"The press release has long been the definitive way to give public witness to the testaments of your endeavors."

There are various ways to get word out about your newest site launch, sponsor program or service feature. In this world of spam-filled in boxes and dinner-killing telemarketers, there are tried-and-true, more respected methods of letting potential customers know what your business is up to.

The most familiar method is the paid advertisement. Ads come in many forms and on the Internet they usually materialize in linked banners or bits of text. Some Internet advertisements dance across a webpage and others pop up in a separate window before the surfer's eyes. Ads are for selling and everyone knows it. Advertising works but sometimes a business needs to simply inform the public of changes or new advances. Those unfamiliar with the ways of commerce or public relations would do well to become familiar with a classic public relations tool:

The Press Release

The press release has long been the definitive way to give public witness to the testaments of your endeavors. More than just publicity, the press release is your company's official statement. When Microsoft has to let the world know there's a new security hole in their swiss cheese software, they do it with a press release. When a celebrity marriage ends, there is a press release issued. When a huge corporation goes belly up, they let the world know through a press release.

The adult Internet is densely populated with folks that don't know a whit about public relations. While not everyone can afford a publicist, everyone who owns a business should understand the proper ways to release information and announcements. Everyone should know how to write a press release. Now that the world has gone cyber, everyone should also know how to write an email press release.

Since the adult Internet operates in cyberspace, this article will concern itself with showing you how to write an email press release.

Subject Line

People screen their email inbox in various ways. There's virus protection software to get rid of destructive emails and there are filters within the email program to delete emails from junk advertisers. A most common way to screen email for a user is to determine it's content from the message subject line. If you send an email with the subject line of "Read this", then how is your recipient going to know you've sent them a press release? Your subject line should let the reader know what they are receiving. An example would be: "News release from Goober Porn".

Salutary Line

This is the common line in all press/news releases. Put this at the top of your document:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Headline/Title

A summary bit of text that is interesting and descriptive should reside above your message body. The headline should tell what is contained in the news release in a short, entertaining fashion. For instance, instead of: "Goober Porn opens a new bondage website", a better headline would be: "Goober Porn submits to S&M Market".

Locale/Contact/Date Information

A news release is not the place for deception or any kind of identity concealment. You want your readers to know who you are, where you come from and when your announcement becomes active. In bold characters, right next to the first sentence of your text body should be some contact information similar to this:

SHAMROCK, Texas - February 28, 2001 (Goober Inc.) -

Press Release Text

The actual meat of your message can be as long as you choose, but keep in mind that most of those who see your release will rarely read past the first paragraph. Make sure that everything you want your reader to know is summarized within that initial paragraph. You can continue on in following paragraphs with finite details but it's best to hold your email news/press release to no longer than five or six hundred words. Just give an accurate description of the product or venture you are announcing. You can use sales text, but do not include unsubstantiated claims or extremely commercial phrasing. Use the standards of the newspaper journalist and make sure your release copy answers these questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How?

Closing Text

After you have stated your announcement, you follow it with additional contact information and closing characters. Here is where you would include a URL, email address and contact person's name. An example would look like this:

To view our new site visit:
www.goober-bondage.com

For further information, please contact:
Shelly Goober
Shelly@gooberporn.net
(800)-555-5555
2020 Goober Lane
###

Note the ### characters. These are added at the end to show the reader where the news/press release ends for publication purposes.

Press/News are an accepted and respected form of publicity. They are not to be used to sell merchandise, but they do get your name in front of your desired audience. Press releases are for announcing site openings, program changes or a model's move to a new URL. A press/news release is an excellent way to get your word out without spamming.

The more intriguing you make your news release sound, the more notoriety you'll get. The more notoriety you get, the better you'll be.