Razzle, dazzle, sparkle, and shine. Isn't this how we think all those stars get to Oscars in first place? However, it's less glitter, and more planning that creates reality. First comes dream, then work, then usually a host of disappointments to test resolve, then a series of small successes, and then....publicity. It is a fairly predictable road, but often as business people we forget to plan our own personal Oscar's night.

We also miss key ingredient - publicity. Marketing is what gets you in front of your target market to make sale. Publicity is spotlight that shines on you and solidifies you with mass appeal as popular expert in your field. You drive marketing to your buyers. Publicity drives masses of buyers to you.

When your focus has been marketing it's a little tricky to change your paradigm to publicity. However, important difference between marketing and publicity is your target audience. You are no longer pitching to buyers of your product or service, now your audience is media. This means editors and producers. These important people are looking for one thing, story. A unique story. Something inspirational, motivational, newsworthy, or educational. Period. Nothing else will do.

The editors quoted here work at top 100 papers and some of highest visibility media in United States. Their answers prove that there is no magic formula: getting press coverage for a company is not an easy feat.

Just The Facts M'am One overwhelming rule emerged. Be brief when you pitch a story. Stick to facts, get them into who, what, where, when and "why should I care" format. "If it's more than ½ a page it won't even get skimmed," says Charlie Crumpley, Business Editor of The Daily Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, OK. "I don't mind going to a web site for full information, if I'm interested."

"Just bare bones," said Jerry Underwood, Business Editor of The Birmingham Times, Birmingham, AL. "And I prefer to be contacted before a general press release goes out to everyone." Jennifer Couzin, reporter for The Industry Standard says to keep initial information to "two or three paragraphs in a quick email."

Says Leslie Eaton, Economics Reporter, The New York Times, "Send a quick email first. If it involves a serious study I want to see whole thing."

TIP: Keep your initial contact or release to 200 words or less. Make sure you cover who, what, when, where and why and give at least two names as contacts. If an editor wants to do story, they will ask for more information.

Be Reachable! Don't use superlatives. The more you use least likely you are to be trusted. Journalists are trained to check when you say your mother's name is Susan Jones. If you say you are first or only, you'd better have a patent or some other proof to back up your claim.

One often-cited annoyance was that contact people were not available to reporters and editors on deadline. "At least give me one alternative person to contact," says Danny Sandy, Business reporter for The Fresno Bee, Fresno, CA. "Many times we get a release with a name and number and then find out that person is out of town for week and can't be reached."

Don't Send Email Attachments If you send your pitch or release by email, make it plain text with no attachments. David Joachim, Senior Managing Editor at Internet Week says "We have a policy against opening attachments. I would never risk it." As Crumpley notes, "Email can be lethal." A virus could put a writer out of commission.