6)    Facts (not opinions)
Unless you are specifically aiming for an opinion piece, opinion just won't cut it. News stories must be backed up by facts: If you're shouting about how much your business can help the local economy then use a quote to back it up. If you're telling the world how 'green' your product is then get some figures about carbon footprints. It all helps to give your business, you and your story more credibility.

7)    Contact details
Every press release should have relevant contact details on. Make sure it's a direct line or your mobile number, if a journalist has to go through a receptionist and a long line of questions they'll give up! The details you put on the release won't actually be published, it's purely so a journalist can get in touch with you.

8)    Availability
It's no good providing direct contact details if you're off on your holidays the next day! Make sure whoever the contact ...

1)    News content – the 'human' angle
The story your press release focuses on must be newsworthy. Loads of people ask us what makes a 'newsworthy' story and the key thing is a 'human' angle. 'What the **** is that?' I hear you cry! It means it needs to be interesting to Joe Bloggs round the corner or the intern at your competitors.

2)    Relevance
Your story has to be relevant to the audience you're targeting. You may want to start selling your product to people outside of your local area, but that doesn't mean your press release is relevant to the people in that area! When it comes to local press especially, it has to appeal to people in that area, affect them or be about the area, if it's not, it just won't get published.

3)    Timing
Timing is key when it comes to press release distribution. There are a few factors to consider with regards to time. If...

The news today has been a very mixed bag, but one story that caught my attention was the list of the richest football clubs in Europe.

Last month, with slightly less exposure, the list of the top 50 highest earning football players was released. It really makes me wonder...why on earth do they earn so much!?

Why is the amount of money the clubs, and footballers themselves, have celebrated in this way? Is it not something to be ashamed of? Embarrassed even? Some people save lives on a daily basis and don't even get paid 25% of what these blokes who kick a ball around a field do.

It wouldn't be SO bad if they were good for anything else, but they are hardy role models – as recent press has proven! (JT is in the top 10 and Ashley Cole comes in at 33.) Unfortunately though the positive PR that constantly surrounds the astronomical wages achieved by footballers makes them a role model for different reasons. What kid wouldn't want to be mega rich, whil...

Think carefully before you jump on the media exposure ride.

Over the weekend and the beginning of the week the UK media lens was focused on just one man, Gordon Brown. In what was an awful few days for him, in terms of PR and no doubt personally, another reputation was put on the line by a company not thinking before taking advantage of a PR opportunity.

The National Bullying Helpline caused a storm when one of its co-founders went on record to say they had been contacted by MPs concerned about Gordon Brown.

The helpline, run by a husband and wife in Swindon, has seen a host of well-known patrons resign and is also facing an investigation from the Charity Commission.

Personally I think the helpline was right to grab the PR opportunity with both hands, it's imperative for charities to gain exposure and often it's very expensive. However there is a lot to be said for how they went about it.

The helpline should have come at the story from an advisory poi...