I Hate Press Releases

Blank Faces by Rommel Adao
Blank Faces / Rommel Adao

This is part rant, part advice.

I don’t write this post as if my needs were everyone’s.

But it’s frustrating to see authors AND PUBLISHERS—who probably have little time and resource to begin with—wasting their time by contacting bloggers (and others in the media) with dead-on-arrival press releases.

Let’s back up for a moment.

What kind of press releases do I receive?

I receive announcements primarily about new books, new products, and site launches. I also get information about author-experts who are available for interview.

When I say “press release,” I’m referring strictly to an e-mail announcement that is neither addressed to me personally (beyond an automated greeting line) nor is it seeking to serve me or my audience. It is looking to get something out of me: coverage on my blog or social network.

Why are the press releases I receive typically ineffective?

They are part of a huge and impersonal blast, hoping that a few hits will justify a send to hundreds or thousands of e-mail addresses. For instance, I receive regular blasts from book publishers announcing new releases. But it’s hard to feel any excitement at receiving such an announcement when it is not tailored to me, my blog, or my audience. Such releases demand that I make the connection—that I figure out the right angle or fit.

Bad press releases:

  • Do not address me personally
  • Don’t show awareness of my blog or site
  • Are far too long, wordy, or boring
  • Ask me to spend valuable time evaluating something I don’t trust yet (e.g., “Review this book!”)
  • Put limitations on what I can or can’t do
  • Do not propose any specific action steps for me to take
  • Focus on the author/publisher

In other words, I am not treated like a real connection.

Here’s an example of a good e-mail I received from a publicist. This was a cold contact, meaning we had never before been in touch. (This is an independent publicist, not a publicist working for a book publisher.)

Hi Jane.

I follow you everywhere and enjoy everything and always learn!

My client, Rochelle Melander, has her 10th book coming out on October 18 from Writer’s Digest Books.

The title is Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days (and live to tell about it). Just in time for NaNoWriMo. Rochelle wrote the first draft of this book during NaNoWriMo 2009.

Rochelle’s website is www.writenowcoach.com for more info about the book.

We have a press release, bio and book trailer ready to go. Review copies are available digitally and by mail. We like giveaways of the book if that interests you.

Thanks for your kind consideration and I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Dindy Yokel

[contact info]

This is short and to the point. It’s clearly suited to my blog and audience. The publicist and author are interested in doing giveaways, but I’m not, so I replied and said I prefer to run excerpts of new releases rather than review them. Anyone watching my blog for a week or two would catch onto the pattern—but that’s OK. It was easy to reply, and it felt like this would be an easy thing to run. Once I had a digital review copy in hand, I had control over selecting the best excerpt for my audience. And that’s exactly what happened. Easy, fast, and satisfying for all.

Here are 5 reasons I say “yes” to coverage of a book, product/service, website, or author on my blog.

  1. Strong, quality content that will appeal to my audience
  2. I don’t have to “work” for the content or create it myself, except in the case of Q&As. (But I usually only run Q&As with authors whom I know already to some extent—or can easily research. I put time and thought into drafting the questions.)
  3. I believe in the author’s message, or at least I think it’s worth considering/listening to
  4. The content is not going to be duplicated on everyone else’s site/blog
  5. I have some control in selection of the content (I choose the excerpt, headline, etc)

Yes, I pay more attention to appeals coming from people I know, or those who are referred to me by people I trust. But I’m happy to be pitched by strangers if I think their content or message is strong and suited to my audience. If I think the content is suspect, even if it’s coming from someone I know and trust, I will either reject it or edit it until it’s advice or instruction that I would feel comfortable delivering into people’s inboxes.

Back to the rant: I’ve read trend pieces on whether or not the press release is dead. Sometimes I wish they would die, but I also realize they still have a role to play in disseminating official information quickly to specific media channels. But no publicist worth his/her salt ought to be blasting out mediocre requests for coverage to a list of near-strangers. It wastes everyone’s time.

I’ll always remember publicist Dana Kaye answering a question at the Midwest Writers Workshop, from a writer who asked her how big her contact list is. Kaye rightly pointed out that it’s not list size that matters, it’s the list quality. Who will actually read her e-mails or take her calls? Can she get people to pay attention? Does she have meaningful connections on that list?

That’s where the real value lies—NOT in how many people you can reach with a generic message.

 

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Florence Fois

Thanks, Jane. I wonder what you think of blog “tours.” I know that the writers in two of my groups announce releases on our two Facebook pages (RWA-WF and GIAM with Amy Atwell) and that is in a way of supporting each other’s successes. The blog tours are supposed to be replacing the book tours, especially those who are e-pub’d … and I have guested authors on my blog … I am still unsure as to whether this works since we are all talking to each other and not “readers.”

Jane Friedman

Blog tours are fabulous, in theory. But what happens so often is what you’ve just identified: an echo chamber. You’re all talking to the same community of writers, rather than expanding your audience, or finding readers.

