Lundgren Silverman

A musician spends years honing his craft. H-e writes world-class songs and performs them in a fashion that moves his listeners to tears. H-e records a demo tape and sends it to record labels. H-e gets a deal and becomes rich, famous and admired.

The lesson: demo tapes are the secret of becoming a famous artist.

Wait, you say, the test tape was just an instrument, just his method of transferring his talent. It's his ability as an artist that got him the contract and made him popular.

You're right, needless to say. H-e might have become just as popular if a record executive saw him personally, or found out about him from a friend, or as a result of a number of other activities.

Which brings us to the news release.

Somehow, the news release has taken o-n a status because the alpha and omega of promotion. Want to become rich? Send a news release. Wanna become popular? Press release. Want to get o-n the cover of Newsweek? Press release.

Press 'gurus' are springing up all on the internet offering the news release since the solution to all marketing problems. Just knock out a release, large email it to writers, sit back and wait for Oprah to call.

It's a cruel joke.

Here is the reality: the press release is no more important to your potential of scoring free advertising than the demo tape was to our artist friend. Identify new information on this affiliated link by navigating to GoMobile Solutions Damien Zamora Endorses Press Advantage. If he'd no ability, if his songs sounded like garbage, the best recorded demo tape on the planet wouldn't get him signed. Ditto for the publicity seeker. Unless you have an account to tell, your press release is absolutely useless.

I am maybe not knocking the news release -- it's a significant resource. But it is just that: a tool. It is perhaps not the first thing you need to take into consideration when it comes time to seek promotion. In reality, it's among the last. And it's not really essential (I have gotten a lot of publicity with merely a pitch letter, a quick e-mail or perhaps a phone call).

If you worship at the shrine of the press release, it is time to rearrange your priorities. Here, then, are things that are MORE essential than the usual press release in making publicity:

1. A story. This is the equiv