Good post Juan, no doubt got people talking. Had a chance to read many of the replies and interesting to see the wide range of opinions from, "press releases are useless" to the polar opposite. Lots of questions on press releases, services and methodology. Some info that may be helpful:

- Do it yourself (at least a few times) before ever hiring someone else (consultant, firm, etc.) as this will allow you to learn the process, ins and outs, how the services work, etc. This will provide you an enormous amount of leverage if/when you hire it out.

- Forget the "free" online press release services (they aren't really free, plus many are scams that can actually hurt your brand online, etc.). Utilize only a legitimate service such as PRWeb, PRNewsWire or BusinessWire. In terms of price, PRWeb is the most affordable and there are different package options, release coverage (more coverage, such as nationally, costs more), etc. -- but the key is getting started is simple plus you can pay as you go. Utilize sites such as PRWeb and PRNewswire for samples, recommendations, how-to's, etc. It's important to keep in mind that when using a legit service, you can't write whatever you want (e.g., "Our product is the best!") and send it out -- there are requirements, rules, guidelines, etc. -- and that's key to understand plus will help guide you through when to write and issue a release and when it's not appropriate. As Patty Mooney mentioned, "it's a big no-no to write about how great your business is (even if it is) unless there is a newsworthy component" -- I'm always amazed how our clients and many businesses don't understand this key point. This extends to other forms of marketing such as email blasts -- 98% of them are just awful, mainly because no one wants to have their inbox filled up with what I call, "the junk box of lies". E-mail marketing absolutely works, problem is, few people have a clue how to plan, prepare, write, design, acquire their list(s), send, analyze, etc.

- Leverage the press release:

With an effective, paid release service you'll get some exposure but the process isn't, send out the release and pray for the money to flow in. I'll leave out the choice of topic, planning, writing and testing your release before issuing -- that's a whole set of topics by themselves -- we'll save that for another day. Let's jump right to when you are ready to issue / send out your live press release. Email (or use web forms on the sources' websites) to local and targeted contacts in your industry. Could be a few key people based on your industry and location -- or could be 20 or 30+ -- but this is your local coverage as well as industry-specific coverage. When you send to these people, do not sell them -- keep your message to them professional, calm and not self-serving (humility still works, even today). You are requesting a favor from these people -- keep that in your mind first and foremost -- then simply present to them honestly and that's it. If there's a local person or hot topic that seems to need an extra push, you can even call and leave a voice-mail, if you don't get them. But after that let them come to you -- could be weeks, months or even years, but they'll start to show up.

Website: Post your release on your website and link back to the social link from the PR service (such as at PRWeb, PRNewswire, etc.) in the news section, blog or home page based on how your site is configured.

Email Blast: Even if you have a list of 100+ clients, friends and family members -- adjust the press release so it's more informal, helpful and informative -- then prepare and send a blast. Reference the press release link at/near the end of the blast content (keep your blast short, concise and to the point!...this is not the time to be verbose).

Social Shares: Get on LinkedIn, Twitter, G+, FB, insta, etc. -- and share that press release.

Blog: Write about your release in a more personal and informative tone -- turn it into a post that is helpful, informative or at a minimum, extremely interesting. Forget selling and never push your biz, product or service unless it's specifically in a form that educates/informs readers. This is a huge point and very difficult for most people -- but it's critical to long-term success. Push out the blog on your website, social, etc. Connect with sources and other businesses that you may have mentioned in the blog/release -- or use that as a springboard to hop into new relationships. Want to get someone interested?...ask them about their business instead of telling them how great yours is...and you'll build those relationships. The next release or blog may one where you invited a vendor, customer, etc. into a new topic -- and grow on it.

The list doesn't stop there on how to work your press releases to success points. Is it time consuming? Absolutely. Is it free? Pretty damn close (150 bucks and some of your time is pretty close to free). Will it yield results? No doubt. Will it take time? Yes. How much time? Depends on different factors as each line of business is different plus there is some talent required here in terms of planning, creating, writing and following through. But there are some excellent people out there for each of those aspects. Taking a hands-on approach and doing this yourself (or with your partner, etc.) is key to not only learning the process but also being able to leverage your research in order to measure your success rate.

Is PR instead of advertising, SEO, PPC, etc? No, absolutely not -- it's yet one more tool to leverage for your business. Embrace it, commit and follow through -- and you won't be disappointed.

Plus, look at the bright side -- after you read through this thread on Alignable, it's clear that many, many people have little to no experience when it comes to utilizing press releases. That should be pretty clear to most people that by diving in, you will gain a significant competitive advantage -- and the longer you engage in the process, the farther you'll leave your competition behind.