LinkedIn- What media relations products and services do you find most useful?

http://www.linkedin.com/answers/marketing-sales/public-relations/MAR_PRR/419642-1246860?searchIdx=0&sik=1235433970255&goback=.asr_1_1235433970255

Are you actively-involved in media relations and regularly pursue publicity opportunities? If so, I'd like to know what products and services you find most effective in doing your job easier, better, faster, etc. I'm specifically interested in what media database services you like best (most effective) and what services are best for finding active PR opportunities (i.e. query services). Thanks in advance to those of you that take the time to respond objectively to this.

Jeremy Porter

VP, Strategy & Business Development at Radius Online

Good Answers

If you have not yet discovered "Help A Reporter Out" (HARO) at (www.helpareporter.com), you need to get there quick. Peter Shankman solicits leads from journalists and shares them via a daily e-Newsletter, which often has more than 20 different requests.

Another source for great information is Joan Stewart's Publicity Hound newsletter (www.publicityhound.com) While it is directed toward those who are bootstrapping their public relations efforts, it offers some great, creative ideas for how to approach some of the more mundane release topics.

In terms of distributing releases, Vocus (www.vocus.com) and EmailWire (www.emailwire.com) have been pretty good. I have also had minor experience with MyEdCals (www.mymediainfo.com) for looking up editorial calendars to help pitch appropriately. All three of these are fee-based services.
Links:

* http://www.helpareporter.com
* http://www.publicityhound.com