The Press Release Paradox: How to Cut Through the Noise When Everyone's Shouting

Let's be honest. The average press release has the emotional appeal of a tax return and the creative flair of assembly instructions for Swedish furniture. And yet here we are, founders with dreams bigger than our marketing budgets, desperately hoping that our carefully crafted 500 words will somehow catch the eye of a journalist who receives approximately 3,427 similar emails before their first coffee of the day. (The numbers aren't scientific, but the desperation certainly is.)

The Sobering Reality of Media Relations

Having navigated the treacherous waters of product launches myself—and watched my meticulously crafted press releases disappear into the void like socks in a washing machine—I've learned that getting media attention isn't about following a template. It's about understanding a fundamental truth: journalists don't care about your product. They care about stories.

The truth is, no journalist woke up this morning thinking, "I wonder what new SaaS tool launched today that will revolutionise spreadsheet management?" They woke up thinking, "I need a story that will get clicks, shares, and make my editor remember my name for the right reasons."

This distinction isn't semantics—it's the difference between your press release being opened or being sacrificed to the great folder of unread emails in the sky. Just as determining if a problem is worth solving requires understanding your audience's real pain points, crafting a press release that works means understanding what journalists actually need.

The Anatomy of a Press Release That Actually Works

If we're going to cut through the noise, we need to rethink the entire premise of what a press release should be. Forget what your marketing textbook told you. Here's what actually matters:

• Your headline needs to tell a story, not describe a product. "London Startup Helps Small Businesses Save 10 Hours a Week" is infinitely better than "TechCorp Launches TimeTracker Pro 2.0."
• The first paragraph should answer "Why now?" and "Why should anyone care?" If you can't articulate this clearly, you're not ready to send the release.
• Data makes your story credible. Emotion makes it shareable. You need both.
• Include a quote that sounds like it came from a human being, not a corporate algorithm. "We're excited to announce our innovative solution" makes journalists reach for the delete button faster than you can say "synergistic value proposition."
• Make the journalist's job easy. Provide clear contact details, high-resolution images, and concise background information—all without them having to ask.

When I launched my first product, I made the classic mistake of thinking my press release was about my brilliant idea. It wasn't. It was about solving a problem that readers of the publication cared about. The difference in approach yielded exactly zero coverage. Lesson painfully learned.

The Pre-Press Release Groundwork Nobody Tells You About

The uncomfortable truth about successful press releases is that 80% of the work happens before you write a single word. It's like dating—if your first interaction with someone is asking them to marry you, don't be surprised when they block your number.

Relationship building is everything. The most successful product launches I've seen (and the few I've managed to pull off myself) involved reaching out to relevant journalists weeks or months before the actual launch. Not with pitches, but with genuinely helpful information, insightful comments on their recent articles, or relevant data they might find interesting.

When you eventually do reach out with your press release, you're not a random founder—you're that helpful person who provided that interesting insight last month. That familiarity is worth more than the most perfectly crafted press release could ever be.

The Pitch Email: Where Press Releases Live or Die

Your actual press release document might be important, but the email pitch that delivers it is critical. This is the gatekeeper to whether your release gets read at all. After countless trials and errors (mostly errors, if we're being candid), here's what works:

• Subject lines under 50 characters that promise value or intrigue rather than announce a product.
• Opening with a personalised reference to the journalist's recent work (that you've actually read, not just skimmed).
• Getting to the point in the first two sentences. Journalists aren't playing a treasure hunt to find your news.
• Including the single most impressive data point or unique angle directly in the email.
• Ending with a clear call to action that respects their time and provides options ("Happy to send more details, arrange an interview, or provide exclusive data").

Remember: journalists are people with jobs to do, not marketing channels for your business. The more you respect their profession, the more likely they are to engage with yours.

The Follow-Up: Art, Science, and Subtle Stalking

The follow-up email is where most founders either disappear entirely or transform into the digital equivalent of a toddler repeatedly asking "why?" There's a middle ground, and finding it is crucial.

One follow-up email, sent 2-3 days after your initial pitch, is reasonable. Any more than that, and you're testing the boundaries of professional persistence versus restraining order territory.

When I was launching my homeware business, I made the classic mistake of thinking that my enthusiasm would be contagious. Five follow-up emails later, I wasn't just failing to get press coverage—I was actively damaging relationships with journalists who might have been useful contacts down the road. The lesson? Sometimes silence is an answer, and it's saying "move on."

What To Do When No One Cares About Your Launch

Let's talk about the scenario no one wants to address: what if you do everything right and still get ignored? Because that happens. A lot.

First, don't take it personally. News cycles are unpredictable. Your brilliant launch might coincide with a major industry announcement, political crisis, or celebrity scandal that dominates the media landscape. Timing is everything, and sometimes it's against you.

Second, press isn't the only way—or even necessarily the best way—to announce a product. Some of the most successful launches I've witnessed relied more on direct customer outreach, community engagement, and strategic partnerships than traditional media coverage.

Finally, consider whether your launch is actually newsworthy. Sometimes what feels revolutionary to us as founders is merely iterative to the outside world. In those cases, it might be better to save your press outreach for a milestone with more impact—like significant customer growth, a major partnership, or a truly innovative feature release.

