It's a fact that nobody knows your products or your company as well as you do. So why not do your own PR? Provided you can make the time, you'll have complete control and gain huge satisfaction. Remember PRs aren't just in it for the money - PR is enormous fun! Here are some tips:

• Identify those publications your customers and potential customers read.
• Produce a list of those media you wish to appear in and familiarise yourself with the kind of news and features they carry.
• Set up a database of the publications you wish to target, with the names of the News, Features, etc editors and the News and Features deadlines.
• Present your business, product or service to fit into each publication's regular slots, such as News, News Analysis, Case Study, Product Review or Company Profile.
• With News, write your press release with the most important information coming first, remembering that the news journalist will cut from the bottom to make a story fit the available space. Keep your sentences short, avoid superlatives and include a quote, one from you and another from a happy customer or other informed third party. Create a clear, short headline. Include a relevant image.
• Send out a copy of the release just before each publication's news deadline. Ring up the News team to ask if they have received the release. If they can't find it send it again. Telephone once more, and ask the News Editor if he thinks he can use it. You're aiming for commitment now...
  
  And once you've got the hang of News, move on to Features...