A press release is a powerful way of taking your news to the media, your industry or the general public. It provides an ideal forum to communicate an event, your success, or a story to the media.
To ensure that your press release meets the required criteria and gets maximum exposure, there are some important do's and don'ts that you should bear in mind.

Don'ts
Don't use press releases as a way to sell anything. A press release should have something newsworthy for the public. It should address specific issues in the public domain. It should be interesting and relevant.
Don't repeat something you have already covered earlier in the press release even at the cost of stressing on a point.
Don't use jargon and acronyms specific to your industry. Make the information easily understandable by the general public.
Don't send a lengthy press release in excess of 600 words.
Don't use colorful language with too many adjectives. Avoid the fluff if you can.

Do's
Do focus on the top benefit or value of the event, product or service and build the rest of the write-up around it.
Do start with a catchy headline. Limit the headline to 50-70 characters and keep it formal in title case.
Do try to tell a compelling story. Your press release should have real emotion and involvement of real world scenarios.
Do write in a simple and engaging tone. Keep your sentences short and punchy.
Do address the public directly, trying to solve some of their problems.
Do cite the sources. It is important that you provide the citations of the data or statistics collected from an outside source.
Do mention the date and location. Start the first paragraph with your city, state and date followed by a dash.
Do provide a media contact complete with email addresses and phone numbers for ease of communication with the media.
Do write in third person.
Do make it search engine friendly by adding keywords at appropriate places.
Do proof read your press release for grammar, spellings and punctuation.

Traveling to exotic and culturally amalgamated India, can be an exciting experience if one does some proper planning and, of course, there are some basic do's and don'ts that could come in very handy as well. Let us look at some very important do's and don'ts while you are still deciding on that travel itinerary.

Don't discuss religion, especially Muslim. Muslims, who form 11% of Indian population, are more likely to get provoked by comments of ridicule towards their society or religion. Hindus are dominant and equally averse to western influence, and often openly resentful of any criticism.

Don't purchase air, rail or bus tickets through unauthorized agents or operators. Make use of tourist assistance desk wherever possible.

Don't try to venture out on your own on roads or drive on Indian roads unless you are familiar with the place and people.

Don't accept food from fellow travelers while traveling by a bus or train. It is possible that the food could be drugged.

Don't offer a handshake to a adult female, especially in the northern parts of India. For a man to shake hands with a grown up girl is considered a taboo in many parts of India.

Don't buy food from roadside vendors and stalls. Chances are, you will fall ill, mainly because you are not accustomed to such food.

Don't travel to the north-east since it is prone to attacks and abductions from terrorist elements.

Don't allow people to dupe you. You have to be especially careful when dealing with auto rickshaw drivers, street vendors and antique dealers. Bargain or ask a local acquaintance or a guide to accompany you on your shopping outings.

Don't wear clothes that are revealing and skin hugging, especially in rural areas. Covering your legs and shoulders is a must when you are visiting a temple or a mosque.

Don't display affection in public. Hugging and kissing at a public place is best avoided as it may invite unnecessary attention.

Do take off your shoes or footwear before entering a temple or mosque or even a house. Most Indians leave their footwear at their doorstep before entering their homes.

Do try different kinds of cuisine. Every culture and community has its own special cuisine, so try to indulge in the varied food choices. You will be pleasantly surprised at the sheer variety of dishes.

Do insist on mineral water wherever you choose to dine. Drinking water is a bit of a concern, so it is always good to carry or buy bottled water wherever you go.

Do speak English a bit slowly and clearly. Most of the urban population is well versed in English, but may sometimes find it difficult to pick up your accent.

Do ask people for help. Indians are, generally, a courteous and hospitable lot and will take pleasure in doing their bit to make you comfortable in their country.

Do split your money and keep it in different pockets. It is advisable to have yourself covered with a travel insurance for theft or loss of that nature.

Do carry proper maps of places you wish to visit.
 
