I've got a beef with press releases. Simply stating my disregard probably will stir up a certain amount of controversy because releases remain a go-to in the industry. I welcome the controversy if it will help put an end to poor industry practices and make my clients less likely to ask for pointless releases in the future.

So this post kicks off an occasional series that will explain my beef and attempt to stop the insanity.

Reason #1 Why Press Releases Aren't Always the Answer:
Too often, a release is nothing more than heaping piles of fluff 'n' stuff (to put it nicely) covering for a lack of real news. If there is real news, a simple e-mail to the right reporter with the raw information -- rather than a front-and-back, droning, produced piece with a headline no editor would ever use and "approved" quotes no reporter worth her salt would ever run -- would be enough to get press.

The reason many restaurants pass on this direct approach in favor of blasting a release is that the raw information that would comprise a real news story so often isn't available. So publicists conjure up tomfoolery about their client's "innovative new food concept" or what have you.

The bottom line: Reporters want information they can turn into a story. Give them that, and they will love you.

They also want stories no one else is doing. So in my next post on press releases, I'm going to talk about what's blast-worthy and what's better left to one-on-one outreach. Don't ignore it just because I told you the punchline.