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by G.A.
"Andy" Marken
Marken
Communications
Common
Faults
(Continued)
If
you analyze any business-oriented
product category, it can't
possibly be of interest to 200-300
business and trade publication
readers. Yet a common practice
with people who relate quantity to
quality, and who weigh clippings
by the pound, is to cast spam
releases to the four winds in hope
that someone, somewhere will
find something of interest and
print their gems of creative
genius.
Even
firms that are able to find
information and present it in a
way that might interest the
editors often fall short when it
comes time to getting the piece
out. Commonly voiced editors'
complaints include:
- Hand-delivering
a release to an editor to make
certain that he or she
receives it.
- Reading
a release to the editor over
the phone.
- Simultaneously
giving the release to four or
more editors at the same
publication.
- Emailing
the release and then calling
to make certain that the
editor received it, or calling
to ask if it's okay to a
release.
- Meaningless
personal notes accompanying a
release.
- Excessively
long releases.
- Cute,
meaningless and trivial notes
in an email before the editor
gets to the message.
- Spamming
the release to 50-100+ editors
listing all of their
names/addresses before the
reporter can get to the reason
for the email.
- Embedding
the release in the email and
attaching an HTML copy that
must be downloaded and usually
discarded before it is open
(no one trusts unsolicited
attachments any more).
- Requesting
that no changes be made in the
release copy.
- Expecting
clippings of the printed
release.
- Manipulatively
pointing it out when the firm
is also an advertiser.
Few
public relations professionals can
honestly say that they haven't
been guilty of one or more of
these areas at one time or
another. Actually, we're a lot
like our editorial counterparts --
we work hard to get an item placed
that we feel is newsworthy. But
this is a far cry from the
marketing neophyte who feels that
he or she has a hidden talent for
writing and placing
"masterpieces" for a
company.
Publicity is a Powerful Tool
An
organized, well-executed publicity
program which is integrated into a
firm's overall effort can reap
handsome results. It can:
- Make
readers aware of the company,
its products, its capabilities
- Pave
the way for the sales force
- Help
explore new potential markets
- Build
relations with current
customers
- Establish
a stronger position with the
financial community
If
the company isn't serious in
looking for this beneficial
coverage, then it can let a clerk
or junior member of the
organization handle publicity and
news releases. However, it has
always been my opinion that good
publicity deserves priority
attention, as it can result in
better bottom-line profits for the
company.
First page > Amateurism
Hurts Us All > Page 1,
2
Prior
to forming Marken Communications
in mid-1977, Andy Marken was vice
president of Bozell & Jacobs
and its predecessor
agencies. Marken
Communications is a full-service
agency that concentrates on
business-to-business market
planning, positioning,
development, and communications.
For more information, visit www.markencom.com
or write Andy@markencom.com
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