Press Release: How to Distribute It - article

Getting out a press release to announce your book is as important a marketing tool as any promotion event. There are several services that can write one for you, or you can publish your own.

Some of these services are free; all you need to do is sign up. www.PR.com allows you to publish your own press release at no cost. There is also www.prlog.org that you can sign up for to send out press releases with a specified size image at no charge to you. 

There are many services that charge a fee but that can help you target your press release and reach the right audience. With these services you may pay a flat monthly rate or buy press releases individually that the company writes. They can mail to specific media lists, send to targeted journalists, and help in a variety of ways to publicize your book or marketing event. When selecting a paid service, make sure it offers what you seek in press release coverage, know the cost, and find out where and when the release will be distributed. The good news is there are many to choose from. Do your homework to get the biggest bang for your buck.

Select a service that websites pick up on. Many search engines crawl the Internet looking for certain topics by matching key words. When there’s a match, the site will automatically add your press release to it. When looking at a service, free or paid, see what they offer in ways of distribution. The key is to be seen in as many publications as possible. Just make sure you have the service that is in your budget and gives you the maximum exposure available.

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  • Dear Gypsy , This is really great informaition.. I am a first time author and have jsut completed my first romantic novel....centering around single mother hood in a middle class Indian society...
  • Do you need additional coverage with a press release service even though there is a self publishing company promoting my book? Is having more than one press release a good idea or not necessary? Max
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Hi Fred - I think if your self publishing company is handling press releases for you, you likely don't need to duplicate the effort. But if that isn't part of what they do for you, it might make sense for you to look into doing your own. Make sure you have something news worthy to say, follow the guidelines for a good press release, and be sure to personally forward the release to some local and regional news outlets that might be interested in it. To help them want to pick up the story, come up with an angle that ties to the things their audience is interested in. For instance, if your book is about pets, arrange a reading at the local shelter and offer to donate a portion of your proceeds to their cause. Then notify the local press, tying it back to a story they have recently done about the need to improve funding at the shelter.
  • Would it be a good idea to use a press release service to promote my book myself even though I have a self publishing company promoting my book?
  • Very useful to know.