Entrepreneurs and businesses, interest clubs and civic groups, authors and even proud parents - they all have a message they want the press to help share.

They may be interested in contributing an article or column. They may have a great story they'd like a reporter to tell. Or, they have a product or book that can help readers solve their problems.

As media outlets devoted to providing news and information to their readers, the press -- newspapers, magazines and their online counterparts -- want to help! But, too often, the people interested in getting print coverage thwart their own efforts by making simple mistakes.

Here are some things to consider before sending that email:

• Pay attention to deadlines: Newspapers are generally daily or weekly; magazines may publish weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually. Both plan their feature content ahead of time. For papers that may be from a few days to two or three weeks ahead of publication. Magazines may be working on their May issue in February. Either way, working in advance is vital. If you're hoping to time your story idea or article to coincide with a season or special event, consider when you'd like to see it published and work backward from that date. It also helps to comb the publication's website for information on deadlines and policies regarding unsolicited material.

• Read the publication: Once you understand what sort of content the publication uses, in what format and in which sections, you can tailor and target your pitch. Say you, as the owner of a children's art gallery, want to provide back-to-school tips for helping inspire creativity. You can A) Send an article full of tips to the main editor listed on the website, or B) Read a few issues of the newspaper or magazine and find out if and when it publishes a parenting page or an arts page, and who the editor is. (You can also see if it uses a question-and-answer format, bulleted tips, or longer articles.)

• Pay attention to the news: Knowing today's issues, trends and breaking news can help you make your pitch timely and current? Most publications look for a "news hook" - a way to give a piece context because it relates to something happening now. There have been lots of news features on the Mormon religion, for instance, since Mitt Romney began campaigning for the GOP presidential nomination. Romney being Mormon gives publications a reason to write about that religion. He's a great news hook. Does your business offer solutions for people to help beat the recession? If it's in the news and you can speak to it, don't hesitate to get your pitch together and send it off today.

• Be concise: Often, a few sentences describing your story angle and how it relates to a timely topic is enough. Avoid burying the important information in a long narrative or in glowing paragraphs about how wonderful your idea, product, book or company is. Instead, present the information in a way that respects your contact's time. Brief is best.

• Make the important information easy to find: If editors have to search for dates, your contact information, or local relevance, they may give up - even if they're initially interested in your pitch. Think of the information you would need if you were considering writing a story or publishing what has been provided. The vital information should be present and clearly visible.

Even if you don't make these common mistakes, catching the interest of an editor can be difficult. Remember to paste your pitch into the body of your email - don't send it as an attachment, which may get it flagged as junk mail. Follow up with a polite phone call ("Just wanted to make sure you received my email regarding an article I can write for you"). Getting print coverage is possible, so don't give up!

About Marsha Friedman

Marsha Friedman is a 22-year veteran of the public relations industry. She is the CEO of EMSI Public Relations (www.emsincorporated.com), a national firm that provides PR strategy and publicity services to corporations, entertainers, authors and professional firms. Marsha is the author of Celebritize Yourself: The 3-Step Method to Increase Your Visibility and Explode Your Business and she can also be heard weekly on her Blog Talk Radio Show, EMSI's PR Insider every Thursday at 3:00 PM EST.

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa is looking into the enforcement of federal regulations that are meant to protect consumers from financial fraud but might be penalizing bank employees for old, minor infractions that are not a threat to current financial consumers.  The Des Moines Register reported that Wells Fargo has fired workers including a 68-year-old customer service representative in Des Moines for putting a cardboard dime in a washing machine 49 years ago.  Grassley's staff has had an initial conversation with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the agency that promulgated the rule, to learn more.  His staff has asked the agency for a briefing to cover the topic in more depth, especially regarding allegations that banks including Wells Fargo are seeking waivers from the regulation for executives but simply firing low-level employees rather than pursue waivers for them.  Grassley also wants to know whether the firing of individuals for minor infractions, such as the washing machine incident, was an unintended consequence of the rules.  Grassley's staff also contacted Wells Fargo for a briefing on how the bank is implementing the rules.

Sen. Grassley comment:

There was a time when specialty underwear was the domain of women. Not anymore!

"It used to be that the old standby, 'tighty-whities,' was a man's all-purpose underwear. They were worn with business attire, sweat pants for tooling about the house or shorts while playing a pick-up basketball game, but they weren't ideal for each function," says Darnell Jones, a sports-playing business professional and creator of TUKZ Undergarments, (www.TUKZ.com).

"Now, a man's underwear says something about who he is, whether it's a serious businessman, an athletic weekend warrior or a romantic. Let's be honest - your grandfather's underwear probably didn't look the coolest, and it certainly didn't say much about him."

Manufacturers are responding to men's desire for products, including underwear, that cater to his lifestyle with style and functionality, Jones says.

He points to these hot new undies:

• Saxx: This brand debuted in 2006 as a very specific kind of athletic undergarment for men. The apparel features comfortable side panels, which create a hammock-like effect for genitalia. No more chafing!

• SPANX for men: The underwear famous for shaping women, including Oprah Winfrey and Gwyneth Paltrow, released its men's version in 2010. Recognizing a burgeoning market for guys who want a GQ look, SPANX offers men the same comfortable firming and smoothing as women get.

• TUKZ: Like many of today's specialty underwear, TUKZ features a 3-D pouch for comfort and an enhanced profile. But the primary defining innovation is how the underwear improves business attire, Jones says. The underwear is equipped with four elastic straps and clips to neatly secure tucked shirts for a crisp, professional appearance all day. "The idea came to me organically - by necessity," Jones says. "I got so sick of having to tuck my shirt back in after sitting and standing dozens of times a day at the office." When men let their tucked shirts flare, it makes their midsection look thicker, he says.

• $100-dollar underwear, various brands: Yep, it's happened!
Brands like Calvin Klein, featuring the "Frigo," are capitalizing on men's desire to be just as sexy as the women in their lives - or almost. Consumers are routinely paying more than $50 for sexy men's underwear at retail stores in malls nationwide.

"Whether you want a clean silhouette at work or safety and comfort when you're on the athletic fields, you can choose the proper undergarment for the purpose," Jones says.

"We've come a long way, baby!"

About Darnell Jones

Darnell Jones is the founder and president of TUKZ Undergarments, LLC, specializing in a unique functionality that prevents shirts from becoming un-tucked. He earned his bachelor's in health with an emphasis in management at Mesa State College in Grand Junction, Colo. Jones' vision is for TUKZ Underwear to reside in every household to improve appearance and build confidence in men and women of all ages. He currently serves as an investor and a Region Manager for Olive Medical Corp.