Recently, I asked the question “Does your Apple User Group maintain a PR mailing list?” over on the Apple User Group Discussion mailing list. Here is an expanded version of the questions I asked to give User Groups a some food for thought…

If you do have a PR mailing list, who do you include on it?

• Is Chuck from the MUG Center on it?
• Sandy, the Editor of the Apple User Group Bulletin?
• The Apple User Group Resources website team?
• Your Apple Regional Liaison?
• Lynn and Fred’s User Group News Network InfoManger?
• Anthony from MacTalk.com.au?
• The editorial team at Australian Macworld?
• Are other Apple User Groups in your ‘area’ included?
• What about PC-based or Adobe Based user groups?
• Your local newspapers, community radio and TV stations?
• Local Mayor and other local councillors?
• Your local Apple Retail store?
• Your local Apple Reseller?
• Your sponsors and advertisers?
• What about your own Committee/Board of Directors? and even your own members?
• Anyone else?

What information do you send out to the PR List?

• Just an announcement about your next meeting?
• What about a teaser for the next THREE meetings?
• How often do you send them out? Weekly, Monthly, or just when you have a ‘major’ event?
• How far in advance of your meeting do you send them? The day before? A week before? Two weeks before?

How do you send your Press Releases?

• Do you send HTML based emails? Or just Plain Text?
• Do you keep an archive online of your past Press Releases on your website?

If you don’t have a PR mailing list, why don’t you?