1. Stop sending press releases today. They don’t help you. Rather, most press releases reflect poorly on the companies, PR agencies, and PR professionals who send them.
2. Instead, work on positioning your pitches one-on-one to journalists, editors, broadcasters, producers and bloggers. It’s true that one-on-one communication takes more time and effort, but it’s exponentially more effective than sending bad press releases to hundreds or thousands of people blindly.
3. In your communications with the media and bloggers, explain how your product will improve their audience’s lives instead of detailing the technical specifications of your product or service.
4. Tell one customer’s particularly exciting usage story in your one-on-one pitch. Tailor the customer’s story to your media recipient. Have three to five such stories per product, using the most effective one for each media member.
5. Forget about talking points, messaging, pitching, press releases and follow-up. Just focus on helping each member of the media your deal with. Just help them.

It’s easy to stand out in this crowd. Go get ’em!

These pieces are called “Minutes” because they will always be short enough to read in about 60 seconds.

My blog features new marketing thinking and ideas, updated multiple times each week.