| If you are a business owner, author, musician, actress | | | | at least know how to get the contacts when |
| or artist, you probably know how crucial it is to seek | | | | needed.oWrite enticing emails to grab one's |
| publicity. Advertising either costs too much, doesn't do | | | | attention.oKnow the best ways to contact |
| enough or doesn't work for what you need--and you | | | | media.oCare about who you are and what you or |
| don't have the time to self-start a publicity campaign to | | | | your project is about...oTake the time to make sure |
| get the PR you need to make your career a success. | | | | you are satisfied as a client. |
| This is why you need a publicist to do it for you. | | | | Here are some red flags in potentially bad |
| No one has to hire a publicist. If necessary, one can do | | | | publicists:oAct anxious, pushy and rude.oSeem |
| most of their publicity on their own if they felt | | | | inexperienced because they say that they can do |
| compelled to do so. However, what people do not | | | | anything.oWrite with many typos and misspellings.oDo |
| realize is that a publicist does their job daily. They are | | | | not offer to explain their time spent on a |
| well-versed in PR writing and pitching-- and when it is | | | | project.oPretend to be buddies with everyone in the |
| do or die with a producer on the other end of the | | | | media.oExpect a hefty retainer off the bat.oConstantly |
| line--and YOU choke, you may be wishing you had | | | | act as if they can be the direct contact for casting, |
| hired someone who knows what they are doing. | | | | interviews or placements. |
| There are many reasons why you should not pursue | | | | Bad publicists will waste your time and money and |
| PR yourself... If you go about it correctly, you can find | | | | damage your reputation, reversing the entire purpose |
| an honest publicist that can get the job done for you, | | | | of you seeking publicity in the first place. A quality |
| better than you ever could. The main concern is your | | | | publicist is like paradise for most people. The hard |
| budget. Publicists are not cheap. They all know what | | | | work and persistence returns with free publicity for |
| they are worth so unless you have something | | | | you or your project, service or cause. Many people |
| amazing to offer, you should not expect a quality | | | | make the mistake of hiring a publicist just because |
| publicist to take you on a nickel and dime. | | | | they promise instant fame. A good publicist knows not |
| However, if you can afford to hire a publicist, make | | | | to make extreme promises of fame. They understand |
| sure they have the qualities listed below:oDeliver a | | | | that it takes time and effort and the bottom line |
| sharp telephone pitch within 30 seconds time and get | | | | depends on someone else entirely. PR can be a hit |
| the exact point across.oCreate a top-notch media kit | | | | and miss even with the best publicists, but if you take |
| (an EPK- electronic media kit if you are on a budget) | | | | the time to work as a close-knit team, the outcome |
| that media will enjoy and actually take the time to | | | | should always be very positive and fruitful in the end. It |
| read.oKnow how to save money promoting you when | | | | does not matter how many contacts they have, it |
| possible.oKnow what one needs for a PR campaign | | | | does not matter if they have done it for years. They |
| and understand the timeframe to do it.oHave media | | | | just need to have the "it" factor-- smarts, spice and |
| contacts at newspapers, magazines and TV stations | | | | wit. You will know if it is there. If they are on target, |
| in the areas where you want your story to appear--or | | | | you should see long term results. |