October 5, 2011

Tip #184: Piggyback

If your news can’t stand on its own, trying to attach it to another passing story won’t help.

Hi Rafe,

The new Siri app for the iPhone 4S does almost everything… almost. That’s where [[company's]] newest [[clever name]] case comes in. Designed for the iPhone 4 (but a perfect fit for the 4S too), the slim smartphone case that includes space for cards and cash… So after Siri reminds you to stop at the bank, you’ll have somewhere to stash your cash.

This very typical example takes a hot news item and over-leverages it to pitch something that seems, at least to this jaded writer, completely unrelated. The announcement of a new voice-control technology for the iPhone cannot reasonably be used to pitch an iPhone case, unless you’re writing Sky Mall catalog copy. Just send us the product news, if there is any. Leave the sophomore analysis to us; it’s what we’re paid for.

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Filed under Email

September 30, 2011

Tip #183: A show of force is not necessary

I dialed into a conference bridge yesterday to interview a startup CEO. The conference call robot told me, “There are five people already in conference.” That’s right: One guy to talk and demo, and four generic PR handlers to listen in.

I felt like a patient in a teaching hospital.

Also, I don’t think the PR people liked it when I told the CEO, “Dude, you’re being overcharged.” But, man, four handlers for one little reporter interview? Come on.

See also:
Tip #46: Uh-huh

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Filed under Meetings

September 28, 2011

Tip #182: The more you write, the less I read

If it can be said in five words, might I suggest that using 87 is overkill?

LIVERMORE, CA and SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ–(Marketwire – Sep 7, 2011) – Addressing retailers’ desire to leverage the power and performance of the latest mobile devices to drive transaction efficiencies, improve operational visibility and in-store customer engagement, Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, and Global Bay Mobile Technologies, a leading provider of next-generation mobile retail software, have partnered to provide retailers running heritage Epicor® software solutions with an innovative and comprehensive suite of mobile retail applications. (MarketWire)

Via Stuart Dredge on Twitter

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Filed under Common sense

September 15, 2011

Tip #181: Nobody cares about penmanship anymore

Except when you do this.

Here's a tip: Don't have your 6-year-old address envelopes you send press releases in.

2 Comments

Filed under Common sense

September 14, 2011

Tip #180: Sounds like one thing, is another

As I’ve said before, it’s not good if a person can’t tell how to spell your company when they hear the name. But it’s a lot worse if it clearly sounds like a thing it isn’t. Example: I just saw the demo for GoSteals. At the very least, the CEO should also have bought GhostDeals, which is what I thought the company was called until the slide came up.

Be clear in all things.

2 Comments

Filed under Common sense

September 12, 2011

Tip #179: I wish I did, but I didn’t

No, I did not hang up on you. I’m on an iPhone and you called my Google Voice number. What did you expect?

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Filed under Phone

September 8, 2011

Tip #178: Fool me once

This one pains me.

When you say you’re going to do something, like send a review unit, do it.

If you forget you said you were going to send a unit, and you pitch me again a month later, and I remind you of our conversation, and you say, sorry, I’ll really send it this time, then really send it.

If, a month after that, having neither sent the product nor checked in, you pitch me again as if we’ve never spoken, you do not get to say, when I remind you of our first and second conversations, “I requested a sample and am sorry to hear it did not arrive.”

There is no recovery from this.

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Filed under Common sense, Email, Relationships

September 7, 2011

Tip #177: When they say, “viral marketing,” this is not what they mean

A new classic from the Dept. of Emails We Never Finished Reading:

Did you know that touchscreen devices actually hold just as much germs as a toilet seat handle in a men’s restroom?!

[etc...]

Good to know. Actually, not really.

Related tips:
Tip #161: Don’t gross yourself out
Tip #168: There is a right answer and a wrong answer

1 Comment

Filed under Email

September 6, 2011

Tip #176: There’s only one of me

Get a grip on your email autoblaster, please.

2 Comments

Filed under Email

August 1, 2011

Tip #175: Save the stalking for Facebook

Just wondering: Did Constant Contact also tell that I opened your email and deleted it already?

Hi Rafe,

I am the PR Coordinator for [[company]]. I was able to see through Constant Contact that you opened my e-mail yesterday (creepy, right?) that contained our newest press release, and I wanted to follow up with you.

Also did it tell you that when I clicked on the URL in your email pitch (before I deleted it), what I got was, “Your search did not return an exact match. Please try another search?”

Right.

So, to answer your question: Yes, it’s creepy. I don’t think that’s what you want. Unless you’re pitching a horror film.

Further reading:
Tip #82: Nag
Tip #105: One last check

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Filed under Common sense, Email