Your Press Release Sucks. Here's Why...

[Paul Hartunian]

Hi Warriors,

There have been many posts from people who are having a hard time getting publicity for their business, website, product, etc.

The problem is very simple. It's your press release.

So, I've started a series of postings on my publicity blog titled "Your Press Release Sucks. Here's Why..."

I have two installments posted as of today. Another one goes up tomorrow.

It's free to read. No sign up, no name capture, nothing. Just quality, free information.

Enjoy it and profit from it.

[Justin Mandel]

You've got some good articles and make some great points Paul!

[BrianMcLeod]

Great stuff, Paul...

This is pure gold:

Reporters are looking for one thing and one thing only. They’re looking for quality information they can pass along to their readers, viewers and/or listeners. And I’ll tell you what, Skippy, that quality information has nothing to do with you.

It has everything to do with what you know.

Did you get that?

The reporters don’t want to know you. They want to know what you know. They want to know what information you have that they can pass along to their audiences.

So, if you’re an author, they couldn’t care less that you have a new book out. They couldn’t care less that you want everyone to help you get that book to #1 on Amazon. They couldn’t care less that you have a “story that must be told”.

The ONLY thing they care about is what information in that book would be valuable to their audiences.

And what follows it is even MORE important...

Gonna sub to your feed for sure.

Best,

Brian

[Jared Alberghini]

Originally Posted by Paul Hartunian

Jared,

I have no problem posting the information here. The reason I direct people to my blog is that there's a lot of information and I'm going to continue to post more. I didn't want to jam up this forum with repeated posts.

If you'd prefer the information be posted here, just let me know.

Paul

Nevermind Paul, my bad... I just checked out your stuff and you are right, no sense in cluttering the forum up... there is too much great info you have at your blog to put into 'short' posts here.

I really liked this statement in your second installment:

So, if you want your press releases not to suck, SHUT UP! Get to the point. Have something interesting to say. Have quality information to share. And keep in mind that there’s got to be something in it for the person who’s going to post your press release, give you air time or write a story about you.

Jared

[jms.mrtn]

You make a few really great points, Thanks

[Anna Johnson]

Thanks Paul - it's great to have a PR master like you contributing to the Warrior Forum.

The best education I got in writing press releases was when we started publishing some IT security newsletters several years ago and began receiving press releases en masse from lots of companies and PR firms.

Since I had to wade through all those press releases and choose which ones we were going to use for stories, I began to get a good feel for the qualities of a good press release. Today we are back in the newsletter game and again sifting through material to work out what to publish.

Here are three recommendations that come to mind for Internet marketers wanting to get media exposure for their stories:

1. Newsworthiness - the story has to be Interesting with a capital 'i' for our readers. This means two things: target your stories appropriately (sorry, your latest ebook about 3 ways to make money online may be interesting to some, but not for our readers) and say something new/different/controversial.

2. Not self-serving - don't tell me how great your product or company is. Tell me what you or your product can do for our readers. And when you do so - no hype or fluff please. Ideally, give us some tidbits that give our readers an 'a-ha' moment.

3. Easy for us to use - write your press release as if YOU are a journalist writing a news story. Give us the who, what, when, where, why, how and throw in some quotes, as well as your contact info. Why? Like it or not, your job is to make journalists' and publishers' jobs easier. So (a) use the standard press release format, (b) write clearly and simply so we understand what you're talking about, and, ideally, (c) to give us an angle.

We may or may not model your press release, but if you follow this format you'll have a greater likelihood of success.

[TimCastleman]

Guys Paul is a true "legend" in the business. If you Google his name you'll see page after page after page of people gushing about him and his products.

Add me to the list - I made $2,000 off a single press release that was the result of listening to Paul's program.

Listen and learn my friends.

[GeorgettaSterling]

Paul, that's an excellent article! You have a number of interesting PR-related articles on your blog. Thanks for the perspective.

Another Warrior, Dana_W, has also written a a free ebook on PR that I am finding very helpful as a beginner in this area. It is on offer as a free WSO right now - I don't know if posting a direct link is kosher, but if you look through Dana's posts you will find it:
http://www.warriorforum.com/search.php?searchid=786980

I think Dana's book provides some very helpful background to the mindset material that you are presenting at your blog, Paul. You've been a PR guru for quite a few years now, haven't you? My Google search of you has revealed A LOT of good "How to Craft a Press Release" articles from you (folks, honestly, try Googling "Paul Hartunian", lots of good free stuff out there!).

Thanks again!

Regards, Georgetta