!" will makeyou look silly (unless
youre delivering the scoop of the century, ofcourse!).

* Try to make your most newsworthy points at the top of your e-
mail message - don't expect a reporter to scroll down to find the
news.

* Include your contact information, including cell phone, e-mail
address, regular address, fax number & website URL at the
beginning and end of the e-mail.

* Include a link to your website if you have additional
information such as: photos, press releases, bios, surveys, etc.

Dont:

* Include more than a short pitch letter or press release in the
body of your e-mail.

* Allow typos or grammatical errors.

* Include an attachment with your e-mail.  In this day and age of
sinister viruses, reporters automatically delete e-mail with
attachments.

* Place the following words (by themselves) in the subject line:
"Hi", "Hello" -  the media'sspam filters will pounce and
destroy.

* Send an e-mail with a blank subject line.

A cool tip:  Use Google News (www.news.google.com) to search for
recent stories that have appeared relating to your industry or
field of interest.  Then, e-mail the reporterdirectly (use a
subject line such as Re: Your July 5th piece on electric cars).
Give positive feedback on the story and let him know that, next
time hes working an electric car story, he should getin touch,
as youre an expert with provocative things tosay.  Give a
couple of supporting facts to back up the assertion, include your
phone number and web link, and ask if hed like to seea full
press kit.  This technique really works!


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About The Author:

Bill Stoller, the "Publicity Insider", hasspent two decades as
one of America'stop publicists.  Now, through his website, eZine
and subscription newsletter, Free Publicity: The Newsletter for
PR-Hungry Businesses http://www.PublicityInsider.com/freepub.asp
, he's sharing -- for the very first time -- his secrets of
scoring big publicity.  For free articles, killer publicity tips
and much, much more, visit Bill's exclusive new site:
http://www.publicityInsider.com