Just because everyone in corporate American has e-mail, that doesn't mean it is always an effective way to get your message across. Case in point is the e-mailed press release. If not done right, you're just wasting bytes.

E-mail is often the way that reporters and editors prefer to receive information. And because e-mail is everywhere, it is easy to lose site of the fact that it is simply a communications vehicle - your message still has to be laser focused and precise. You still have to consider the needs of your audience - not your company - despite the ease with which e-mail lets you deliver the information.

Remember, too, that all of your competitors are also e-mailing their press releases and story ideas, so you'll want to make sure your information is as easy as possible to evaluate and, ultimately, publish. Think of these tips as "e-mailed press release etiquette:"

• Don't include the entire press release in the body of your e-mail. It's generally accepted that you have about six seconds to capture the reader's attention in the preview pane - perhaps less if the reporter is particularly busy that day. Press releases can average five or more paragraphs. Instead, include a great headline and some teaser copy in the e-mail, and include a click-through to a hosted version on your Web site. You are publishing all of your press releases on your website, right?
   
• Don’t include attachments. A lot of corporate e-mail filtering systems discourage, and in some cases strip away, unknown attachments in e-mail messages. Make data sheets, photos and other release-related items as down-loadable links on the web page where you've published the release. Or, once you've made personal contact with the reporter or editor, send the attachments as a person-to-person e-mail, instead of as part of your general distribution.
  
• Think carefully about “from” and subject lines. These can be as important as the headline in your release. Here's a good rule to follow: Who the mail is "from" tells the person who got the mail whether or not to delete the e-mail (without opening it), and the subject line tells the recipient whether or not to open the e-mail. If someone in your company has a relationship with the media, test using that person’s name in the “from” line instead of the company name by itself, or your administrative assistant's e-mail. Microsoft Exchange will let you set up permissions for people to send e-mail as you. Write an incredible, attention getting subject line and include first name personalization if possible. Recipient first name personalization has fallen out of widespread favor in the b-to-c e-mail world, but in b-to-b, it’s still another way to catch the people's attention.