Most businesses wisely use an integrated marketing approach: networking, directory advertising, local and Internet advertising, and participation in various online social networks. One marketing tool that is often under-utilized or applied ineffectively is publicity, either generated by news releases or feature stories.

Although ”getting ink” in the local newspaper and business magazine is a terrific lead generator, many other publicity channels are frequently overlooked. Blogs, web sites, RSS feeds, and online news outlets are all hungry for new information. And one of the best methods of delivering news to these channels is through online news distribution services.

I’ve put together a list of the ten best free press release services. All of these sites are suitable for businesses trying to market their services. In fact, there is no reason why you could not use several of them to extend your reach. Most offer additional, fee-based products in addition to their free services.

Twenty ways to get the most out of your press release.

Of course, to distribute a press release for free means you need to write a press release, or have one written for you. If you are looking for professional assistance, I offer press release writing for a very reasonable fee. I have been writing news releases since 1976 and promise a professional job.

Here’s my list of the Ten Best Free Press Release Distribution Services –

#1 Free Press Release.com
Free-Press-Release.com has been the No. 1 in the free press release distribution service area since 2003. Customers can submit an unlimited number of release, up to 3,000 words in length.

#2 Prlog.org
Some of the features of this service include: HTML links in the press release body, search engine optimized dedicated web page & PDF version, multiple categories & keywords, spam protection on your email address, the ability to edit/delete press releases, press release scheduling. Press release distribution includes Google News, numerous search engines, numerous javascript, html & RSS feeds.

#3 1888pressrelease.com
Customers can distribute releases to search engines, news-wires and websites to help increase awareness of their product, company, or self.  Services aim to help customers reach journalists and improve visibility in search engine listings, a concept known as search engine optimization, so customers can get the most publicity possible.

The service allows customers to attach files, logos or images to their press release so they’re ready for journalists and others who need the information for publication. A customer’s website can also be displayed within the press release to make it easy to lead readers directly to the site.

#4 I-Newswire.com
Customers may only submit one release per week per website per company. Customers found abusing the free submission can be banned from using the service. They do not allow the placement of html in the releases; however, customers may use complete URL’s in their releases.

#5 PR.com
PR.com is a directory of businesses, products and services, a press release distribution service, job search website, and online publication of articles, reviews and celebrity interviews.  Customers can submit news and press releases via their global online news and press release distribution service with distribution points such as AskJeeves News, Excite News, Topix.net, MSN News.

#6 Free-Press-Release-Center
This is an online news and press release distribution service for small and medium-sized businesses and corporate communications.

The service allows keyword linking. With each press release customers can choose a keyword and a URL which will appear as a link (using the keyword as the anchor text) in their press release.

#7 24-7 Press Release
Through their strategic partnership with PR Newswire, this service’s Mass Media Distribution distribution package offers broad exposure for customers. The PR Newswire network allows press releases to be accessed by nearly 80,000 journalists and distribution to approximately 4000+ web sites including Yahoo News, Google News, CBS Marketwatch, MSNBC, ABC News, CNN.com, and AOL.

In addition to their free press release service, they also offer submission approvals within 48 hours, the ability to schedule your release for a future date, over 400 industry channels, distribution to opt-in journalists, freelance writers and RSS/Javascript subscribers, and press releases stored in database for possible future story seekers.

#8 Free-Press-Releases
This service says its press releases end up on Google News and thousands of niche sites across the Internet. Many websites with focused subject areas take content from its categories relevant to their readers and display as news on their own sites.  Freepressreleases is also indexed by many global news mining organisations that hunt for specific information.  Freepressreleases also offers each category as a specific RSS feed.

#9 PressAbout.com
PressAbout.com is a free press release distribution service in the form of a blog. This allows customers to distribute press releases to search engines, news-wires and websites to help increase awareness company or personal products and services for free. The service aims to help customers reach the public directly and improve visibility in search engine listings. All press releases will be read to ensure the quality of the site is maintained.

