Submitting Your Press Release


Always check with the media to which you are submitting your information as to how they prefer to receive materials. There are several options:

Hardcopy:

        Print copy on paper:    Hand-delivered
                    
By USPO

        FAX:            Produces a paper copy



Electronic:

        e-mail:            Embedded text within body of e-mail

As an attachment. Always make certain the media can open attachments.


•    Most media are short-staffed, so making it as easy as possible for them to transfer your information to their format, the better.

•    Hardcopy submissions could be scanned into an optical character reading (OCR) program, but errors happen even if you use standard fonts.

•    FAX cannot be reliably scanned. Finding someone on staff to re-key your information is often a long shot.

•    E-mail is the best alternative in most instances.

•    Always use standard fonts. Times Roman or Arial work well. Two fonts specifically designed for the internet are Verdana and Georgia. All four of these fonts generally come standard on computers and systems, so can be opened with no difficulty. This applies to embedded as well as attached documents.

•    Portable document format (pdf) is another option, but text cannot easily be copied and pasted from the receiver’s side.


Tag Lines / Squibs


While all critical information should be located in the lead paragraph of a press release, you should also include a closing paragraph that details your congregation.

Some if the information from the lead paragraph can be repeated here: address, phone number, etc.

This is the opportunity to begin to relate who and what you are in a concise way to editors and reporters. As it is the same on everything you send out, they will eventually begin to understand who you are and what you are about.

A sample:


The Bide a’ Wee Church in the Glen, a congregation of the Reformed and Repentant Protevangelical Church in North America, is the third largest denomination in this region. Its central message, one of hope and love for all, underscores its involvement in community and cultural programs and ministries. The congregation worships and holds its programs in the historic Winkling Chapel, 777 West North Street, Hutsat Ralston, MP. For more information, please call 555-555-0000.

Such a paragraph should be standard on everything going out from your church.