Press Release Distribution Service

·	Pre-press release: It all began with a name, a slogan, and an unorthodox advertisement.

The Name: The Rat Dog Dick Detective Agency.

The Slogan, “the skiptracer that finds people like a rat dog finds rats.”

The Ad: ran in a local legal newspaper.

·	“Nothing happened” is the normal response for a press release.

What happened as a result of the ad? Initially, very little. As it turns out, a lot of attorneys don’t have much of a sense of humor. Who knew? It took about two months before anyone even gave me a shot. First, it takes a number of tries before you even reach someone’s consciousness (Experts say eight); and secondly, many consumers only tend to trust you after seeing your name in print a number of times.

But eventually, I did get jobs. About that same time, the local media started to take notice. The result, a spat of local publicity about “Rat Dog Dick,” the girl who turned the sinking of her houseboat into a colorful and viable business.

·	Launching a business is a great time to send out a press release.

I launched my business by running an ad that then got notice. But I certainly could have issued a press release and gotten the same, if not better results.

A combo of things.

A funny name for a company

A woman in a “man’s” profession

A perceived “glamorous” profession

The “are you putting me on?” factor

·	Publicity begets publicity. So keep writing press releases.

Because I was lucky enough to get a weekly column, my name appeared in the newspapers 52 times (minimum) each year. Other detectives might get a story once per year.

Then when Oprah Winfrey went looking for a detective to teach her viewers how to find people, I must have seemed the most obvious choice. Once I made that little black book, those producers went elsewhere and called me to be on other shows. And writers saw me on TV and then called me for articles they were writing.

Every investigator has one big case they feel strongly enough about to do for free. Mine was when a group of self-described Gypsies began targeting old men for sweetheart scams. That they were diagnosed with digitalis in their systems when they were not prescribed that heart medicine seemed no mystery to me. When the cops drug their feet for two years while two victims languished caused me to take action. My crusade went on for years in obscurity. But when word got out, again, more publicity.

·	Become a newsmaker: Send a press release.

Every once in a while, you get a chance to change the world. I encourage you to take that chance. Not only because you can do something really wonderful but because YOU CAN GET A LOT OF PUBLICITY for being a good guy.

·	The Dallas Morning News

·	The Chicago Sun Times

·	The San Jose Mercury News

·	The Contra Costa Times

·	The Newport News

·	The Denver Post

·	The Contra Costa Times

·	And other discerning newspapers.