How do you know if you need to hire a Publicist? The main purpose of Public Relations is to help build credibility, exposure, and positive brand perception. If you have a product, service, or event that you want to get the word out in a credible and respectable manner, then hiring a Publicist may be the move for you.
So you’re probably asking-
What can a Publicist do for me that I can't do for myself?
Why You Should Hire A Publicist
I’m glad you asked. A good Publicist is equipped with the following 3 skills that will help increase the interest in your business or brand, resulting in the exposure and attention you are looking for:
Messaging
I can’t stress enough the importance of good messaging. A good Publicist will help you craft a story that is “pitchable”- one that people will care about and makes them want to learn more. Here is an example:
Basic- Tanya opens up a Juice Bar that serves freshly juiced fruits and vegetables.
Pitchable- Due to her own health struggles and realizing the importance that juicing can have on one’s overall wellness, Tanya opened up a Juice Bar to provide healthy, affordable drink options in her community.
Exposure
And by exposure, I don’t mean you will be on the cover of Forbes the next week. But a good Publicist will work with you to really understand your target audience to ensure you are getting noticed by the right people. Using Tanya’s Juice bar again as an example- Her story may be a good fit for not only the local news media, but also a feature in a lifestyle or wellness publication where she discusses the health benefits of juicing.
Relationships
If there were ever a reason to hire a publicist, relationships would be #1. I mean, it is called Public Relations! A good publicist will either know or create the right relationships and opportunities based on your product, service, or event. If you’re not familiar with the key players in your industry, a Publicist can help you make those connections. Using the example of Tanya’s Juice Bar one last time- a Publicist could help her build a relationship with a local gym to set up a mutually beneficial partnership or sponsorship agreement where they host a paid workout class that comes with a juice from Tanya’s Juice Bar.
There is a false perception that Publicists are only for large brands or celebrities. That’s certainly not the case. If you are a small business or solo-prenuer, there are individual Publicists that can help you gain exposure at a fraction of the price a large PR agency would charge.
Why You Should NOT Hire A Publicist
On the flip side, there are also reasons that a Publicist may not be the right fit for you. Publicists aren’t cheap, and as a client you want to make sure that you are getting a good ROI.
Public Relations is not as easy or glamorous as people may make it seem (think: Samantha on Sex in the City).
Public Relations is also not for everyone. It requires patience. Diligence. Commitment.
Here are 3 things to think about before hiring a Publicist:
Instant Gratification
Public Relations does not happen overnight. It takes time to really understand your story, to create a strategic communications plan, and to build relationships with the right people to get you the publicity you want. There is not a magic wand that we wave and your brand is automatically on the cover of of Forbes. Coverage is never guaranteed and when combined with unrealistic expectations, it can be the recipe for disaster. No matter how strong the relationships, if you don’t have a compelling enough story, a report is not going to be interested.
You want to be Famous
It is not a Publicist job to “put you on”. Your talent or unique value proposition should do that. Sure we want to increase your visibility, but our job is to tell your story in an interesting and compelling way that will garner public interest. What is interesting about you? What makes you stand out? A Publicist can help gain visibility into what makes you unique, but we don’t make you unique. You do that.
No Budget
Public Relations is an investment. You have to give it some time if you really want to see results. Publicist don’t start pitching from day one. There is a lot of upfront work required to get you “media ready”. If you are a smaller company or brand who is just starting out, you may not have the budget to retain a Publicist or PR firm. And that’s okay. There are things you can do yourself to get publicity that doesn’t require investing in a publicist. But you have to be ready to do the work.
If you’re a brand, small business, or even a solo-prenuer, I have resources to help you get your Public Relations strategy off the ground without needing a Publicist. You can also download the FREE PR 101 Resource which breaks down the key components that make up Public Relations.
Lorren