Writer's Digest is a magazine that has the information you're looking for.
They also publish annual directories to media if you want to take the time
(as I do) to update and compile your own list. Press list management is a
poorly managed art by many companies.
FRANKLY:
The lists are often a waste of time and money. If you buy a big list, it
may cost you several hundred dollars, and give you every publication from
Computers Today to Equestrian Weekly (Which is just peachy if your site just
HAPPENS to feature Thoroughbreds, not so cool if you're a medical supply
company!).
They also don't get you to people like me. I'm a freelance reviewer. I'm
not on the list, but I may write for any number of the publications you want
to reach.
ALTERNATIVES?:
Go to the library and spend two or three days with a book called Literary
Marketplace (LMP).
Writer's Market goes for 30 bucks, pick up a copy.
Buy copies of the magazines that target your demographic. Stick to those
publications, and develop professional relationships with the editors. Look
for names that may appear in several different magazines, and if they have
e-mail addresses, contact them with a polite query asking if they accept
electronic press releases (before you ask, yes, I do, and post them to:
<a href="<a href="http://www.idirect.com/jasmine/freelancers/prc">http://www.idirect.com/jasmine/freelancers/prc</a>">http://www.idirect.com/jasmine/freelancers/prc</a>).
PRESS KITS:
Be creative when you send out your press kit. With the money you send over
a scattershot press release, you can afford to spend more on those kits you
do mail out. Write the press release in journalistic style, as close as
possible to what you'd like to see appearing in the magazine, because many
publications use the releases verbatim as filler.
A plain press release in an envelope may not catch much attention: Include
software packages, complimentary product for review, photographs or scans of
the product, etc. Do the work FOR the magazine and you have a much better
chance of getting publicity. I worked for a community paper once, and I
still remember the press kit that one food company sent: tins of a new tuna
product wrapped up in a tube with a digital clock to look like a (obviously
phoney) pipe-bomb. We loved it. We fought over who'd get to eat the damned
stuff. And of course, we wrote about it.
Don't expect to be called back or written (but do include all addresses,
especially e-mail). If you've done your homework, they will not need to
contact you for details (though some may want quotes, this is rare). If you
want to follow-up, a reasonable time period is a month for a weekly, three
months for a monthly. This should tell you it's a good idea to work in
advance: BUT! make sure you have product or a site to back you up. Timing
is tricky: journalists are increasingly put off by vapourware.
Peter Gugerell / gugerell@ping.at has a list of Media lists and updates:
<a href="<a href="http://www.gugerell.co.at/gugerell/media">http://www.gugerell.co.at/gugerell/media</a>">http://www.gugerell.co.at/gugerell/media</a>
I have found that many of these editors do NOT appreciate unsolicited press
releases. Ask first, send later.
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-- Brandi Jasmine Freelance Writer, Illustrator and net.junkie <a href="<a href="http://web.idirect.com/~bjasmine">http://web.idirect.com/~bjasmine</a>">http://web.idirect.com/~bjasmine</a> nitefall@idirect.com
---- The Internet Marketing Discussion List is sponsored this week by: Decisive makes surveying by e-mail &amp; Internet easy! &lt;<a href="<a href="http://www.decisive.com">http://www.decisive.com</a>">http://www.decisive.com</a>&gt; </pre> </pre>
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