Beware the Fine Line Between Substance and Snake Oil

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One of the biggest complaints we get from media people regarding press releases (not written by us) is the phony salesmanship that comes across the page.  Too much hype turns people off.

Remember the old stories about snake oil salesmen? At the turn of the century, traveling ‘healers’ would ride into towns pulling their horse-driven wagons filled with bottles of ‘cure-all’ tonics.  Some of the so-called liquid magic was dubbed “Snake-oil,” a word that took on a derogatory connotation because it was a big lie.  Snake oil salesmen were slimy like both snakes and oil.  Most of their products were not what they were touted to be.

Today’s version of snake oil salesmen are people who oversell a product by attributing too much hype and glory to it.  You need to avoid the perception of this in your press releases.  While being enthusiastic and passionate about your subject is important, don’t overstep the bounds of good taste.  Good salesmanship does the job without the exaggeration.  In fact, good salesmanship often understates.

So how do you avoid being a snake-oil salesman in your press-release writing?

The following 10 suggestions should help.

1.  Omit all adjectives.

2.  Omit all adverbs.

3.  Omit all exclamation points.

4.  State the facts simply.

5.  Give examples of products’ benefits.

6.  Use personal testimonies of credible customers or people in general.

7.  Cite specific uses for product.

8.  Qualify the company or people involved with product.

9.  Outline track record of product or company.

10.  Quote experts.