Do avoid traveling to deserted places at odd hours, especially if you are a woman.

Do insist on an encashment certificate  every time you exchange money.

Do wear conservative clothes when participating in a social occasion or a get together.  

Do take your time to check out of a hotel and pay only after thoroughly verifying the details of bills etc.

Do use your right hand if you are taking or giving anything, be it something as important as money or just a simple business card.

Do be polite with the locals, and try to mingle in with the crowd.  

India has a plenty to offer by way of exotic locales and historic places of interest. You can make your trip a memorable one if you use your own intuition and stick to these do's and don'ts discussed here. The key is to have a fun seeking attitude and loads of common sense.

Don't over-tweet. Tweet keeping in mind the quality rather than the quantity.

Don't follow too many people at a particular time

Don't follow and unfollow people in succession. Do this, leaving a time gap of a few days in between each follow and unfollow.

Don't send self promotional or spam material in your tweets. You will most likely get blocked by your followers.

Don't automate sending direct messages to your followers. Use automation to help you with your tasks on Twitter.

Don't use corporate or technical jargon unless you are addressing audience that are comfortable with it.


Do tweet every day

Do tweet for some fun and never be too serious about what you want to tweet

Do put your name on your tweets. Anonymous tweets will not be taken seriously by anybody

Do create a bio that stands out and which briefly talks about your personality.

Do re-tweet tweets worth sharing

Do mix humor in your tweets. Humor helps you drive your point home with greater ease than you would otherwise.

Do use TweetDeck to group and list your tweets appropriately. Use group names such as must-reads, friends, etc.

Do acknowledge your new followers by sending direct messages.

Don't mix your personal and business or official life on Facebook. Writing on a client's wall or befriending a colleague or boss for official activities is definitely so out of sync on a social-networking site.

Don't send friend requests to strangers or people you knew only for a few days. Getting your friends list to swell may make you appear cool among your peers, but will only leave you confused and, sometimes, at danger of letting a stranger come too close too soon.

Don't send a friend request to fix a broken friendship. Certain things that are better done in person, in the offline space. Sending a request to someone you knew never liked you or in an attempt to make amends or reconcile is not advisable.

Don't overuse the 'what's on your mind' option by sharing your thoughts on the everyday mundane stuff. Not everybody would like to know that you spent the last something hours stuck in the traffic.

Don't message or comment to settle old scores with a friend. You will probably find yourself alienated and fending for yourself.

Don't vent your anger about your work. The probability that one of your superiors finds out is not very slim.

Don't comment on everything posted to score a point among peers.


Do use messages to convey intimate feelings or personal problems among select few or with the special one instead of posting on the wall. It is not a good idea to wash dirty linen in public.

Do exercise prudence when posting on wall. Not everything you say will be interpreted in the rightful sense by all.

Do reply to comments on your posts as and when necessary.

Do take responsibility for your actions. If you have rubbed somebody the wrong way, maybe in a subtle way, but regret it later, admit it and apologize.

Do use your real name and updated picture. Being honest with your friends more importantly means you are honest to yourself. It also makes it easy for your old friends to trace you with your real name.

Don't skip meals

Don't overeat

Don't consume fried and oily food

Don't use salt more than is necessary

Don't smoke or consume alcohol

Don't eat red meat



Do eat food promptly with up to three proper meals a day

Do chew your food well before swallowing

Do drink lots of water

Do get 6-8 hours of sleep every night

Do check your blood sugar regularly

Do eat fish like salmon, sardines and herring twice a week

Don't give the impression you are only interested in salary

Don't make negative comments about your previous employer/employers or educational institution

Don't make excuses for your failures; take responsibility for your decisions

Don't show casual and job shopping approach

Don't give geographical location as a reason for taking up or leaving a job

Don't act as though you are desperate for a job or employment

Don't chew gum or smoke or even accept an offer to smoke

Don't attend a call or text message on your cell phone

Don't take a friend, your spouse, a pet, or anybody else to the interview



Do dress appropriately and groom yourself impeccably

Do know the exact time and place of the interview and reach there well before time

