How ironic, Cullan. I'm actually working slowly on...

2008-10-30T16:25:00.000-07:00

How ironic, Cullan. I'm actually working slowly on creating my own press kit for my new site!

The media is very much a double-edged sword for the paranormal community. And this time of year, they clamor for stories of the paranormal to entertain readers, viewers, and listeners. The old adage "a press is good press" is sometimes true, but there has to be a certain logic to it.

Let's imagine you open a small shop and advertise on television and in newspapers. People show up and discover that you have no items, but just a few photos of what you might carry at some point and a handful of promises and goals. Not gonna work, right? That's what happens with a lot of groups. They go from creation to seeking publicity without offering something. No, you say, we're ghost hunters and offer services to the pubic! Ok, I say,... then get in line behind the thousands of others with the same statement. Be prepared for jibes at your expense. Mockery. Questions about the lack of evidence you offer. It's a lot that most people don't foresee coming.

The reason I've never had a ton of attention is, quite simply, I haven't sought it (except with my book, which I sent standard press releases for). I believe "if you build it, they will come". Not a single article, video, or interview I have ever given was solicited by myself. But then again, I began doing this when it was "uncool" in the days before 'Ghost Hunters' and 'Paranormal State'. Sure, we all sometimes want a pat on the back, but often there's a dagger in that hand waiting for us.

You're right, though. We take ourselves way too seriously. We're the ultimate comedy or errors cause our own destruction. It's much better to take time to hone your skills, form basic opinions and guidelines, network with respected individuals in the field, and gather irrefutable evidence. After all, fools rush in where angels fear to tread. Usually fools who forget there is such a thing as spellcheck.

The press has a long and sordid history of maligni...

2008-10-30T05:52:00.000-07:00

The press has a long and sordid history of maligning those who investigate the paranormal. Through Colgate smiles, they laugh all the way to the ratings bank, rarely giving anyone serious coverage.

I would have once told investigators to avoid the media like the plague, if you wish to be taken seriously. Now, I would ammend that with a caveat: issue, instead, press kits. Seek professional help from those knowledgeable in marketing and public relations, if possible, and put together a press kit that satisfies both the lowest-common-denomenator that the 10 o'clock news needs and your desire to inform the public about just what a professional outfit does. In effect, if will show them that real science and investigating can be just as exciting as a gaggle of night-vision screamers.

Comments on Buck's Ghosts and Hauntings: A Sneaking Suspicion

How ironic, Cullan. I'm actually working slowly on...

The press has a long and sordid history of maligni...