by Melanie Scott, chairman, Chartered Institute of Marketing, Kent branch

For all businesses, regardless of size, there’s always news to share.

It might be that you’re open for business, hosting an open day or have launched a new website or product.

Whatever the news, when you’re a busy managing director juggling several hats or a SMB marketing exec with a limited budget – what’s the best medium for communicating your message?

There are several routes you could take - a direct mailshot, upload the news to your website and post content on social media - but what if you want to reach out to people beyond your network?

Something worth exploring is on-line PR. With many free distribution services available, press release distribution needn’t be a tool reserved for big business.

If you can draft a press release (templates can be found in the CIM Marketing Expert, cimmarketingexpert.co.uk, as mentioned in last month’s column) then you’re halfway there.

Although free online press release distribution sites are unlikely to get your article in front of editors on Fleet Street, if nothing else they’re a great way to help drive search engine optimisation and improve your Google page ranking and - you never know - if you have a compelling enough story it might just get picked up.

Some useful sites include: Online PR News, PR Fire and Newswire Today and once you’ve got that release written, if it’s designed for local news be cheeky - get the numbers for the editors and give them a call!

• If you’re interested to learn more about PR and how to generate coverage then book a place on our Using Research in PR workshop on Tuesday, November 20, at Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce in Ashford. For more information visit www.cim.co.uk/events/