There’s an unwritten "code of ethics" out there that dictates the guidelines the
media expects savvy publicists to follow. Certain do’s and don’ts that keep the
amateurs out of the "club". More than a few well-intentioned businessmen owners
trying to lobby for free publicity have been caught in the tangled web of protocol
violations.
As crazy as it may sound, the most common reason publicity campaigns fail is
something you might call the paralysis of analysis. You come up with an idea, it
sounds good, but you wonder if you’re being objective enough. Weeks and months
later you’re still tweaking and fine tuning it. If this is a problem for you, it might be
helpful to know that editors and program managers never remember the bad press
releases (unless they’re really bad). It’s the good stories they remember. So if you
send one in that gets tossed in the trash, it shouldn’t hurt your chances the next
time around.
Right up at the top of the list of reasons press releases fail is a general category you
might call trying too hard. It usually stems from insecurity. You’ve never done this
before, so you want to cover all bases. That usually leads to a long list of behaviors
that do nothing but label you as a beginner.
Under this category you’d find those long, 10-page press releases. They tell it all.
You walk away with a complete picture. They say far more than needs to be said.
The ONLY purpose for a press release is to entice an editor or program director to
call for details. The entire press release should fit on a single, double spaced page.
You just need to give them the basics. A few details and plenty or reason to call.
Anything else will make your release too long to merit the time of the typical media
person.
This category would also include the fancy press release. Cutesy flowers on the
border and perfumed stationary all yell "AMATEUR" to a news editor. So do deliveries
by singing bears and tap dancing teens. People who know what they’re doing
typically limit themselves to simple straightforward stories on white, unadorned
stationary. The story should be the main focus, not the paper it comes on.
Which brings us to another serious mistake a lot of press release writers fall prey to.
They can’t answer the simple question:
Why are you telling the story?
Remember, you’re trying to get your story run as news or entertainment. Something
that would make a stranger stop and buy a newspaper.
Before including anything in your story, always ask yourself "who cares?". Is this the
kind of stuff the average Joe walking down Main Street wants to know or are you
trying to sell information only your mother and kids are interested in?
Even if you happen to get it perfectly right the first time, there’s another very deadly
trap most beginners fall into.
It feels great to see your picture on the front page of newspapers around the
country. But fame is very fleeting. It won’t be long before business will be back to
"normal", unless you plan carefully. Plan your campaign ahead of time and schedule
what you have to say so you can say it in various stages. Find ways to become more
than just a one-time guest.
You want the world to know you as the "expert" in your field. You need to watch the
news whenever it breaks a story you can build on. You want to do your own
reporting every time something in your field comes up you think the world might
want to know about.
Once you get the system down, it’s then just a matter of keeping the momentum
going.
If you need help writing press releases, you can find all kinds of free information on
my web site at www.PressReleasesMadeEasy.com.
If you’d like to become a real pro on the topic, you must get my publicity kit. It
offers complete, step-by-step instructions and includes dozens of samples of
successful press releases and media campaigns that you can use as your models.
You’ll also find a huge list of newspaper and radio contacts around the country, an
invaluable source in getting your campaign going. You can find the complete course
at: www.Hartunian.com/prkit.
It’s a crazy world out there, and most attempts at telling stories fail long before they
make it out of the printer. Fortunately it only takes a little know how to stand out
among the 5% or so that regularly get their stories published and their guests
interviewed.
# # #
Paul Hartunian is widely considered the world’s leading authority on writing press
releases and getting publicity for any product, service, cause or issue.
Subscribe to Paul’s free publicity ezine “Million Dollar Publicity Tactics”. By going to
http://www.Hartunian.com/ezine. Also be sure to check out all the great free
publicity resources at his website http://www.Hartunian.com.
Also be sure to read the story of how Paul used press releases and publicity to
become the first person in history to really sell the world famous Brooklyn Bridge.
You can read the story at http://www.Hartunian.com/bridge.html.
You can reach Paul at (973) 857-4142 or by email at Paul@Hartunian.com.
