In the world of Web 2.0, some PR agencies have tried to address this issue with newfangled formats. But ultimately it’s not about the format, it’s about the content. And I can tell you from experience as both a reporter and a public relations consultant, there are eight ways I can usually tell that a press release is bullshit.
1. Vague claims. Are you a “leading” provider of this, that or the other? So’s everybody else. Is your product the “first ever” of its kind? That’s strange — so’s Larry’s product, Moe’s product and Curly’s product.
Be specific. Provide details. Quantify. Source your data. Where appropriate, include a quote from a third party to verify your claims.
I can say I have a Great Dane named Ginger who weighs 130 pounds, as measured by the Corner Pet Clinic. Or, I can say I have a really big dog. Go with the former — or I’ll probably assume your release is bullshit.
2. Industry jargon abuse. Some press releases overuse technical jargon. This communicates that what you’re announcing is so inside-baseball that only about three reporters on the entire planet could possibly care about it. So why did you send it to 2,000?
Other press releases misuse jargon. This generally means that the junior PR person who wrote the release doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about, and the company didn’t bother to run it by the technical people who do.
Can you hear that? It’s the sound of a thousand delete buttons being pressed at once.
3. Business nonsense talk. Paradigm shift. Scalable. Best of breed. End to end. Mission-critical. World-class. Targeted completion date. Long tail. Crowdsourcing. Any of the words in this company description.
OK, pick two — because if you use any more than two of these cliches and buzzwords in a release, I’ll probably call bullshit.
4. Silly superlatives. If what you were announcing were really “revolutionary,” you wouldn’t need to put out a press release, Holmes. Tone it down.
5. Bait and switch. When the release promises something in the lead that is inconsistent with the rest of the release, it’s DOA. In fact, it just might backfire by raising a reporter’s investigative hackles.
For example, if you send me a release hailing your company’s “strategic restructuring” (see No. 3 above) in the first paragraph, then bury the layoff of 1,000 people in the sixth paragraph, I probably won’t care to hear anything you have to tell me. But I just might decide to contact some employees to get the real story on the layoff.
6. Tortured topicality. If your company is so bereft of actual news that you have to hang your press releases on obscure ties to holidays and current events, I probably won’t get past the headline. Don’t bother.
7. Off-brand wire distribution. PR Newswire and Business Wire are the gold standard when it comes to news release distribution (with PRWeb coming on strong as a Web visibility tool). If I see one of their names at the top of the release, I know you’ve spent a few bucks to get out your news. That means you’re probably a real company and just might have real news.
If, on the other hand, I come across your release via a free service — where any schmoe can put out a release — I’ll probably assume it’s bullshit. You get what you pay for.
8. Clumsy e-mail distribution. If I receive your release in my inbox twice — or, say, 11 times — I question how carefully I’ve been targeted as a recipient. If you don’t even bother to put my name on the correspondence, I know I haven’t been targeted at all. Delete, delete.
So do yourself a favor and keep your press releases straightforward in structure, clear in language, and supported by facts. Practice this consistently, and reporters will be less likely to give your announcements a one-way ticket to the recycle bin.

I don’t cut hair for a living, but I have been getting my locks sheared monthly for the past 40 years. And I’ve known enough hairdressers in my day to have ascertained their Seven Secrets to Career Contentment.
I’m sure they won’t mind if I share them.
1. Be yourself. Hairdressers are individuals; they are not only allowed, but encouraged, to show off their individuality in the workplace. From blue hair to dreadlocks, bare midriffs to button-downs, you can find it all at most salons. And hairdressers can be themselves in their conversations with clients, too.
In your own work, it doesn’t need to be blue hair. But you do need to be able to share your personality, thoughts and feelings openly with those around you. If you sacrifice this because you’re in a corporate environment where you think it would be frowned upon, you may succeed in climbing that company’s ladder — but probably at the expense of your happiness.
2. Be creative. Hairdressing is a creative job. New styles are emerging all the time, and hairdressers have the opportunity to learn them and create their own variations for clients. They also get clients who plop down in the styling chair and announce: “I’m bored — I want to try something completely different!”
Wouldn’t it be great if you could plop down in your chair at your next staff meeting and say the same thing? All of us need some outlet for creativity in our work — and companies that encourage and reward this creativity, rather than insisting on hierarchy and conformity, tend to have the happiest employees. Ultimately, however, your happiness is in your hands, not your employer’s. You can almost always find ways to contribute new ideas if you try hard enough.
3. Set short-term goals. Hairdressers coiffure several clients a day; usually, the client departs with a smile and a thank you. Mission accomplished.
In a corporate setting, it’s not that easy. We often work on long-term projects where we might not get the satisfaction of completion for weeks or months. But if you make a point to set daily or short-term goals for yourself and accomplish them along the way, you’ll feel better about your work. If you’re in an office environment where such incremental achievements are acknowledged by bosses and co-workers, that’s even better.
4. Be social. Hairdressing is a social profession. Stylists spend all day chatting with their co-workers and clients. Studies show the opportunity to talk and listen to others reduces work stress, in addition to building a sense of belonging.
The lesson here: Don’t spend all day in front of your PC with your office door shut. Don’t be lazy and communicate with colleagues exclusively by e-mail, either; it may seem faster and less of a hassle, but ultimately you may begin to feel isolated. Get up and talk to people — and listen to them, too.
5. Form relationships. A hairdresser’s clients can be very loyal, trusting their hairstyle to one person for years. Stylists pride themselves on their ability to retain their clients — even as they move from salon to salon over the course of their careers. These bonds can become highly personal and meaningful, as stylists and clients share the intimate details of their lives over time.
In the business world, too many people are afraid to form real, honest friendships — either with their colleagues or their clients. “What if I have to fire him someday?” an exec might argue. “What if I tell her something that she uses against me when we are vying for the same promotion?” a young worker might say. “What if I want to seem tough and no-nonsense at work, because I think that will get me ahead?” an aspiring muckety-muck might explain.
Here’s my answer: If you are a different person in your work relationships than you are in your non-work relationships, you can never be truly happy at work. It’s your choice.
6. Take ownership. Even though they generally work for someone else, most hairdressers have a strong sense of ownership in their work. Their success or failure depends directly on how well they serve their clients.
In the corporate world, it can be hard to have that sense of ownership. The larger the organization, the more removed employees often feel from their company’s accomplishments. The way smart companies combat this is to provide individuals or small departments with specific long-term goals, and to allow them significant leeway in determining how they achieve these goals. And if that isn’t enough ownership for you, you can always start your own business.
7. Don’t make it about money. If you’re a hairdresser not named Jose Eber, you’re probably not rich. In fact, you’re probably not even close. But you’re happy.
So, as a professional marketer or businessperson, what should we learn here from the hairdresser’s example? That’s it’s time to give up our day jobs and go trekking in the Himalayas, 401(k)s be damned?
No. It’s still better to have money than not. The lesson is that you should do as well as you can financially — but only by doing something you enjoy. Once you start making career decisions based on where the dollars are, rather than where your heart is, you’ve pretty much guaranteed yourself a life of unhappiness at work.