What do you call a generic pitch sent out to hundreds of strangers hoping that
one will bite? Spam. That's what press releases are too: generic pitches for
coverage sent out to hundreds of journalists you don't know, hoping that one will
write about you.
Let's dissect the purpose of a press release for a moment: It's something you
send out because you want to be noticed. You want the press to pick up on your
new company, product, service, announcement, or whatever. You want them to
be excited enough to write a story about you.
But press releases are a terrible way to accomplish that. They're tired and
formulaic. There's nothing exciting about them. Journalists sift through dozens a
day. They wind up buried under an avalanche of hyperbolic headlines and fake
quotes from CEOs. Everything is labeled sensational, revolutionary,
groundbreaking, and amazing. It's numbing.
If you want to get someone's attention, it's silly to do exactly the same thing as
everyone else. You need to stand out. So why issue press releases like everyone
else does? Why spam journalists when their inbox is already filled with other
people's spam?
Furthermore, a press release is generic. You write it once and then send it to
tons of reporters--people whom you don't know and who don't know you. And
your first introduction is this vague, generic note you also send to everyone else?
Is that the impression you want to make? Is that really going to get you the
story?
Instead, call someone. Write a personal note. If you read a story about a
similar company or product, contact the journalist who wrote it. Pitch her with
some passion, some interest, some life. Do something meaningful. Be
remarkable. Stand out. Be unforgettable. That's how you'll get the best coverage.