Free Or Low Cost Press Release

I agree that "free" can sometimes be expensive but the two Press Release Distribution Sites I listed in my earlier reply have worked well for me and my clients. (1888PressRelease.com and PR9.net)

Of course, if you have a "serious" Press Release to get out that you think might really get picked up by major news outlets, then go to PRWeb.com and pay the big bucks for premium distribution.

So half way through typing my response, it hit me that I just read another entrepreneurs take on it about a month ago. His experience and his way of bringing this particular issue forth is stronger than mine, so I took this little snippet out of his new book.

Now before I post it just have to say. I did not write this. This isn't mine. This is from Jason Fried's new book "ReWork". Out of respect to him and to give him due credit, here's the link to his book on Amazon. You can check this 100 times over, I promise it's not an affiliate link. Amazon.com: Rework (9780307463746): Jason Fried,...
Ok that out of the way....here's what he had to say, I stand a bit differently than he does (I think they're worse than he believes them to be), but either way same point put in better more experienced words:

"What do you call a generic pitch sent out to hundreds of strangers hoping that one will bite? Spam. That's what press releases are too: generic pitches for coverage sent out to hundreds of journalists you don't know, hoping that one will write about you.

Let's discuss the purpose of a press release for a moment: It's something that you send out because you want to be noticed. You want the press to pick up on your new company, product, service, announcement, or whatever. You want them to be excited enough to write a story about you.

But press releases are a terrible way to accomplish that. They're tired and formulaic. There's nothing exciting about them. Journalists sift through dozens a day. They wind up buried under an avalanche of hyperbolic headlines and fake quotes from CEOs. Everything is labeled sensational, revolutionary, ground breaking, and amazing. It's numbing.

If you want to get someone's attention, it's silly to do exactly the same thing as everyone else. You need to stand out. So why issue press releases like everyone else does? Why spam journalists when their inbox is already filled with other people's spam?

Furthermore, a press release is generic. You write it once and then send it to tons of reporters - People whom you don't know about who don't know you. And your first introduction is this vague, generic note you also send to everyone else? Is that the impression you want to make? Is that really going to get you the story?

Instead, call someone. Write a personal note. If you read a story about a similar company or product, contact the journalist who wrote it. Pitch her with some passion, some interest, some life.

Do something meaningful. Be remarkable. Stand out. Be unforgettable. That's how you'll get the best coverage. "

- Jason Fried - ReWork

I agree that webwire is the way to go for affordable PAID online press releases.