Press Release Week:: Part V:: Distribution

This is Part V of a five-part, weeklong series about how and why to write a press release. Click here for other installments. This evening (August 7, 2009 @ 10 p.m. EST), one winner will be drawn to receive a special package from Market Mommy, including a press release, business card design and button ad design. The package is valued at $75! Please read the fine print at the end of the post for details on how to enter. You can register up to six times each day!!

So now that you’ve written a killer press release, how do you get it read by the right people? Your distribution list is almost as critical as the release itself. You must determine the editors and the publications that would be most interested in your release and send it to them.

In addition to your traditional newspapers, radio stations and television stations, there are also a multitude of websites, blogs and trade publications that may be very interested in what you have to say. So, how do you find them?

If you have the budget, you can pay to have your releases distributed. Sites like PRWeb can distribute your release to thousands in your targeted audience. However, most mom business owners are on a very limited marketing budget. Believe it or not, you can distribute your releases yourself.

First, include all of your business contacts. They may have a newsletter or blog that they may want to include your news in. Plus, it is always good to keep your affiliates and business partners informed of what your company is doing.

Next, include your local and regional media. Who in your area might be interested in what you have to offer? Contacts for your local media can easily be found on the internet. For regional and statewide media, there are directories that can be purchased like this one. However, this can get costly especially in a market where turnover can cause contacts to change frequently.

It is time consuming, but scouring the internet can be very effective. Search for trade publications that relate to your field. Search for blogs that specialize in your type of products or services. Look for news outlets that publish news on entrepreneurs and new products. Networking with similar businesses is also a great way to increase your media contacts.

There are a few outlets that still prefer a mailed or faxed press release, however e-mailed press releases are now becoming the norm. By using the internet to do your search, you will likely be able to easily ocme up with e-mail addresses of contacts.

After distributing your release , you should always post in on your company website. Having a good news section can go a long way in boosting your SEO. Plus, it is a great way for new customers or affiliates to catch up on the history of your company.

Thanks for visiting us for Press Release Week! I hope you’ve learned a thing or two and will be able to put it to good use for the benefit of your company. As always, if you have questions or need a little help, don’t hesitate to contact me. And, stay tuned! At 10 p.m. we’ll announce the winner of the marketing package!

The fine print::
First and foremost the marketing package won must be used to promote a legitimate, mom-owned business. (Market Mommy reserves the right to disqualify any entrant on the basis of this criteria) Winners will be chosen by random.org. Below are the ways to register, you may come back and do the following EACH DAY for each new post! Be sure to leave a comment with a link for each entry or it won’t count! (Comments close tonight at 9:59 p.m. EST)
1. Leave a comment on this post, any comment.
2. Join the Market Mommy mailing list (box to the right of this post) or comment and tell me you’re on the list.
3. Follow this blog or comment and tell me you are already a follower.
4. Become a Fan of Market Mommy on Facebook or comment and tell me you’re already a fan.
5. Follow Market Mommy on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway, if you’re already a follower, just tweet.
6. Blog about this giveaway or grab our button ... you must link back to either this blog or Market Mommy's official site.