Page 257 - Duct Tape Marketing

241Chapter 15: Public Relations and Publicity
ߜ Your industry publications: Make a list and then find out the names of
the writers who cover the kind of news you generate and include them
on your news release distribution list. Begin by looking at the magazine’s
masthead, which is the editorial staff listing that’s normally listed on one
of the early pages of each issue.
Preparing and submitting artwork digitally
Increasingly, newspapers emphasize art in their
page designs. They need good images to
accompany stories, which presents a great
opportunity for businesses that submit photos
or graphics in easily usable formats.
Follow these steps as you make digital art sub-
missions:
ߜ Start with a clear, well-exposed image that
has good composition, good focus, and
interesting subject matter.
ߜ Submit an image that is at least the size you
hope it is going to run in the paper or, better
yet, the size the editor has requested. Most
newspaper columns are approximately
2 inches wide, so if the photo is to run
2 columns wide, for instance, you’d want to
submit an image that has a width of at least
4 inches.
ߜ Prepare your photo or art for adequate dig-
ital resolution before sending. Nearly any
paper can use your image if it is submitted
at a resolution of 250–300 PPI, which means
pixels per inch. (You’ll also hear the term
DPI, which means dots per inch.)
ߜ Obtain permission to submit artwork before
attaching your file to an e-mail message.
When writing the e-mail, type your caption
into the subject line (for example, Photo:
Small Business Marketing For Dummies
book cover). In the message box, type your
cutline, which is a detailed description of
the photo or artwork. If your photo includes
people, include in the cutline the complete
names of all people who are recognizable.
(Keep in mind that photos featuring groups
of more than four are rarely used.) Close
your e-mail with your name and contact
information.
ߜ Most papers can receive your image if you
compress and send it in JPEG format. Even
compressed, however, the file may exceed
the size allowed by your e-mail provider.
Check your system capacity before send-
ing. If it is inadequate, locate a different
system or burn the file to a disk and send it
by overnight delivery.
ߜ Transmit your image in RGB (Red, Green,
Blue) color format if possible. Most images
originate in RGB; it is the most common color
mode for viewing digital images on-screen
and the default setting in photo software.
ߜ If you are submitting a digital photo, change
the filename designated by the camera
(which is probably something like DSCN0015.
JPG) before submitting. Do this by bringing
the image up on your computer monitor and
using the Rename file function to change
the filename from the default to your photo
caption.
ߜ One last step: Be patient. Your image may
not be used this time, but if you are a good,
reliable source, in time your efforts will pay
off. Keep at it!