Here’s a great example of what can happen when you’re writing a press release in a hurry.
I was writing a release about my August 14 media relations and press release writing workshops, in Norfolk, Virginia, to be distributed by Expertclick.com, where it would be picked up by the Google News feed.
So I sent the release to Expertclick without asking somebody else to proofread it. An alert PR pro saw the release several days later, emailed me and pointed out not one, but three errors!
I quickly asked my virtual assistant to call Expertclick and notify them of the errors. Their helpful staff made the corrections in just a few minutes.
That’s one of the major advantages to using a paid press release distribution service. Almost all the free services offer no telephone support. Which means those big ugly mistakes live online forever. One of my mistakes was an incorrect phone number to call for reservations. Ouch!
“Expertclick: The Online Yearbook of Experts,” will be published in October and directories will be distributed at the Society of Professional Journalists Convention & National Journalism Conference, Oct. 4-7, in Washington, D.C.
It will also be contacting hundreds more journalists to let them know that the database of experts is also available online. If staff writers, broadcasters or freelancers consult the database looking for someone with your level of expertise, will they find your contact information?
A subscription also lets you post up to 52 press releases a year with no additional per- release charges. Publicity Hounds get $100 off the subscription price, so be sure to tell them I sent you.