When doing business in Japan, it is customary to present your business card formally, using two hands and facing your colleague.

In China, always present a small gift from your hometown or country.

When working with people from other countries and backgrounds, most business people are aware of different cultural norms, and we adjust our behavior accordingly.

It’s the polite and respectful thing to do.

The same holds true for PR professionals dealing with the news media.  Journalists have their own norms, standards and language.  They write in Associated Press (AP) Style, so good PR people do, too.

BDN Aerospace Marketing follows AP Style for all press releases out of respect to the editors and journalists we are asking to consider our news. We want them to recognize and respect us for knowing and following their guidelines.  Plus, following AP Style means editors can use more of our news release verbatim and make it more likely they will pick up our stories.

Sometimes our use of AP Style creates questions and confusion with our clients. They notice details that are inconsistent with typical business writing, things like having some job titles in lowercase and others in uppercase, or writing datelines in a way that isn’t consistent with U.S. Post Office nomenclature.

Want to know if 3-D is hyphenated or if aviator can be used to describe a man or woman? The AP Stylebook has the answer. At more than 500 pages, it may make a non-journalist’s head spin, but anyone involved in PR should buy a book, study, and refer to it often.

The AP Stylebook is constantly evolving, but remains the definitive resource for writers. It’s a great way to maintain professionalism and a standard style in your organization, and is a good quick reference for basic rules of grammar, punctuation and usage.

It’s available in print, online or via an app for smartphones: www.apstylebook.com

Order yours today, and don’t send out another release until you know the difference between a date line and a dateline. It’s the polite and respectful thing to do.

For a comprehensive “Go-To Guide to AP Style for Aerospace,” download BDN’s exclusive PR Toolkit. You’ll also find insider tips, checklists, infographics, and so much more! Everything you need for better media coverage is just a click away.