Powerful press releases are the way to get the word out about your pet products, services and sites. And not just any press release will do, but rather those that follow the preferred formatting of media editors. Here are some pointers to help you get the most coverage you can, listing important info needed in your press release from top to bottom:

1) If you have a logo or small image, you can place this at the top, center of your page

2) In the top right, write: "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" all in upper case

3) In the top left, write: your contact information, similar to this:

Contact: Jack Hubburd

Cell Phone: (XXX) XXX-XXXX

Email: YourEmail

4) Catchy Title: Grab Attention Focusing on a Main Point. For help here, read press releases on top news sites (not free press releases sites where they are submitted by anyone and everyone. Head to CNN.com or other top news agency, for example, and read their top storylines of the day.

5) City, State - This allows the editor to know the region or other slant immediately.

6) Opening paragraph -Lead with your most important point and cover all the basics of who, what, when, where,, why, how - to pull in readers.

7) Develop the body of your press release. Make it flow and be eye-catching, adding sub-headings and bullets where you can to break up dull, drab reading. And include at least one quote from a reliable source.

For example, if you are writing about pet tags and why every pet should have one, you might list a bullet point of reasons, plus even quote someone from the local Humane Society chapter discussing the number of lost pets that come in there without pet tags. Include an anecdote or story here in the body, don't try to sell your products or services.

8) Free Offer and Contact info in last paragraph - Give your readers - and publishers - something to take away. Offer a free report, trial offer or something to entire a) publishers to include your press release info in their publications, online and off and b) to entice readers to "do" something, to take positive action towards learning more and interacting with you. Then include a final line about, "For more information, contact: company name, business address, city, state, country. Call: XXX; fax: XXX; email: XXX and visit online at: URL. You want people to be able to trust you and reach out, online and off.

Be specific here; for example, with your pet store, you might say:

100% Guarantee & Free Shipping

Find out that OhMyDogSupplies.com means business with their 100% guarantee: should you find any of their pet products in local pet mega-stores, you'll get your money back + $100. Plus for a limited time, order online and get free shipping on all dog beds . For more information, contact OhMyDogSupplies at 90 South Spruce Ave. Suite S,

South San Francisco, CA 94080-4555. Call: 888-269-7516, open 24/7, 365 days a year.

9) Tips of the Press Trade:

- Do make your press release sound like news, not like an ad.

- Do only send your press release to targeted media in related industries, not to every editor on the planet.

- Do keep your press release one page in length. You may offer a link or other reference to more info in your last paragraph.

• Do write mostly short sentences, with only a few long ones. Plus double space your lines.

• Do proof your release before submission.

10) Ideas for Press Release Topics

Need ideas on what to write about? Announce:

a) New locations, if your business is moving, for example

b) New products / services

c) Results of a poll or survey you have completed or read about that relates to your business (and reference the source of the data).

d) Workshops, classes, seminars, trade shows, etc. that you are going to participate in or host.

e) New joint ventures, employees, awards, association news, contest, fundraiser, sponsors, etc.