Damborg Hansson

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

The lesson: demo tapes would be the secret of becoming a famous artist. Clicking leed green building perhaps provides suggestions you can use with your aunt.

Wait, you say, the test tape was just something, just his way of conveying his expertise. It is his ability as a musician that got him the agreement and made him popular.

You are right, obviously. To discover more, consider glancing at: consumers. H-e could have become just like popular if a record executive found him personally, or heard about him from a friend, or as a result of a variety of other events.

Which brings us to the news release.

Somehow, the news release has had on a status while the alpha and omega of advertising. Wanna become rich? Distribute a press release. Wanna become popular? News release. Want to get o-n the cover of Newsweek? Press release.

Promotion 'gurus' are springing up all online touting the news release while the answer to all marketing ills. Just knock out a release, mass email it to journalists, sit back and await Oprah to call.

It's a cruel joke.

Here's the reality: the press release is no longer important to your potential of rating free advertising than the test tape was to our musician friend. If he had no skill, if his songs sounded like waste, the very best recorded demo tape on earth wouldn't get him signed. Ditto for the publicity seeker. If you don't have a story to tell, your press release is utterly worthless.

I am maybe not knocking the press release -- it's an important instrument. However it is simply that: a tool. It's maybe not the first thing you will need to take into consideration when it comes time to get publicity. In fact, it's one of the last. And it's not really absolutely necessary (I have gotten plenty of advertising with merely a pitch letter, a quick e-mail or perhaps a call).

If you worship at the shrine of the press release, it is time to rearrange your priorities. Here, then, are what are MORE crucial than the usual press release in creating publicity:

1. A story. This is actually the equiv