I've blogged before about how to get more coverage in a newspaper through proper photos, how to write usable press releases and how to approach interviews.
Adding to the press release issue, I'd like to point out a minor crime that many companies commit: hyperbole and superfluous cliche.
To explain what I'm talking about, here's a press release that came in this morning. It's about a British company that has appointed a new Irish CEO. But it uses tired hyperbolic cliche that means nothing. (I've added parentheses to make the point.)
New CEO commented: "It's an exciting [as opposed to a boring] time to be joining [this company] in the UK and to be given the opportunity to lead our next stage of development. While the overall current business environment is tough [because it was so easy before], our exceptional [and not dull, ordinary] and innovative services are focused on supporting UK businesses [as opposed to denigrating them] through this challenging and uncertain [as opposed to unchallenging and blithely predictable] period. Our market leading practical [and not impractical] and customisable solutions are already supporting thousands of UK businesses to make better and more informed decisions [and definitely not worse ones]. I am proud [as opposed to ashamed or mortified] of the strong partnerships we have with our clients and this is something I want to build on [rather than destroy]. "
New CEO's board boss commented: "I'm delighted [as opposed to appalled] to have someone of CEO's caliber on board. He is an accomplished business leader, is entrepreneurial in attitude and will bring great strength and experience to compliment the existing management team [because they didn't have great strength and experience before]."
To whoever wrote this release, I would urge you to monitor the press coverage (if any) that this gets to see how many of these cliches and hyperbole get into the article text. I'll wager it's zero.
Adrian
Some very valid points, however it would be more interesting to see how you would have re-written it
Michele
Posted by: Michele Neylon | February 25, 2009 at 11:05 AM
Might come back to that (when I get time)
Posted by: Yourtech | February 25, 2009 at 11:23 AM