Happy Monday.

We've been without email a couple of days and I feel like I am alone on an ice floe. Ok well I still have the phone but wow! Have I come to really rely on email to get the most possible work done. It brings me to some more suggestions about reaching out to the media for National Craft Month.

An editor's job is to discern what information is most relevant to her readers. At the end of the day if your pitch, no matter how great it is, does not offer my readers something they want or need, it won't go anywhere.

Over the years I have seen some great products overlooked while mediocre products get tons of press. How does that happen you wonder? Did you ever hear the quote about 90% of success is just showing up? The same applies to PR.

So I thought I'd share some dos and don'ts in the hope that when you reach out to your media whether it is newspaper, radio, tv, online- whatever it is- you will have more success.

Do get your materials in my hands- CDs with art and releases are good as are extranet sites that allow me to download photos of your product. If you can't do either of those things that's fine. Being able to turn around information and photos requested within the hour will win you that placement. Think NYC speed. When I say I need it right away, I mean can you email it to me now.

Don't stalk your editor- Like you, editors are busy people with lots and lots of meetings and deadlines. We're on the phone a lot and many of us travel. If we don't return your call within 24 hours please don't leave a nasty message.  If I am interested I will get back to you as soon as I can. This is a case when email can be your friend. You may get a faster response if you send an email.

Do send us your ideas- Are you working on something hot? Let us know in advance so we can do some research or schedule you in if we really like the idea.

Do know the media outlet's audience-For example- Scrapbook Retailer is a b to b publication for the paper crafts industry. If you are trying to pitch me a stained glass product be prepared to tell me how that relates to the scrapbook retailer.

Do make it easy- Avoid making more work in the form of follow up for the editor. If she asks for a high resolution photo, don't send a photo from your website-that won't work.

Finally, one last reminder... and this may be a tough one for my fellow control freaks. You don't get to control the message- Editors are required to get the facts right but we are going to write about something as it relates to our reader (and  as space allows).Direct quotes must be accurate, but otherwise if you must get a message across in your words- ads are the route for that.

Basically the rules of PR are the same as what your mom told you. If you want something, be nice and helpful to the person you're asking the favor  of.--Beth