A musician stays years honing his craft. He writes world-class songs and performs them in a manner that moves his listeners to tears. H-e documents a demo tape and sends it to record labels. He gets a contract and becomes rich, popular and admired.

The lesson: demo videos will be the secret to become a famous musician.

Wait, you say, the test tape was just something, just his means of conveying his expertise. It's his power as a musician that got him the contract and made him popular.

You are right, needless to say. H-e could have become just as popular if a record executive found him personally, or learned about him from a friend, or as a result of a variety of other activities.

Which brings us to the news release.

Somehow, the news release has brought o-n a magical status because the alpha and omega of publicity. Wanna become rich? Send a news release. Want to become popular? News release. Wanna get o-n the cover of Newsweek? Press release.

Press 'gurus' are springing up all over the Internet selling the news release while the answer to all marketing problems. Just knock-out a launch, large email it to writers, relax and watch for Oprah to call.

It is a cruel joke.

Listed here is the reality: the news release is no longer important to your potential of rating free press than the demo tape was to the artist friend. If he had no ability, if his songs sounded like garbage, the very best recorded demo tape in the world wouldn't get him signed. Ditto for the publicity seeker. If you do not have a story to tell, your news release is totally worthless.

I'm maybe not knocking the news release -- it is a vital instrument. Nonetheless it is simply that: an instrument. It's perhaps not the first thing you will need to take into consideration when it comes time to seek promotion. In fact, it's among the last. And it is not really essential (I have gotten lots of publicity with merely a pitch letter, an instant e-mail or a phone call).

In the event that you worship at the shrine of the news release, it's time and energy to arrange your priorities. Here, then, are what are MORE essential than the usual press release in building publicity:

1. A story. This is the exact carbon copy of our musician's skill. It's the very foundation for your promotion efforts. Without it, your press release means nothing. To understand about how to create a newsworthy story, have a look at http://publicityinsider.com/questions.asp and scroll down to 'Is my company/website/life really newsworthy'?

2. Learning how to think as an editor. Oh, what a side you'll have in scoring publicity over all those news release worshippers once you understand getting inside the mind of an editor. Give a publisher what he wants in the way he wants it and you'll do great. I have got a whole article on the subject at

http://publicityinsider.com/freesecret.asp Go there now and absorb it all. Trust in me, it'll produce a world of difference.

3. Significance. Dig up more on our affiliated web site by visiting advertiser. Tie-in with a media event, make yourself part of a development, piggyback on a larger competitor's story, but, by all means, make your story part of a image that's larger than simply your business. Stories that you can get in a vacuum quickly come to an end of oxygen.

4. Persistence. Sending out a press release and waiting for results is lazy and in-effective. If you really believe in your history, and you believe that it's right for a certain media outlet, you should fight to make it happen. Call or email the publisher to pitch your story BEFORE sending the launch. If one editor says no, take to some other person. If they all say no, come back at them with an alternative story perspective.

Getting publicity involves so much more than just giving out a press release. Treat it as seriously and with the maximum amount of respect as our newly minted rock star treats his art and you will be well on the road to success.. In the event you require to identify extra resources on next, we know of tons of on-line databases you should pursue.