Oct
12
Put Me On Page 1
October 12, 2005 | |
Is it just me, or does it seem everyone in business today think all you have to do is call the local daily paper and they come out to do a page one profile of your business? It’s hard enough just to get the media to open your emails or take your calls these days.
I was talking recently with a prospect who tossed this off as if it was no big deal, “of course we’d like to have the paper come down, meet our principals and do a profile of our business.” Another one wants to become a “rock star-type celebrity” in his industry. Well, I’d like to win the lottery, but at least I know I have to buy a ticket first in order to be in the running.
Got any thoughts on this subject?
Comments
1 Comment so far
My wife is a tech journalist and I often tag along to Comdex and CES. My wife was trying to get a brief view of a certain product that from a company that always claims to own the sole patent to (dubious). This was the second year I’d seen the pitch at the show (still no launch, and always seemed like a pump-n-dump vaporware company to me). The CEO and others were on the showroom floor, they literally pushed her around and out of the way. She never saw the product, and couldn’t waste any more time due to appointments. My eyes nearly fell out of my sockets. Even a pump-n-dump needs good press. Nevertheless, their entire pitch always seemed to be about their stock than their product on hand. I said to myself right there, I should short the hell out of this company’s stock. If they don’t immediately grovel at the foot of journalist at a major publication, they don’t stand a chance. Needless to say, the short would have paid handsomely, the company is now chapter 7 (last I checked it was a few cents on the OTC). And this was post 2000 bubble, lessons should have been learned. I swear, a few mainstream media stories might have generated enough interest to actually get the product to market.