CafePress is offering the opportunity for your press coverage to be featured on the front page of the Press Center. Press featured on this page is story based as opposed to product based and will be posted at the sole discretion of the CafePress PR team. By following the steps outlined below we will consider your press coverage for this section.

1. Fill out the Press Center Request template
2. We will review the coverage and post when possible.
3. Once a decision is reached we will contact you to let you know if we are able to post your press coverage.

If your designs or products are getting attention in the press we'd like to help steer traffic to them through the CafePress Marketplace. To do this we have designed an "In the news" portal. The products that are posted in this portal will be chosen at the sole discretion of the CafePress PR team.

1. Fill out the Press Center Request template
2. We will review your request and post your designs when possible.
3. Once a decision is reached we will contact you to let you know if we are able to post your press coverage.

As Shopkeepers communicate with the CafePress PR team through "Press Center Request" submissions, new stories of success will reveal themselves. And, as press coverage comes to the attention of our staff we will begin to see the success you're having. We will take some of these successes and write feature stories on the CafePress Blog, which will highlight the Shopkeeper story, and then investigate just how that shopkeeper went about achieving press success.

Two great things come out of this. First, shopkeepers will receive additional recognition and exposure to their successes. Second, these features will offer great examples of success and serve as an educational tool for others.

Everyone has questions and needs help when it comes to new marketing ventures; PR is no different. In an effort to be available as much as possible, the CafePress PR department is aiming to hold an open PR chat every two weeks. These chats will occasionally have specific topics, but more often than not we plan to have an open forum where Shopkeepers can ask any questions that come to mind.

Past PR Chat Transcripts can be viewed at:
http://www.cafepress.com/cp/community/chat

CafePress has an extensive list of online tutorials and tools in the CafePress Learning Center (http://www.cafepress.com/cp/learn/). You'll find information on design tips, SEO, newsletters, and PR. PR currently has sections on the following subjects:

• PR 101 - What is PR
• Newsworthiness
• The Story, the Release, and the Press Kit
• Anatomy of a Press Release
• New Product PR Template
• New Shop PR Template
• Distribution - Deadlines - Media Lists
• PR Links

New items will be added, but if there's a tool you'd like to see featured please let us know and we'll give it some thought.

With the exception of verbal information, the two most common requests from a reporter or editor are high-resolution images and product samples. We have set up a procedure that can be followed in order to have images/samples sent for inclusion in a press story. If approved, the samples will be sent at the expense of CafePress. Because programs like this are often abused we have set the following rules that will be followed, and not bent.

• Requests for images and products will be honored at the sole discretion of the CafePress PR team
• Sample products will only be sent when requested by a reporter or an editor. CafePress will send no merchandise to reporters unless interest has already been expressed and they are currently working on a story that includes that product.
• Products will be sent directly to the reporter at their place of business, no press sample orders will be shipped directly to the Shopkeeper.
• The CafePress staff will require product and image requests for stories to be submitted via online Image/Sample Request form
• CafePress will reserve the right to contact the reporter at their discretion for more information or verification
• In most cases, requests for product samples will be limited to a maximum 3 items
• If appropriate advance notice for products or images is not given CafePress will not honor the request

CafePress started the Shopkeeper PR Program in order to provide tools, links, post various useful articles, and help with exposure. We will add new material as much as possible. If you have an idea for a story, a topic you'd like to know more about, a particular link you think might help others, or a tip you're dying to share, please let us know - we love new ideas. Ideas, submissions, etc can be sent to .