It doesn’t mean the effort is wasted—you never know how word of mouth will spread—but each author should make an effort to find online communities that aren’t *writing* communities.

Jill Kemerer

I wish all authors with a book coming out would read this. I often get requests from authors to promote their books, and a few things factor in for me.

1. Does their genre or online presence directly oppose my values (I write for the inspirational market)?

2. Is this author someone I have interacted with online–maybe it’s an author who hasn’t made an effort with me personally but who clearly supports writers–I would be inclined to help this person out. But if she is a debut author and I have supported her by following her blog, leaving comments, and connecting on Twitter/Facebook, but she has not shown me the same courtesy, I’m less likely to oblige.
 
I rarely review books due to the time factor, but I love promoting other authors through my weekly interview series.

Like you said, a few minutes of research and personalizing the request makes a huge difference. I write inspirational romance–not something your audience is exactly reading your blog for!! It would be a waste of your time and mine for me to ask you to feature one of my books. Likewise, someone who writes erotica could see in thirty seconds that my blog would not be a good fit for them. 🙂

Have a wonderful weekend, and thanks for the great tips!

Jane Friedman

Thanks for the wonderful comment, Jill. Right on!

Aaf Aslam

Jane I couldn’t agree with you more. As Editor of a free literary magazine that aims to promote new writers, I’ve often come under pressure to promote the magazine anywhere and everywhere. Many people think that if you just vomit the information all over the net, something’s bound to come out of it. After having read Gladwell’s ‘The Tipping Point’ several years ago, however, I’ve been stuck on the notion of relevant pitching to the right people, i.e. people who have access to reading and writing networks. I’m interested in building a readership and reaching places where promising writers ‘hang’. I’m interested in building brand awareness, if one can speak of that for a literary magazine.

It’s a tough concept to work with because suddenly you’re sending out time consuming, personalised emails and looking much harder for whom to pitch to. But after a grace period in which you’re painstakingly piecing together that “quality list”, I’m pretty sure it’s worth it.

Thanks for your great blogposts, btw. I’ve already saved several because they’re so useful for our magazine!!! Will let you know if any of your advice winds up getting returns for our little labour of love.

Jane Friedman

Yes!! I agree—coming up with that quality list takes time, but it’s worth its weight in gold.

Really appreciate you taking the time to comment. Thank you!

K McGill

Great stuff Jane. Appreciate the heads up. 

Jane Friedman

🙂 Thanks for reading!

Debbie Ohi

yesyesYES!!! So agree with this post. ESPECIALLY THE LAST LINE.

Jane Friedman

😀  Appreciate the comment!

Vanessa Leavitt

This is GREAT advice. As a blogger, I get a lot of requests to review books. Unfortunately in this day and age, we are bombarded with so much information that a impersonal press release just isn’t going to catch me the same way a simple personal request would.

Jane Friedman

You said it.

Anne R. Allen

Say it, sister! Every blogger who does reviews or has a lot of traffic will relate. If I get a request to publicize anybody who isn’t a follower or a regular commenter on my blog, it goes in the trash. I feel the same way about blogs with tiny readerships who offer me the “opportunity” to guest on their blogs. Why would I write for a stranger’s tiny audience when I have a large one of my own? If you have no relationship with the blogger, don’t bother her! 

Jane Friedman

Yes! That’s another annoyance—request for guest posts as well as Q&As. Doing it right takes a lot of time, so there needs to be a significant benefit if I’m not actively promoting a product/book/service.

Jennifer Vanderslice

I’m glad you told me so I won’t bother you in the future with any press releases about the authors I represent.  I’m sure you’re as relieved as I am! 😉

Jane Friedman

Indeed! Thank you.

Liz Jansen

Hi Jane,

Your timing is impeccable.  As a new author getting ready to launch her first book, there’s a steep learning curve to master. With so many details to focus on, there’s no point wasting time or resources on anything that’s not value-added.  Thanks for your words of wisdom.

Jane Friedman

Thanks, Liz! Appreciate you stopping by and commenting.

Irving Podolsky

You know, Jane, I don’t think there is one person on the planet that doesn’t want or need something from someone else. It’s the BIG GAME, the competition is fierce, and it’s natural.

So with all the ASKING going around, (and it doesn’t matter where you are in the food chain), I feel like I’ll never get to the head of line. And if I do, I feel awkward asking for favors. It just doesn’t feel like a natural happening.

That’s why I try to steer clear of the solicitations. I’ve found it’s much easier to GIVE, and make an impression that way, then to press for attention. The rejection is much less, and it makes me less dependent on evaluation coming from others.

That said, I still need help. But I’d rather trade for it than get it than just get it.

Irv

Jane Friedman

I’d say the best way to get a favor from someone (whether asking for it or not) is to give them something first!

Taking a REALLY big-picture view: Michael Ellsberg just released a book called THE EDUCATION OF MILLIONAIRES, which focuses on how people without a college education are able to succeed. Much of it depends on this strange thing called networking, and getting favors from the more powerful. You might enjoy. Try it out here: http://www.ellsberg.com/