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Is The Press Release Dead?
The lowly press release has been used, it seems, since biblical times. In some form or another, we are sure that Moses "hung a release" on the Ten Commandments. Those stone tablets were simply too heavy to carry around.
To be sure, the press release is not dead, though it has evolved. Every marketer and in-house press team should have a better understanding of its limits and, in fact, the liabilities of its uses.
Willard Marketing Monthly has five tips to help companies deal with their public relations agencies:
Don't over-estimate the value of the press release. It is simply a guide, one that should have useful information for the reporter, and include electronic links to more information. By itself, it won't garner headlines, or sell product or services.
Don't insist that your agency include wooden quotes by the company's CEO such as "I am proud we were able to…." Also, don't romance the product with over-the-top words and phrases like groundbreaking, unique, truly historic - or any number of other terms that are patently false.
Don't ever suggest that your agency turn a press release into a feature story. Feature stories are plotted and pitched. No self-respecting editor would reprint a feature story release.
Give your agency latitude as to where to pitch a story. Never insist that a release be spammed to hundreds of outlets when your information could best be pitched to a few quality publications. Yes, there is such a thing as press release spam.
Think of the press release as simply an advisory notice. Don't expect it to do heavy lifting beyond who, what, when, where, why and how
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