Alternative Angles When "New Product" Isn't Enough

If your product launch alone isn't grabbing attention, consider these alternative angles that journalists might find more compelling:

• Data stories: "New Survey Reveals 78% of Remote Workers Struggle with [Problem Your Product Solves]"
• Trend pieces: How your product reflects or responds to a significant industry or cultural shift
• Founder journey: Sometimes the story behind the product is more interesting than the product itself (though be careful not to make this too self-indulgent)
• David vs. Goliath: How you're challenging an established player or conventional wisdom in your industry
• Customer success stories: Specific, measurable impact your product has already had during beta testing

These angles transform your launch from a commercial announcement to an actual story—which is precisely what journalists are looking for. This is where understanding your customers' real pain points becomes invaluable—you can craft angles that speak directly to what your audience actually struggles with.

The Template That Isn't a Template

While I'm generally allergic to templates (they're why most press releases read like they were written by the same bored intern), there is a basic structure that works. The key is to use it as a skeleton, not a straitjacket:

Headline: Make it newsworthy, not promotional. Focus on impact, not features.

Subheadline: One sentence that expands on the headline with a key detail or statistic.

First Paragraph: The who, what, where, when, and most importantly, WHY anyone should care. This is not the place for background information on your company's mission statement or how excited you are.

Quote: From either the founder or a beta customer, saying something a human might actually say, not corporate-speak.

The Problem: Brief context on the issue your product addresses.

The Solution: How your product solves it differently/better than existing options.

Evidence: Data, testimonials, or case studies that prove it works.

Availability: When, where, and how people can get it.

Boilerplate: Brief company information.

Contact: Name, email, phone number of someone who will actually respond quickly.

This structure works because it follows the natural flow of storytelling while delivering all the information a journalist needs to decide if your story is worth covering.

The One Thing Most Founders Get Wrong

After years of writing press releases, reading press releases, and occasionally using them as examples of what not to do, I've identified the single biggest mistake founders make: they focus on features instead of transformation.

Journalists—and by extension, their readers—don't care about your product's features. They care about transformation. How does your product change something significant? Does it make an impossible task possible? Does it make an arduous process simple? Does it challenge an established way of thinking?

This transformation is your story. Your product is merely the vehicle for that transformation. This distinction is subtle but crucial.

When my homeware business was failing to gain traction, I realized too late that I'd been marketing "luxury candles with unique scents" when I should have been telling the story of how our products transformed ordinary evenings at home into memorable experiences. The product was the same, but the story—the transformation—was infinitely more compelling.

Press Release Myths That Need to Die

Before we wrap up, let's debunk some persistent myths about press releases that continue to lead founders astray:

• Myth: Sending to more journalists increases your chances of coverage. Reality: Targeting fewer, more relevant journalists with personalised pitches is far more effective.
• Myth: Tuesday morning is the best time to send a press release. Reality: The best time depends entirely on your industry, news cycle, and the specific journalists you're targeting.
• Myth: Wire services are worth the investment. Reality: For most startups, the ROI on wire services is abysmal. That money is better spent on building relationships with key journalists.
• Myth: Your press release should include every detail about your product. Reality: Your press release should include just enough information to make a journalist want to learn more.
• Myth: If your press release doesn't get picked up, it's a failure. Reality: Press releases are just one tool in your launch arsenal, and sometimes they're more valuable for SEO and having an "official" announcement than for generating immediate coverage.

Understanding these realities will save you from the crushing disappointment that comes from misaligned expectations.

The truth is, press releases are neither magic bullets nor outdated relics. They're communication tools that work when used strategically, with realistic expectations and as part of a broader approach to launch marketing.

Measure Success Differently

Finally, it's worth reconsidering how we measure the success of a press release. Coverage in TechCrunch is wonderful, but it's not the only metric that matters. Sometimes the most valuable outcome isn't immediate press but the relationships you build with journalists who might cover your next announcement.

Or perhaps your press release gets picked up by a small industry publication with exactly the right audience, leading to your first enterprise customer. That's arguably more valuable than a mention in a major outlet that generates lots of wrong-fit leads.

Success might also look like your press release helping to refine your messaging in a way that improves all your marketing materials going forward. Think of it as content that can be repurposed into valuable lead magnets for your sales funnel.

The point is, press releases are tools for communication, not magical keys to instant fame. Judge them on how well they communicate your story, not just on how many publications pick them up.

In my own journey through the startup landscape, I've learned that sometimes the "failures"—the press releases that didn't get picked up—taught me more about my business, my audience, and my true value proposition than the successes ever did.

When All Else Fails: The Nuclear Option

If you've tried everything and still can't get traction with your press release, there's always the nuclear option: create news instead of announcing it.

Some of the most successful "launches" I've seen weren't really launches at all—they were stunts, experiments, or bold positions that generated conversation. The product was almost secondary to the story.

This approach isn't for everyone, and it certainly carries risks. But when the conventional approach fails, sometimes the unconventional one succeeds spectacularly.

Think about how you could challenge convention, run an unexpected experiment, take a bold stand on an industry issue, or create a conversation that your product naturally fits into. Sometimes the best way to announce a product is to not announce it at all, but to demonstrate its value in a way that demands attention.

The press release is dead. Long live the press release.

At the end of the day, a press release is just words on a page (or more likely, a screen). What matters isn't the format but the story you're telling and how compelling it is to the people you want to reach. Whether your press release follows every rule or breaks them all, whether it generates a flood of coverage or none at all, what matters is whether it moves you closer to connecting with the people who need what you've built.

Because that's what we're really doing here—not launching products, but solving problems. Not writing press releases, but telling stories. Not seeking coverage, but starting conversations. The rest is just details.