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Even so, you need to remember that many media people and potential clients may not have a mental definition for such acronyms. For instance, publishing insiders can email each other about "POD initiatives," but in a press release "POD" should not only be clearly explained as "publishing on demand" but that term given a brief gloss as well. By using both
acronym and
written-out words that
letters stand for, as well as further definitions when a phrase is relatively new or specialized, you communicate clearly and set
stage for your news to be found through search engines.
Now what about specialized vocabulary - "hematoma," "habeas corpus," "chakra" and "candlestick charts"? Such phrases have precise and established meanings in certain fields, but people who don't use
terms every day may have a hazy comprehension of them. Thus, you should handle them as I recommended for acronyms. Provide a brief, unobtrusive definition in close proximity to their first use in a release.
When you do this subtly, tucking an explanation into your release, neither
in-group nor
outsiders take offense. For instance, within Eastern medicine "qi" is a standard term. You could define it discreetly as in this sentence: "Acupuncture restores balance and regulates
flow of qi,
basic life force." The last four words prevent both confusion and insult.

Marcia Yudkin is the author of the classic PR guide, Six Steps to Free Publicity, and 10 other books. You can learn more about her new special report, Powerful, Painless Online Publicity, at http://www.yudkin.com/powerpr.htm