Montoya Kejser

An artist uses years honing his craft. H-e writes world-class songs and works them in a manner that moves his listeners to tears. He documents a demo tape and sends it to record labels. H-e gets a contract and becomes rich, popular and admired.

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

Wait, you say, the test tape was just an instrument, just his means of transferring his expertise. It's his power as an artist that got him the agreement and made him popular.

You're right, needless to say. H-e might have become just like famous if a record executive found him in person, or found out about him from a friend, or as a result of a number of other events.

Which brings us to the press release.

Somehow, the press release has taken on a magical status as the alpha and omega of promotion. Want to become rich? Distribute a press release. Wanna become famous? News release. Want to get on the cover of Newsweek? Press release.

Advertising 'gurus' are springing up all online offering the press release since the solution to all marketing ills. Only knock-out a launch, mass email it to journalists, sit back and watch for Oprah to call.

It's a cruel joke.

Here is the reality: the news release is no longer important to your potential of rating free advertising than the demo tape was to the musician friend. If he had no skill, if his songs sounded like waste, the most effective recorded test tape in the world would not get him signed. Ditto for the publicity seeker. If you do not have a story to tell, your press release is absolutely worthless.

I am perhaps not knocking the pr release -- it is an important resource. But it is just that: a tool. It is perhaps not the first thing you need to think about when it comes time to seek publicity. In fact, it is among the last. And it is not really absolutely necessary (I have gotten plenty of publicity with merely a pitch letter, an instant e-mail or a telephone call). If you have an opinion about illness, you will seemingly want to study about http://www.kiwibox.com/injurylawyerqsb/blog/.

If you worship at the shrine of the press release, it's time and energy to arrange your priorities. Here, then, are things that are MORE essential than a news release in building publicity:

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