The only way (that I am aware) of sending designed press releases (or any email) through email is to use html formatting. Some email browsers will let you send some formatting, but probably the easiest way to do it is to use some type of ASP email system. You will need to learn a simple html editor like dreamweaver, although most ASP systems have a wysiwyg tool that will allow you to do most of the layout without learning much html. Some cheap solutions that i have used include microsoft list builder and topica. There are also more sophisticated solutions that are designed specifically for public relations professionals. I have also used a couple of different software programs, but have found that they are kind of buggy.

Also most ASP programs will let you host your graphics on their server which is another bonus. You can email small jpg files and gif files on your email without hosting, but they won't always be imbedded the way you had intended. Every time I got an email from one of my clients it came with an attachment that had his signature in it. I asked him why he kept sending me his signature and I learned that it was intended to be embedded in his signature line. I use outlook which is probably one of the most universal email clients, so if it wasn't working on my email it probably wasn't working for most other recipients. That reminds me of my next point. ALWAYS test your emails on a number of different machines with different email programs (AOL, outlook, yahoo, eudora, MAC MACHINES ALMOST ALWAYS SCREW UP HTML FORMATTED EMAILS)

Not sure what the type of information that you are sending out with designed press releases, but I would really test these designed press releases out (maybe send half your contacts just text and half of your contacts html and see which ones work better). Consumers really seem to respond well to html emails, but I am not convinced journalists would. HTML messages are very obviously produced marketing. Some journalists might just dismiss them as advertising.

One tactic that might work well is to do some type of newsletter in this format, something that is intended more as a relationship building tool than a press release that you are hoping to get coverage for, this might make your contacts more receptive to getting formatted emails from you and realize that the emails provide useful and interesting content in addition to the pretty formatting.

o.k. sorry for the long post. It was probably more than my two cents worth.