There’s nothing wrong with it. After all, it’s natural. We all want to please our bosses. Doing so will often lead to raises and promotions. Not to mention, there’s just a deep down good feeling when praised for a job well done. In fact, one study cites that 78 percent of workers say being recognized motivates them to do a better job.
And like I said—inherently, there’s nothing wrong with it.
You’re waiting for the “but,” aren’t you? Here it comes…
BUT, such people pleasing behavior can become a problem when you lose sight of why you’re doing what you’re doing. Case in point: press releases.
What Are Press Releases For?
I know, we’re beating a dead horse here. But the reason we are writing press releases is to get media coverage. We want that spot on the local news. That article in the city paper. That post on the top trending blog. Hell, even just a tweet from someone with the right followers. That is why we write these press releases.
But when we’re trying to please a boss it’s easy to lose sight. Easy to lose purpose.
If You’re Writing a Press Release to Get a Pat on the Back—STOP
You aren’t writing a press release to make a quota. You’re writing to share a story reporters and their readers will care about. However, in an attempt to please the boss, often press releases get written exactly for the purpose of just filling a quota.
Does it matter that you meet quotas at work? Sure. Does it matter if your boss likes your press release? Sure. Does it matter that you’re doing a good job? Of course it does. But if you’re delivering a release just to deliver, you are ultimately doing more harm than good. The press release will not be relevant, and it will not get call backs.
Remember, a press release should never be self-promotional. Yes, it’s getting your news out there, but it’s not screaming “look how awesome we are!” A good press release sticks to the facts. Let the reporter build it up and add opinion. Your opinions shouldn’t be in there at all, save maybe for a quote or two from someone important to your story.
But What if That’s What Your Boss Wants?
Well, you’re in a bit of a dilemma, aren’t you? If your boss is hung up on producing endless press releases that scream “Look at me! Look at me!”you aren’t left with much choice. You have to deliver. Right? And if that’s the case, then you just have to do your best to get creative and uncover real news to write your press releases on.
Can’t do it? Maybe it’s time you stood up to your superior and let them know. Let them know that writing releases just for the sake of doing so is useless—a waste of time. Not only that, it can prove counterproductive, as people will begin to ignore the good ones along with the bad ones. And Google isn’t going to take too kindly to them either.
Are you writing to make your boss happy? Share your story!
This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (http://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Download a free copy of the PR Checklist – a 24 point list of Press Release Dos and Don’ts here: http://www.ereleases.com/offer/prchecklist.html
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