| A musician spends years honing his craft. He writes | | | | MORE important than a press release in generating |
| world-class | | | | publicity:1. A newsworthy story. This is the equivalent of |
| songs and performs them in a manner that moves his | | | | our musician's |
| listeners to | | | | talent. It's the very basis for your publicity efforts. |
| tears. He records a demo tape and sends it to record | | | | Without |
| labels. He | | | | it, your press release means nothing. To learn about |
| gets a contract and becomes rich, famous and | | | | how to |
| adored.The lesson: demo tapes are the secret of | | | | develop a newsworthy story, take a look at |
| becoming a famous | | | | and scroll down to "Is |
| musician.Wait, you say, the demo tape was just a tool, | | | | my company/website/life really newsworthy?"2. |
| just his way of | | | | Learning to think like an editor. Oh, what an edge you'll |
| conveying his talent. It's his ability as a musician that | | | | have in scoring publicity over all those press release |
| got | | | | worshippers once you learn how to get inside the |
| him the contract and made him famous.You're right, of | | | | head of an |
| course. He could have become just as famous if | | | | editor. Give an editor what he wants in the way he |
| a record executive saw him in person, or heard about | | | | wants it and |
| him from a | | | | you'll do great. I've got an entire article on the subject |
| friend, or as a result of a variety of other | | | | at |
| events.Which brings us to the press release.Somehow, | | | | Go there now and |
| the press release has taken on a magical reputation | | | | absorb it all. Trust me, it will make a world of |
| as | | | | difference.3. Relevance. Tie in with a news event, |
| the alpha and omega of publicity. Wanna become | | | | make yourself part of a |
| rich? Send out a | | | | trend, piggyback on a larger competitor's story, but, by |
| press release. Wanna become famous? Press | | | | all |
| release. Wanna get | | | | means, make your story part of a picture that's bigger |
| on the cover of Newsweek? Press release.Publicity | | | | than just |
| "gurus" are springing up all over the Internet touting | | | | your company. Stories that exist in a vacuum quickly |
| the press release as the answer to all marketing ills. | | | | run out of |
| Just | | | | oxygen.4. Persistence. Sending out a press release |
| knock out a release, mass e-mail it to journalists, sit | | | | and waiting for |
| back and | | | | results is lazy and ineffective. If you really believe in |
| wait for Oprah to call.It's a cruel joke.Here's the reality: | | | | your |
| the press release is no more important to | | | | story, and you believe that it's right for a particular |
| your potential of scoring free publicity than the demo | | | | media |
| tape was | | | | outlet, you need to fight to make it happen. Call or |
| to our musician friend. If he had no talent, if his songs | | | | e-mail the |
| sounded like garbage, the best recorded demo tape in | | | | editor to pitch your story BEFORE sending the |
| the world | | | | release. If one |
| wouldn't get him signed. Ditto for the publicity seeker. If | | | | editor says no, try somebody else. If they all say no, |
| you | | | | come back |
| don't have a story to tell, your press release is utterly | | | | at them with a different story angle.Getting publicity |
| worthless.I'm not knocking the press release -- it's an | | | | involves so much more than just sending out a |
| important tool. But | | | | press release. Treat it as seriously and with as much |
| it's just that: a tool. It's not the first thing you need to | | | | respect as |
| think about when it comes time to seek publicity. In | | | | our newly minted rock star treats his craft and you'll |
| fact, it's | | | | be well on |
| one of the last. And it's not even absolutely | | | | your way to success.Bill Stoller, the "Publicity Insider", |
| necessary (I've | | | | has spent two decades as |
| gotten plenty of publicity with just a pitch letter, a quick | | | | one of America's top publicists. Now, through his |
| e- | | | | website, eZine |
| mail or a phone call).If you worship at the shrine of the | | | | and subscription newsletter, Free Publicity: The |
| press release, it's time to | | | | Newsletter for |
| rearrange your priorities. Here, then, are the things that | | | | PR-Hungry Businesses he's sharing -- for the very |
| are | | | | first time -- his secrets of scoring big publicity. |