

Why Your Press Release Sucks - rick888
http://www.ereleases.com/prfuel/7-reasons-your-press-release-sucks/

======
tptacek
_#0 You wrote a press release_

Very few people read press releases from small companies; by "small", we
typically mean "companies for whom press releases won't affect stock prices".

You probably misunderstood the point of a release. That's OK: most marketing
professionals don't get it either. The point of a press release is to have
your story mentioned in the mainstream media. But for the most part, the trade
journalists in your field don't spend their days glued to BusinessWire. To the
extent they do, it's to see if Google is doing something interesting.

If you want to get written up in the mainstream press, make a list of
journalists who write stories about technology like yours. You should have at
least 4-5 of them. Now, pitch them a story in a (very) brief direct email
message.

Conclude that email with, "Thank you for your time. ps: I do a lot of work in
this technology space, and have a very broad network. Please let me know if I
can help you get in touch with anyone in my field for any of your future
stories, or answer any questions."

 _#8 Your press release contained no customer quotes_

To the extent that a small company press release is going to be picked up in
the mainstream press, it's going to be on the strength of the customer
statements in the release. Not what they say, so much as who they are.
Although you're unlikely to get picked up regardless, you are far more likely
to get picked up if your press release asserts a business relationship with
Google or Bank of America.

------
Anon84
Are there any resources about how to effectively communicate with the press
from a small company/academia point of view?

