To Pay or Not To Pay for Press Releases - That is the Question

When I first started seriously marketing my book  ‘Olga – A Daughter’s Tale’  I paid  for two press release services to promote it to newspapers and magazines.  A friend of mine, who’s in Media put the press release together for me.  The results - nothing!  I’d been hoping that some book reviewers might ask for a copy to review it.  Disenchanted I thought ‘what the hell’ I might as well use a free press release service since they couldn’t do any worse than the paid ones.

So I  used two free press release sites to promote my book –   PRLog and  Free Press Release.   Unfortunately, with free press release you don’t have the option to create links  which can be a bit of bind if you’re trying to sell something.   Actually, that’s not true.  You can create links but you have to pay for them.   Did they generate any sales?  Not to my knowledge.  So why use them?  Just in case they generate a sale and they’re FREE!  The only cost is my time in submitting the press release which is really easy to do. 

Recently I heard about another FREE  press release website MediaSyndicate and with this one you can create links and you’re not charged for them. BONUS!   MediaSyndicate don’t charge a fee but you do have an option to Donate.  So I did – $25 and for that my press release is pitched for a further three months, but so far I cannot see any results.   

In summary I’ve tried free, paid and donate websites that offer a press release syndication and so far……….. nothing!     I don’t believe press releases, paid or free, work for new authors, particularly if they are self published.  

Solution?  Spend the money you would spend on press releases and get some lovely bookmarks printed with all your contact details on and a brief summary of  your book and then hand them out at your local supermarket or better still anywhere where there is a queue and you’ve got a captive market.  That’s what I’m going to do because I think most people like bookmarks.  Will let you know how I get on:)  Don’t forget to ask them for feedback. 

Cheers

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