Be reliable and make sure information you provide is accurate and complete.

2.  When they ask for information, do your best to get it even if it doesn’t promote your product or services.

3.  Be prepared with photography or get ready to photograph.

4.  Position yourself as an information source, not as a flack for the products you represent.

5.  Always be honest.  Know what you are talking about -- admit it when you don’t.

6.  Always respect deadlines – journalists live and die by these (and so do their sources).

7.  Be resourceful.  Help journalists visualize the story and give them resources they can use to make it richer, such as people to interview, studies to check into.

8.  Write good press materials for journalist to build a story.

9.  Don't waste a journalist’s time by suggesting ideas that are irrelevant to them.

10.  Don’t be a pest... only call if you have a new thought to add. 

11.  Most journalists are fair and simply have a job to do – your job is to help them accomplish theirs.

12. Review the publication, watch the newscast, and listen to the radio talk show BEFORE you pitch your story idea.

13. Always have several solid story ideas and different angles to pitch.

14. If you are not entirely familiar with the story ideas, write a “pitch script” or bullet points that will help you on the phone.

15. Know HOW your editors and producers want to be pitched, e.g. their preferences for email, telephone, snail mail, fax, etc.

16. Always check info you are sending – Make sure email attachments and Web site links all work and are accessible.

17. Whenever your spa is included in or is the focus of an article or segment, remember to send a thank you note to the reporter.

18. A good way to build the relationship is to get together with the editor/reporter/producer for lunch, drinks or dinner after the story is completed – that way they won’t feel bribed or coerced and you won’t be in a “selling” mode.

19. Take time to get to know the editor or producer as a person – find out what their interests are and, most likely, you will share some of them.

20. BE PERSISTENT – (but not pushy) that’s the way you are most likely to be successful in publicizing your spa business