Re: Efficient Press Release Distribution

From: Amy Hooker <amy_at_mavencom.com>
Date: Wed 03 Nov 2004 07:39:08 -0500

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Bill Glazer <snapfashun_at_aol.com> wrote:

> Would anyone out there know of the most cost efficient way to get press
> releases to the appropriate people.
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Bill, (with a quick 'Amen!' to Aimee Evans' e-mail that came in as I was
typing this.)

To concur with the others--in terms of cost-efficiency, you can't beat free,
which is what PRWeb offers. The other major services like PR Newswire and
Business Wire all have fees (a few hundred bucks) associated with their
press release distribution services.

FWIW, I've found the most *effective* (and in the long run, cost-efficient)
way to get press releases to the appropriate people is by building the list
yourself. I may post a press release on PR Web, but that alone isn't enough
to generate coverage; I'll also send it out to highly targeted recipients.

Certainly, services like Bacon's and Media Map can help ease the burden of
researching and gathering contact info for reporters, but there's something
to be said for doing the research on your own--it gives you a real feel for
what a particular reporter likes, the tone of the publication and what
topics he/she deemed 'interesting' enough to write about. It lets you
better target your pitch (e.g. Joe, as I was reading your recent article on
XYZ it got me thinking...what if there was a company who did the same thing
in a completely different way?) and serves as great fodder for developing
additional pitches. It also saves you from the embarrassment of pitching
Joe Reporter on a widget story when he just did a widget expose last month.

Another reason to consider the build-your-own-list approach is that it
allows you to find those 'nontraditional' media outlets...places like blogs,
industry portals and forums, message board communities and discussion lists,
online newsletters and association web sites. Often overlooked, these can
be a source of extremely qualified, targeted traffic to your client's web
site--which can have a very positive impact on not only their Google PR and
SEM efforts, but also their bottom line.

I'll give you an example--one of my clients offers web analytics software.
I can count on two hands the number of times they've been featured or
mentioned in any printed 'traditional' publication, but have lost track of
how many times they've been touted in the more nontraditional outlets. And
the results? A mobbed booth at industry trade shows, speaking invitations
for the CEO, ever-increasing sales and growing industry recognition, and
numerous awards. Had we gone about their press release distribution (or
their press activities in general) in the most traditional, cost-effective
way, I feel certain that they wouldn't have been able to come as far as they
have as quickly as they have.

Just a little something to think about! ;-)

Regards,

Amy
###
Amy Hooker
maven communications, inc.
www.mavencom.com . info_at_mavencom.com
910-362-8004 . 910-362-8005 (fax)











Received on Wed Nov 03 2004 - 06:39:08 CST