What Does A Publicist Do?
If I had a dollar for every time I was asked this- I would be a rich woman. It still baffles me when people sign up for a consultation with me and haven't done their research as to how I can help their business. Its a complete waste of both of our time. So to cut out the confusion, dive into this post and Ill give you the overview.
What Is PR?
PR is short for Public Relations. Not to be confused with Marketing or Advertising- You would be surprised as to how many people get these three words mixed up. Public Relations is all about strategic communications. A series of strategic communications over time can help build your brand's visibility and influence. Its the promotions of your idea, product, service or cause and trying to get other people to support it. Its all about persuasion. Powerful persuasion.
What Is A Publicist?
A Publicist is the Storyteller. We take your brand and break it down into powerful persuasive stories that will enhance and build the reputation of your brand. We then pitch the media these stories in hopes that will share it with their built in audience and gain more exposure for your brand.
Now there is much work to be done before we actually start to pitch your brand. Some people think that you can pitch a journalist today and be featured tomorrow. This is rarely the case unless you have some groundbreaking news. It is the job of your publicist to research the media they will be pitching which entails the publication, their editorial calendar, contact information, stories they have already written about etc. Get my drift? To get a feature story in a publication can take months to produce. It is not an instant thing. They are responsible for shaping the entire image of your brand. A good publicist should have a "Rolodex" of media contacts, superb writing skills, great communication and be just as passionate about your brand as you are.
Most publicists work on a retainer basis. You can expect to pay anywhere from $1,500 to $20,000 a month depending on if you work with a boutique (smaller) agency or a huge firm. Some publicists work on a pay per placement basis but these are few and far between plus you may end up paying more than a monthly retainer. It is important to have a budget set aside for Public Relations from the start.
Here is a list of some things the monthly retainer will include:
- Write and distribute press releases
- Speech writing
- Write pitches and send them directly to journalists
- Create and execute special events designed for public outreach and media relations
- Conduct market research
- Expansion of business contacts via personal networking or attendance and sponsoring at events
- Writing and blogging for the web (internal or external sites)
- Crisis public relations strategies
- Social media promotions and responses to negative opinions online
I hope that this overview helps and gives you a better understanding of what Public Relations actually is and what a Publicist does. If you have any further questions, drop them below and if you think you're ready to hire a publicist, schedule your FREE consult.