Comments on: Press Releases that Suck http://launchclinic.com/2008/04/23/press-releases-that-suck/ Product launch training, expertise and community Tue, 6 Jan 2009 05:34:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: John P. Kreiss http://launchclinic.com/2008/04/23/press-releases-that-suck/#comment-2138 John P. Kreiss Fri, 16 May 2008 14:34:53 +0000 http://launchclinic.com/blog/2008/04/23/press-releases-that-suck/#comment-2138 This is a great example of "what not to do" when writing press releases. Thanks for sharing. John P. Kreiss President & CEO MorganSullivan, Inc. http://www.morgansullivan.com/executive-search-blog/ This is a great example of “what not to do” when writing press releases. Thanks for sharing.

John P. Kreiss
President & CEO
MorganSullivan, Inc.
http://www.morgansullivan.com/executive-search-blog/

]]> By: David Daniels http://launchclinic.com/2008/04/23/press-releases-that-suck/#comment-1646 David Daniels Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:43:24 +0000 http://launchclinic.com/blog/2008/04/23/press-releases-that-suck/#comment-1646 Finger flub... I'd conserve words by chopping down the about us section. --D Finger flub… I’d conserve words by chopping down the about us section.

–D

]]> By: David Daniels http://launchclinic.com/2008/04/23/press-releases-that-suck/#comment-1643 David Daniels Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:42:46 +0000 http://launchclinic.com/blog/2008/04/23/press-releases-that-suck/#comment-1643 Thanks Mike. I'd conserve words by chopping down . It's half of the words in the release! --D Thanks Mike. I’d conserve words by chopping down . It’s half of the words in the release!

–D

]]> By: Mike Collado http://launchclinic.com/2008/04/23/press-releases-that-suck/#comment-1600 Mike Collado Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:11:13 +0000 http://launchclinic.com/blog/2008/04/23/press-releases-that-suck/#comment-1600 At first blush it seems that they forgot a paragraph – you know, the one that details the importance of the message to the reader. But in reviewing the company’s other releases, this is appears to be their modus operandi. Could it be that they are conserving words to manage newswire expenses? Cheekiness aside, many companies focus their PR/IR messaging inward rather than outward. Meaning, they fail to connect the dots for their audience – the 5 Ws that David mentions. Yet an outward focus is just the beginning. Truly effective PR also addresses a diverse audience that might include customers, prospects, sales partners, shareholders, media and analysts among others. PR is lot more complicated than simply throwing a chest-thumping paragraph out on the newswire. And any news is not necessarily good news… At first blush it seems that they forgot a paragraph – you know, the one that details the importance of the message to the reader. But in reviewing the company’s other releases, this is appears to be their modus operandi. Could it be that they are conserving words to manage newswire expenses?

Cheekiness aside, many companies focus their PR/IR messaging inward rather than outward. Meaning, they fail to connect the dots for their audience – the 5 Ws that David mentions.

Yet an outward focus is just the beginning. Truly effective PR also addresses a diverse audience that might include customers, prospects, sales partners, shareholders, media and analysts among others.

PR is lot more complicated than simply throwing a chest-thumping paragraph out on the newswire. And any news is not necessarily good news…

]]> By: David Daniels http://launchclinic.com/2008/04/23/press-releases-that-suck/#comment-1580 David Daniels Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:14:12 +0000 http://launchclinic.com/blog/2008/04/23/press-releases-that-suck/#comment-1580 Thanks Linda. I wasn't mean, just annoyed. This news release was just one in a long string of really bad news releases I was reading, so it put me over the top. There is so much information easily available on the web about how to construct a meaningful news release, there's no excuses any more. --D Thanks Linda. I wasn’t mean, just annoyed. This news release was just one in a long string of really bad news releases I was reading, so it put me over the top. There is so much information easily available on the web about how to construct a meaningful news release, there’s no excuses any more.

–D

]]> By: David Daniels http://launchclinic.com/2008/04/23/press-releases-that-suck/#comment-1578 David Daniels Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:08:54 +0000 http://launchclinic.com/blog/2008/04/23/press-releases-that-suck/#comment-1578 Thanks Amanda. While I don't have any reason to pick on TeknoCreations I thought their press release was a great example of what not to do. Whether you use a press release as a way to inform journalists or as a way to build links back to your website, it should at least provide who, what, why, how, when and where. --D Thanks Amanda. While I don’t have any reason to pick on TeknoCreations I thought their press release was a great example of what not to do. Whether you use a press release as a way to inform journalists or as a way to build links back to your website, it should at least provide who, what, why, how, when and where.

–D

]]> By: Linda VandeVrede http://launchclinic.com/2008/04/23/press-releases-that-suck/#comment-1565 Linda VandeVrede Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:40:08 +0000 http://launchclinic.com/blog/2008/04/23/press-releases-that-suck/#comment-1565 I agree with Amanda. Let's not be mean :) I will say, however, that I read press releases with AP style in mind, and titles such as "President" should only be capitalized when they come before the formal name, e.g. President Bruce Palmer. If they follow the name, they should be lower case, e.g. Bruce Palmer, president, said....and so on. It really behooves companies to buy the AP Stylebook. I agree with Amanda. Let’s not be mean :) I will say, however, that I read press releases with AP style in mind, and titles such as “President” should only be capitalized when they come before the formal name, e.g. President Bruce Palmer. If they follow the name, they should be lower case, e.g. Bruce Palmer, president, said….and so on. It really behooves companies to buy the AP Stylebook.

]]> By: Amanda Vega http://launchclinic.com/2008/04/23/press-releases-that-suck/#comment-1562 Amanda Vega Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:55:59 +0000 http://launchclinic.com/blog/2008/04/23/press-releases-that-suck/#comment-1562 Hey! Don't be so mean! The press agent did a good job of, well, um, hmmm...cutting and pasting the boilerplate (which also isn't clear even to a supernerd like me) into the release! My favorite part is that it's "best of breed" and "cutting-edge" just like everyone else. Too bad they missed "enterprise class" which is always on the top 5 list of terms press agencies love to use. Great post, David! Hey! Don’t be so mean! The press agent did a good job of, well, um, hmmm…cutting and pasting the boilerplate (which also isn’t clear even to a supernerd like me) into the release!

My favorite part is that it’s “best of breed” and “cutting-edge” just like everyone else. Too bad they missed “enterprise class” which is always on the top 5 list of terms press agencies love to use. Great post, David!

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