Self-Promotion: The Press Release
Have some exciting news or completed a successful project? That's a great reason to send out a press release and a way to promote yourself, your services without sounding like a saleman. When writing a press release, go into details how your solution made the project a success.
Give credit to the client with background information about them, their company and link backs when possible. You're not only promoting your clients but also yourself. They will appreicate it.
The more press releases you have online, on the different press release websites, more likely you'll pop up in searches on search engines. Press releases is one great way to get ranked near the top of most searches. Also submit your press releases to media outlets; news wire, local/national/industry related newspapers and magazines.
There is a great article on BoDo, written by author Neil Tortorella, "Building Your Media List." The article is about building your prospects and contacts list. Simple things you can do yourself by checking local newspapers, business magazines and local book stores. Using your contact list to distribute your news and PR.
Another great resource for press coverage is Peter Shankman, owner of HARO, Help a Reporter Out™. Reporters need sources and people to contribute to their articles. When you sign up for HARO. Each day, you'll receive up to three emails, each with anywhere from 15-30 queries per email. If you see a query you can answer, go for it! It's that simple.
A few online press release resources you can submit to. Also check out the megalist of free press release websites on Blogging Secret.
+ Associated Press
+ Biz Journals
+ Fast Pitch
+ PR Compass
+ Online PR News
+ PR Leap - fee
+ PR Web - fee
+ PR For $25 - fee
+ PR Mac
+ Free Press Release
+ 24/7 Press Release
+ PR Log
+ California Press Release
+ 1888 Press Release
+ Click Press
+ Free News Release
+ I-Newswire
+ PR
+ PR 9
Give credit to the client with background information about them, their company and link backs when possible. You're not only promoting your clients but also yourself. They will appreicate it.
The more press releases you have online, on the different press release websites, more likely you'll pop up in searches on search engines. Press releases is one great way to get ranked near the top of most searches. Also submit your press releases to media outlets; news wire, local/national/industry related newspapers and magazines.
There is a great article on BoDo, written by author Neil Tortorella, "Building Your Media List." The article is about building your prospects and contacts list. Simple things you can do yourself by checking local newspapers, business magazines and local book stores. Using your contact list to distribute your news and PR.
Another great resource for press coverage is Peter Shankman, owner of HARO, Help a Reporter Out™. Reporters need sources and people to contribute to their articles. When you sign up for HARO. Each day, you'll receive up to three emails, each with anywhere from 15-30 queries per email. If you see a query you can answer, go for it! It's that simple.
A few online press release resources you can submit to. Also check out the megalist of free press release websites on Blogging Secret.
+ Associated Press
+ Biz Journals
+ Fast Pitch
+ PR Compass
+ Online PR News
+ PR Leap - fee
+ PR Web - fee
+ PR For $25 - fee
+ PR Mac
+ Free Press Release
+ 24/7 Press Release
+ PR Log
+ California Press Release
+ 1888 Press Release
+ Click Press
+ Free News Release
+ I-Newswire
+ PR
+ PR 9
Labels: Associated Press, Biz Journals, Blogging Secrets, BoDo, Clients, HARO, Marketing, Media Press Kit, Neil Tortorella, Peter Shankman, PR, Press Release, Search Engine, Self-Promotion, SEO
Hey Calvin,
Thanks. I agree with the PR idea and plan to start using them at the next opportunity. I was familiar with PRWeb, but not all that you listed. I've got some work to do to familiarize myself with these.
Thanks again!
Jerry Roberts
http://careerjolt.net
Posted by
Anonymous |
January 03, 2009 4:09 AM
Completely agree...
We have our clients submit press releases almost monthly if not twice a quarter.
One thing to know, services such as PRWeb don't allow you to optimize your release for Search Engines unless you meet their minimum bid requirement - which I believe is $200.
Still...that's not bad for a few good linkbacks from feeds that pick up the distribution.
Good post and something to remember since we all forget to self promote sometimes.
Posted by
Anonymous |
January 04, 2009 3:03 AM
Great write up. And I'm glad that you mentioned writing your own press releases and sending them to the press yourself. I used to work as Director for an Arts Council in a small southern town, and I had to write virtually every press release, show announcement, everything myself and just send it to paper. I learned that they prefer it that way.
Posted by
Anonymous |
January 04, 2009 12:06 PM
Nice write-up. One more press release distribution place I would mention is http://www.prfor25.com.
Mashable also published this awhile back--http://mashable.com/2007/10/20/press-releases/
Posted by
Anonymous |
January 06, 2009 8:12 AM
Here is another great resource for free distribution of press releases:
http://pitchengine.com
These are actually social media releases and connect to your Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, etc.
Just did my first one for a client last week with great results.
Posted by
Rob Taylor |
January 12, 2009 2:54 PM
Great article & resources! Thanks for sharing, I found you from Twitter. HARO is a great service.
Regina P. Brown
www.VirtualOfficeBizPro.com
Posted by
Anonymous |
May 16, 2009 5:38 PM
Clavin, do you know about http://www.PitchRate.com ?
They are another fab resource. Thanks for this. I will R/T now. I am a huge fan of your Twitter Mojo.
Sincerely, Chrystal
Posted by
Chrystal |
July 29, 2009 10:06 PM
Enjoyed your post! Ironically found it looking for more information about HARO, which I just joined, but I also am a PR person myself and bookmarked several of the resources you listed here.
Commented because one service I've worked with, eReleases (http://www.ereleases.com) wasn't listed and I thought perhaps it should be--they've been around for 10 years and though not cheap are cheaper than going directly through PR Newswire, which is the newswire that distributes their releases.
Thanks for the links! I wasn't familiar with Neil Tortorella before, but that was an excellent piece.
Posted by
Another press release distribution option |
June 07, 2010 1:44 AM
I loved reading this post. Every bit of it. Some press release sites are new to me also.
Posted by
Press Release Distribution |
August 02, 2011 1:42 AM