|
Do I Need to Hire a Publicist or Can I Do My Own PR?
by Marilee Driscoll (www.NoSweatPR.com)
Copyright 2007 Marilee Driscoll
You May Reprint this article for free, as long as you follow the instructions at the bottom of the page
When you read a newspaper or magazine, listen to the radio or watch television, you may not give any thought to how they book guests or decide which experts to quote. In most cases, a publicist was involved. A publicist is a professional who connects clients with the media.
Who has publicists and what do they do?
Celebrities, authors, politicians, businesses and industry associations all often have publicists. A publicist works on behalf of his or her clients to persuade the media to quote or interview the client. Sometimes, they may also persuade a publication to run an article written by a client (or by a ghostwriter, with the client being listed as the author).
Publicists pitch stories to the media and act as a matchmaker when the media is looking for an expert source. Both of these functions can be done with some knowedge and legwork by the motivated entrepreneuer - him or herself.
What's a Pitch?
Publicists may pitch what is called a "story idea" to a member of the media. A story idea is a newsworthy item or concept that the media audience (readers for newspapers and magazines, listeners for radio) will enjoy. What is newsworthy to a local paper may not be newsworthy for a national newsmagazine or an industry newsletter.
A publicist would be sure to pitch ideas that would feature his or her client(s). For example, if a publicist's client is a shopping mall, the publicist might call the local TV producer and/or newspaper editor, and ask them to do a story about Santa arriving at the mall for the holiday season.
In this case, the publicist is giving the media a story to cover. It's a win-win for the client and the media.
Expert Source
Other times, the media is doing a story and needs expert sources; there are a variety of ways that they alert publicists tot heir need, and the publlicists help the media by lining up experts or interview subjects.
What do publicists cost?
Publicists vary in how they charge. Some publicists charge only when they are able to "place" you (an article that you wrote, a mention in the newspaper, a quote or an interview); they are called pay for placement publicists. Most publicists work on a monthly retainer basis; in exchange for a specific payment each month, they agree to promote you. Their fee does not vary, whether they are successful (or not).
Publicists who are on a retainer basis can charge from a low of several hundred dollars a month to a high of two to four thousand dollars a month to work w ith most small businesses or individuals. Large national PR firms can have fees much higher.
When hiring a publicist, there’s not necessarily a correlation between quality and price. You may get more (or less) than what you pay for. NoSweatPR.com president Marilee Driscoll says "I know a publicist who gets clients quoted in The Wall Street Journal and Money magazine for less than $1,000/month, but I also know two smart people who signed yearlong contracts at $2,000/month with publicists, and got NOTHING. Twelve months - $24,000 – gone – FOR NOTHING. It happens."
Doing it Yourself
The two basic components of a media campaign are developing a media list (to whom will I send press releases), and writing and sending newsworthy press releases to the list.
The businessowner who is motivated to learn how to do his or her own PR will find the endeavor extremely rewarding. Not only will he or she save thousands of dollars, but the process of "breaking in" a publicist (who may or may not work out), or teaching them about your business and your area of expertise so that they can represent you well, is avoided. Also, relationships with the media are made personally, and information can be disseminated quickly and directly when a middle man is avoided. Many aspects of a media campaign can be delegated to an assistant, and many ongoing communications with your media list can be automated.
Put yourself, your expertise, and your business, in front of the media in a newsworthy way, and you can't help but be interviewed and quoted!
We hope that you enjoy the How to Get Quoted and PR articles. You may reprint the articles in print or on your web site, at no cost, as long as you:
1. Include all authorship and copyright information, and a link to our web site in print (link must work if article is used on the web).
Example:
By Marilee Driscoll
www.NoSweatPR.com
Copyright 2006 Marilee Driscoll, used with permission
2. Email your contact information, and where and how the articles will be used to reprint@NoSweatPR.com
We also provide a FREE NoSweat PR tips each month to organizations, associations and businesses that have electronic and print newsletters. Please email or call us to sign up for this free service.
Marilee Driscoll is the founder and president of www.NoSweatPR.com, a business that provides products and programs that teach business owners how to do their own publicity to get quoted and interviewed.
|
