Rework jason fried

Press releases are spam 
 
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 

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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. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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