The RPS PR Model: Articulate
Remember at the beginning of this series when I said most people start off a PR process with writing a press release? The press release format is insignificant—I’ve secured feature stories in major publications with a short email. Yet the first time someone wants to get some press, they look up what a press release is supposed to look like. Before you get locked into a format, get locked into a story-telling philosophy.
Articulate: Forget the Press Release Format
Sure, if you have a big launch that has significance to your target media or, better yet, your entire field, a press release can be a great way to make sure you communicate the main message, focus on the basic info, include the details, and have links or contact information for more information. But all of that assumes you have nailed the story. Most of the time, you have not. So prioritize the story over the format.
What makes a great story? It depends.
In the old days, you would send a press release and news outlets would run the information, sometimes verbatim, sometimes with original content. It was a significant tool for getting the word out about a business to millions of people. It wasn’t always that way. The first press release was a train wreck.
No, I mean it was literally about a train wreck. It was a Pennsylvania Railroad accident in Atlantic City in 1906 where 50 people died. This was back when companies like railroads or large utilities or mining companies wanted to hide any problems. But an early PR guy named Ivy Lee decided it was better to release the truth, and his writing was so direct that the New York Times ran it verbatim.
So everyone started sending press releases. First by mail, then by fax, then by email. Then paid newswire services came along and press releases started being sent by the hundreds. And thousands. Now there are over 5000 press releases sent per day. That’s almost 2 million per year. But quantity isn’t the only problem.
Press releases are ignorable. Even Wikipedia’s official entry on press releases until very recently said sending press releases “makes the distributed media boring and similar to the output of other firms” because they are all uniform. So what do you do?
The media of all sizes need constant content. They want eyeballs and attention and the way they get that is by providing unique content for their specific audience. What messages get attention? The ones that get an emotional response. Why? Chemicals!
Thanks to a neuroeconomist named Paul Zak we know that the chemicals in our brain and body are what make stories so engaging. It’s physiological. There’s cortisol: the stress hormone comes out during tense moments in a story, which allows us to focus. There’s oxytocin: the feel-good chemical that promotes connection and empathy. And there’s dopamine: a happy ending to a story triggers the limbic system, our brain’s reward center, to release dopamine which makes us feel more hopeful and optimistic.
Stories, not press releases, are how you evoke these biologically-triggered emotional responses.
By first crystallizing the essence of what your company does, you set yourself up to truly understand what emotions you can evoke through storytelling. Articulation of your story is not about the format of a press release, it’s about getting that emotional reaction.
Not only can your story be in the form of a short email, it can be in the form of an infographic, a video, or a podcast. We’ve articulated clients’ stories via comic books and trading cards too!
Our measure of a successful articulation is being memorable, repeatable, and sticky.
Once we have nailed your story, it’s time to amplify.
Want press releases that tell sticky stories?
Get in touch with our team to get help articulating your tech company's story to the press.
Learn more about the services Rock Paper Scissors offers.
See the success other tech companies have earned thanks to Rock Paper Scissors PR campaigns.
About Dmitri Vietze:
Dmitri Vietze launched PR and Marketing Agency Rock Paper Scissors in 1999. His vision was to combine cutting edge technology and deep organic storytelling to help clients crystallize their missions in compelling ways and amplify their stories in innovative ways. Dmitri added music tech startup founder to his accomplishments when he founded StoryAmp, a DIY PR platform. That experience informs his work as a trusted strategist for Rock Paper Scissors’ music innovation clients. He continues to lead Rock Paper Scissors as a full-service agency as the music industry and the media landscape evolves.
Dmitri stays at the cutting edge of music tech innovation by hosting the weekly Music Tectonics Podcast, monthly Seismic Activity online events, and the annual Music Tectonics Conference in Santa Monica, CA. He freely shares the innovation and business news he tracks in music and adjacent industries via Rock Paper Scanner, a curated weekly newsletter. He builds community through a warm approach to networking at open mic meetups that he hosts online and in-person. He can also be
found speaking on stage at conferences ranging from SXSW to Music Biz on music innovation, new approaches to publicity, and resourcefulness.
