I came across this on SteDavies’ site. It’s a video by release delivery specialists, RealWire.

The key points?

- 1.7 billion irrelevant press release emails estimated to be received in total each year by UK and US Journalists alone

- 78% of press release emails are received by Recipients to whom they are irrelevant

- 55% of Recipients have taken action to block a sender of news

An Inconvenient PR Truth from RealWire on Vimeo.

There’s only one absolutely ridiculous agency that I’ve actually sent straight to my trash bin automatically. Everything else, I glance over.

Then I star it — because, to be honest, as long as it’s half interesting, I may well use it.

Then I usually go and get really busy earning money elsewhere.

Then I panic because I thought I had some things lined up I was going to write about (those starred items).

Then I write my own stuff because it was quicker and because those starred items are now on my third page of Google Mail (the equivalent of the graveyard) because I’ve had even more half interesting press releases come in. That I star.

And I think about…

Then I go and make proper money advising investment banks, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and building my own businesses.

The one hugely misplaced assumption that most PR make about me is that I’m here to provide a service level to them — like the chap at the mainstream media publication is. Obviously he’s paid to bang out five pieces a day. About whatever.

I reckon about 15% of the stuff I publish originates from a press release sent to me by someone I don’t ‘know’ or have some kind of relationship with. I’d then go so far as to suggest perhaps 25% comes from PR that I know and trust.

The balance — around 60%, I make up myself.

I’d love a lot more assistance from PR. For example, I thought of sending out an announcement to the various PR lists asking them to send me some feedback on the iPad. The concept is sound — they would go back to their clients and ask them to pen 250 words on the iPad. They’d then send that to me. I’d integrate into a wickedly interesting piece. Everybody wins. I haven’t had to do a ton of chasing to 20 odd executives directly, they look good in front of their clients, their clients are happy because they’re published — and I’m delighted because I can deliver good stuff to the audience.

I didn’t bother doing this because the sad reality is that, despite spelling out what it is you’d like to read (at my best guess), I’ll either be sent nonsense, or nothing at all. Or I’ll get it next week. Not because of the PR being slow, but because the client doesn’t bother responding. Worst is when I’m sent something almost irrelevant. For example, a comment on the iPad by someone who manufacturers paper towels. Not quite in the zone for Mobile Industry Review.

It’s such a frustration watching more public relations professionals do their jobs.

Do you remember we used to do a newsletter years ago? In that newsletter, I liked to put in little bits of news. Every week I’d email perhaps 300 PRs asking ‘have you got any news’.

I used to expect being sent wholly irrelevant stuff as a result but goodness me. The amount of PRs who simply wrote back ‘no, nothing, sorry’ used to shock me. It was generally because they’d hit their press release quota for their client contracts and were sitting pretty. Or they’d finished doing the ‘hours’ for that particular client I was emailing about so they didn’t need to do any thinking.

They’re very good at being proactive. Try asking a PR if they’ve got any news. 95% usually respond ‘no’. The smart 5% will generate something. They’ll rustle up something within 10 minutes: A new hire, a bit of product feedback, an anecdote for one of their clients.

I used to keep a list of PRs who wrote back ‘no’. Most of them worked for agencies who routinely bill 7,500+ month to their clients. So whenever anyone needed a PR company recommendation, I’d know precisely who suggest avoiding. If you need a recommendation, let me know.

Now, though, the newsletter is just me. Speaking of which, I had a break last week. This week the topic is — predictably — about the iPad.

Who makes the world’s best backpacks (or rucksack as we call them in the UK) for (mobile) geeks? I’m looking for a recommendation.

You know, something that’ll carry a laptop, maybe even charge it via a solar panel, lots of pockets for phones and iPhones… integrated headphone loop or something like that?

What’s the absolute pinnacle?

Any ideas?

If you’re a public relations professional, you probably use a company to do the broad distribution of your press releases and materials.

One company, Newscom, really, really frustrates me — and I thought I’d lend a bit of insight.

I’m working on a post about a wristband tag that patiences would wear in hospitals. It enables their location to be tracked precisely by WiFi.

I found out about this from a press release emailed to me that features photographic links. So far so good. There’s a picture I’d like to use.

The PR has helpfully included the link for the photo in their release text.

They’re using this absolutely rubbish service, Newscom, to host the imagery though.

I clicked on the supplied URL for the photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091014/363009

That takes you to this page:

The photo, as you can see, has got bollocks newscom branding all over it. I suspect this was relevant about 10 years ago when people wanted to control access to ‘official photography’. Hence the watermark. I can’t get the un-watermarked version unless I login.

I have a login. Somewhere. I can’t remember the details. To GET a reminder of my details, I have to email a support address. You know, like being back in 1995 again.

I just don’t have time to arse about.

Newscom, alas, appear to be in the dark ages. Almost every other press release service — RealWire for example — just provide you the images right there and then. You can pick’em up free of watermarks or any other time sapping rubbish and get on with the writing of your post.

I want to point out to every marketing/PR executive reading that if you’re including Newscom as a method of photo delivery for your releases, recipients like me will be getting mightily annoyed every time they want to actually pick something up and write about it.

Meanwhile, dear reader, I’ll be using this image in the post I’m writing:

Yup. That’s the only one I have the rights to use.

Total unmitigated bollocks, isn’t it.

It really is like being back in 1995.

Please either use a proper distribution service — maybe even a ’social media release’ function, or publish the images on your blog or something like that.

My post on the Ekahau wireless wristband is coming soon… complete with stupidly small photo.

This evening I’m off to check out the new 3UK MiFi personal wifi hotspot device from 3UK. It’s a different brand — Huaauuauwueiii, if memory serves — from the Novatel one I’ve been trialling recently.

I *LOVE* the Novatel one. I really do. (Check the video overview I did recently) I’m excited to find out more about 3UK’s offering.

Meanwhile, what do you think?

I setup a vote to get your impressions:

Will you be buying a MiFi personal wireless hotspot device?

Vote on the right-hand-side of this page!