Press releases are a useful tool for announcing news and for keeping your name in the mind of the news media.

But you can't build a successful publicity campaign on press releases alone, for the simple reason that very few press releases ever make it into the paper.

You may think that your press release contains terrific, useful news, but you share that belief with the other three hundred people that sent their press release to the newspaper that day. If newspapers used every press release they got, paperboys would lose their jobs-the morning paper would have to be delivered by forklift.

Reporters are inundated by press releases. Some get 60 press releases a day-and on a good day they have time to write only two stories.

There's a smarter way to garner free publicity that will build your financial planning practice. Rely instead on developing the tools and tactics I teach in my articles and seminars. Practice contacting reporters informally and writing intelligently about your topics.

Don't lump yourself in with the dozens of press release submitters who receive but a brief glance from reporters, and hardly any chance of garnering publicity. Share your expertise with the media in creative, common sense ways.

Ned Steele works with people in professional services who want to build their practice and accelerate their growth. The president of Ned Steele's MediaImpact, he is the author of 102 Publicity Tips To Grow a Business or Practice. To learn more visit http://www.MediaImpact.biz or call 212-243-8383.