Your business should be putting out at least three press releases per year. If you frame your story the right way, you'll be doing yourself and journalists a favor by creating news.
What's Your Story?
If you don't know your story, you need a marketing or public relations professional to tell you. Without a story, you'll have to spend more money on advertising as you won't be in the newspaper as a article. The media love information when creatively packaged. Everyone's always talking about Fortune 500 companies and Time's Person of the Year. Whenever a magazine does a Top Party Schools survey and series of articles, it always gets widespread coverage.
Write the Press Release
You need someone who can write your press releases. There are many online services that will do this or you can find someone who knows you and your business from close-up and give them a shot. Work out a deal that covers your press release writing needs throughout the year.
Distribute the Press Release
There are many press release distribution companies. If you've worked in marketing then you know of PR Newswire. There are many others that have sprung up since the late 90's. It may well cost a few hundred dollars to get your message out. Be available via whatever contact information you provide in the press release - you don't want to miss any journalists or business development that could come your way thanks to your efforts.
The more you experience the above process - from realizing your story to coming up with your press release headline and content to distributing it - the more you'll learn about media and public relations. Not a bad thing to learn even if you usually focus on other aspects of your business.