#10 PressMethod
PressMethod is an international free press release distribution company. Their mission is to help the Internet community access interesting stories happening in the business world.

That said, there is still much work to do in developing managerial talent. Few organizations have developed comprehensive models for managers to follow. An enlightened model of management would integrate positive manager-staff behaviors and attitudes with advanced principles concerning work, organization, community, and the environment.

Although personal attitudes and beliefs will inevitably shape and refine the application of enlightened models for individual managers, there are certain core values and behaviors that define the enlightened manager.

An enlightened manager –

– Sees the value in people as being intrinsic, more than just what they do on the job.

– Sees work as a potential path to self-fulfillment.

– Believes that the means (production) and the ends (output) should harm no one.

– Believes that employees, customers, vendors, all stakeholders should be treated respectfully, honestly, and fairly.

– Believes in and advocates for corporate social responsibility within the organization.

– Believes that winning lifts everyone.

– Believes in the importance of acting ethically and guiding others to do likewise.

– Believes that products should be safe.

– Believes that products should meet or exceed customer expectations.

– Believes that advertising and marketing programs should be credible and ethical.

– Believes that employees should be given an opportunity to grow personally and professionally.

– Believes in proactively encouraging employees to grow personally and professionally.

– Believes that credit should be given where credit is due.

– Believes that teamwork works.

– Believes that people are basically good and can be trusted to do the right thing.

– Believes that learning is a virtue and practices active learning at work and encourages others to do likewise.

– Knows that at the end of the day, if cash coming in does not exceed cash going out, he or she is not enlightened.

– Believes that in the long view capitalism, personal ownership and wealth have been forces for good.

– Believes that the greed of some requires a reasonable amount of regulation and rules to protect those who might be harmed.

– Believes that humans have a moral responsibility to protect the environment.

– Believes that all life is sacred and that humans have a special responsibility to protect those creatures who are unable to defend and protect themselves from human interference.

– Believes that humanity is evolving and that his or her behavior should not be regressive but should move humanity forward.

– Believes that conflict can be resolved fairly and equitably given the good intentions of those in conflict.

– Believes that those who at first seem less talented or skillful deserve a chance to find their proper “level” within an organization.

– Celebrates and applies usefully the diversity of our people.

– Makes a strong personal effort and encourages others to accept people with different traditions, customs, beliefs, and social values.

– Believes that everyone — whether they know it or not — is searching for meaning in life and work.

– Believes there is value in bringing one’s authentic self to work and encourages others to do likewise.

– Believes in the importance of seeking balance in our lives, between work and play, thinking and doing, giving and taking, leading and following, teaching and learning.

Doing the right thing is what ethical marketing is all about. It means creating and marketing products that live up to their promises. It means treating customers, vendors, employees and other stakeholders fairly, professionally, and with dignity and respect. It means doing business in a way that is not harmful to individuals, to the environment, to social values.

It means being persuasive, not manipulative or deceptive, when advertising or marketing products. It means showing special care when marketing to special groups such as children, the elderly, and “marketing illiterates,” those who are vulnerable because they lack the language and consumption skills needed to make informed choices.

It means giving back to the communities where we live and work — and beyond our local community,  if we are willing and able. It means practicing good corporate citizenship, not just because we know that people expect it from us, but because we know it is the right thing to do — and we want to do it.

It means, perhaps obviously, not breaking the law. It means following both the spirit and the letter of the marketing and advertising regulations that safeguard the rights and well-being of consumers and businesses. As business owners and managers, it means practicing — and improving — our skills as enlightened managers.

To paraphrase Patrick Murphy, a pioneer in the field of marketing ethics, I believe that taking the higher ethical road is good business strategy, provides for long-term organizational profitability, and stands confidently as the “proper” thing to do.

I hope to have the privilege of working with organizations who believe, as I do, that doing well starts and ends with doing good.

Frank Marafiote, MBA