How much should I spend on a press release?

Press-release distribution can cost anywhere from zero to thousands of dollars depending on the services and distribution options you choose. When deciding how much to spend on a press release, I think the real question to ask is, “What do I want to accomplish with this press release?”

If you are just planning to send out a press release to a massive number of media members in hopes of getting major publicity, you may not get the results you are looking for. For example, if you want to reach a specific audience, you may be better off talking directly to a reporter at a targeted media venue and sharing your specific story idea. On the other hand, if you want to announce some news to a large audience, remind media members you have current products and services, and get the word out quickly, a press release is probably the way to go.

If you write a press release yourself, post it on the free sites (like those listed at http://www.rembrandtwrites.com/FreePressReleasePostingSites.htm) and share it with specific media members, it will cost you nothing but time and effort.

But if you are not a skilled writer and want to reach a large audience, you can take advantage of cost-effective, press-release writing and distribution services. To start, check out the services at PRWeb, http://www.prweb.com, PR Newswire, http://www.prnewswire.com/ and BusinessWire, http://www.businesswire.com.

You can always start with a minimal budget and spend more on bigger news as your business grows.

Press releases are a great tool for building buzz about your business. But before you spend too much on writing and distribution, review your goals and research all of the possibilities. You may want to pursue other publicity opportunities that will give you better results.