Do offer a firm handshake and keep eye contact and a friendly smile

Do sit still and avoid slouching 

Do keep your hands on the table or desk where it is visible to the interviewer

Do give examples to back up your answers whenever necessary

Do research the employer and ask intelligent questions when given an opportunity

Do display positive attitude

Do switch off your cell phone before the interview

Do offer a firm handshake maintaining eye contact and depart gracefully

Don't turn on the gas in your kitchen; there might be leakages

Don't light a match until you are certain there are no gas leakages

Don't go near windows and doors

Don't stop your car under or over bridges, overpasses or underpasses, if you happen to be driving

Don't take an elevator




Do stay indoors and wait for the shaking to stop

Do move to a nearby safe place or take cover under a table or desk

Do hold on to a piece of heavy furniture for support

Do stand against an inside wall

Do find a safe spot away from power lines and building if you are outdoors

Do slow down your car and drive to a safe place nearby and then turn off ignition

Pregnancy puts expectant mothers in a lot of stress, especially if it is their first time. During pregnancy,  a woman's body undergoes a considerable amount of change. Worrying about the kind of diet or exercise you should or should not indulge in and being anxious about the baby's growth are something that occupies your thoughts. There are certain things you need to give heed to, to make sure you are taking good care of the yet to be born. 
 
Don't eat uncooked or under-cooked meat and egg. Uncooked or under-cooked food can result in digestive disorders and is best avoided during pregnancy.

Don't eat mercury-rich fish like shark, tuna, swordfish, tilefish, mackerel. Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, which helps in the development of brain and eyes of the baby. It is, therefore, not prudent to avoid fish altogether. Make sure you avoid fish that is rich in mercury which can have an adverse affect on the baby's growth.

Don't  do excessive or vigorous exercise and physical activities. Exercising in moderation is good and prevent the onset of gestational diabetes, backache, bloating and helps you sleep better. However, doing vigorous exercise with an intention of losing weight can be harmful for you as well as the baby.

Don't take alcoholic drinks including wine. Alcohol can cause growth deficiencies and learning disorders. 

Don't take sauna or hot baths. The heat raises body temperature, and thereby reducing blood pressure.  Owing to this, the blood supply to the baby may get affected and hence the baby's growth.

A first date is is one of those moments in your life that you do not want to miss out on. The first impressions are important in getting the right response from your partner. You will have to act your best in order to create an impression. With all the nervousness, fear and expectations in the air, it becomes all the more difficult. To make things easier for you, here are some do's and don'ts to keep in mind in preparation for that moment.

Don't pretend to be someone you are not. Be the best you can be and see that you do not get carried away and end up sounding like a snob.

Don't get drunk. This is probably the worst thing to do on a first date. If your date comprises of drinks, it is better to keep it within limits.

Don't be late. Being late can be annoying and can set a bad precedent to the rest of the proceedings. It also tells about your personality and the respect you have for others in general.


Don't dress shabbily. You could ruin the whole evening if you are in the wrong attire. It is a straight put off and leaves you with less room for you to be a convincing date.



Do maintain eye contact while conversing. Making eye contact lets the other person know that you are listening and are genuinely interested in what is being spoken.

Do smile when you greet and laugh at jokes. When you smile and laugh, you make it easier on the other person to open up and speak freely.

Do choose a public area to meet. When you have people around you, to find a fresh topic to converse on after a lull in conversation will not be too tough. You will also feel much safer around people, since this is your first date and you know very little about your partner.

Do listen attentively and speak clearly. Try and make only genuine comments and give compliments whenever you feel it is due.

Do make your date feel comfortable. Do not try and get too close on your very first date. People appreciate their own personal space and they will only open up when you have met and understood each other enough.