Alan Caruba, PR Counselor and CEO of The Caruba Organization in Maplewood, NJ has evolved guidelines for the effective public relations use of email. Here are some of his recommendations:

1. Always "qualify" an email address by sending an inquiry asking whether the media contact wants to receive news via email. Some do. Some do not!
   
   
2. Email is particularly useful for "daybook" announcements of events. You can make it more effective by adding color.
   
   
3. Keep all email news release texts brief. Include, where possible, a direct link to a site offering more information on the topic, but also include the Internet address of the site to permit the media contact to visit it on their own without being dependent on the link.
   
   
4. Never use an attachment to provide text. Attachments are an invitation to delete the email.
   
   
5. Remember that email addresses tend to change fairly rapidly. Be prepared to continually update the group list, i.e., to delete any addresses that are no longer active and to add new ones.
   
   
6. To avoid revealing your entire (news group) list, utilize blind copy distribution.
   
   
7. Do not depend entirely on use of email for dissemination of news. Support email with fax and/or hardcopy distribution of news. Caruba’s rule: Tell’m. Tell’m what you told them. Tell’m again.
   
   
8. Do not over-use email because of its convenience. Use it primarily for breaking news.
   
   
9. Remember to provide contact phone and/or fax numbers. Insure that the client receives a copy of email so they may be prepared for inquiries.
   
   
10. Enhance your public relations program by creating a monthly "newsletter" of timely news that can be sent to your media contacts.