will a publicist work with a no-name niche creator on a single project?
February 3, 2024 11:11 PM Subscribe
demystify PR for me!
I don't know much about the world of PR and "earned press." I know that big companies and celebrities hire publicists (presumably at large agencies) to manage their reputations, but am unsure how it works for individuals with specific projects they want to promote (say, someone with a new podcast or short film, or someone publishing a book with an indie press that doesn't have in-house PR, that sort of thing).
I ask partially out of general curiosity; when I see formerly unknown writers, artists, or comedians suddenly appearing in all sorts of publications on the brink of their new thing, it makes me wonder how "organic" that buzz is.
And more personally, my bf is looking to build a bigger audience/following online for his substack, so he's wondering if hiring PR is something he should personally look into. The one thing we already know is that it's expensive. Any additional insider knowledge is welcome!
I don't know much about the world of PR and "earned press." I know that big companies and celebrities hire publicists (presumably at large agencies) to manage their reputations, but am unsure how it works for individuals with specific projects they want to promote (say, someone with a new podcast or short film, or someone publishing a book with an indie press that doesn't have in-house PR, that sort of thing).
I ask partially out of general curiosity; when I see formerly unknown writers, artists, or comedians suddenly appearing in all sorts of publications on the brink of their new thing, it makes me wonder how "organic" that buzz is.
And more personally, my bf is looking to build a bigger audience/following online for his substack, so he's wondering if hiring PR is something he should personally look into. The one thing we already know is that it's expensive. Any additional insider knowledge is welcome!
Will a publicist work with a no-name niche creator on a single project? Yes. Is that the best use of one's resources? Not necessarily, as socky_puppy notes. There are lots and lots of resources out there for doing your own PR. But plenty of folks don't have the time or energy or the skill, so there is no shame in outsourcing.
(As an aside, I agree that the Substack owners suck. That said, there are network benefits to new and lesser known writers being on Substack, in my experience, if they are active in commenting in other Substack communities.)
posted by Bella Donna at 1:00 AM on February 4
(As an aside, I agree that the Substack owners suck. That said, there are network benefits to new and lesser known writers being on Substack, in my experience, if they are active in commenting in other Substack communities.)
posted by Bella Donna at 1:00 AM on February 4
Along the lines of the newsletters mentioned above, check out Booklife: Strategies and Survival Tips for 21st Century Writer, if you want to think about PR more broadly, including advice about working with publicists. It's a 2009 title, so of course much has changed, but it's still valuable.
posted by cupcakeninja at 5:42 AM on February 4
posted by cupcakeninja at 5:42 AM on February 4
Mod note: One deleted; please stick to the question about publicists and PR.
posted by taz (staff) at 6:31 AM on February 4
posted by taz (staff) at 6:31 AM on February 4
Best answer: The short answer is "yes."
The long answer is, "but you have to find one that won't waste your time and money."
Any PR rep you would want to hire will present you with a track record of multiple retentions by clients like you with projects like yours where they got lots of the kind of placement you want, set up in a way you can easily verify. Hire no others, because the odds that someone will do right by you the first time (s)he tries are basically zero, and one or two successes could easily be some kind of (a) luck or (b) heavy work done by the client, not by him/her.
To be clear, you must see this regardless of the fee terms. The vast majority of editors and freelance influencers will give at most one bite at the apple to a particular project. A ineffective PR consultant who is working for very low, deferred and/or contingent fees can will damage your project's promotability in ways that an expensive PR person cannot fix.
posted by MattD at 7:49 AM on February 4 [3 favorites]
The long answer is, "but you have to find one that won't waste your time and money."
Any PR rep you would want to hire will present you with a track record of multiple retentions by clients like you with projects like yours where they got lots of the kind of placement you want, set up in a way you can easily verify. Hire no others, because the odds that someone will do right by you the first time (s)he tries are basically zero, and one or two successes could easily be some kind of (a) luck or (b) heavy work done by the client, not by him/her.
To be clear, you must see this regardless of the fee terms. The vast majority of editors and freelance influencers will give at most one bite at the apple to a particular project. A ineffective PR consultant who is working for very low, deferred and/or contingent fees can will damage your project's promotability in ways that an expensive PR person cannot fix.
posted by MattD at 7:49 AM on February 4 [3 favorites]
By the way, I would not demand that the PR rep you hire have a track record that all or even most of his or her clients actually achieved success at the level of sales / box office / whatever. That is really more on the project - and luck - than it is on the PR rep. His or her job is to earn you media, not be responsible for whether than media gets you dough.
posted by MattD at 7:51 AM on February 4 [4 favorites]
posted by MattD at 7:51 AM on February 4 [4 favorites]
For your more personal part of the question regarding your bf's work - it might be more useful (not to mention cost effective) to look for someone who does "marketing", rather than someone who bills themselves as a "PR rep".
posted by stormyteal at 12:37 PM on February 4 [1 favorite]
posted by stormyteal at 12:37 PM on February 4 [1 favorite]
As others have suggested, you probably want to add a few more terms to your thinking. Back in the olden days PR was a very specific niche within marketing, but things are much less defined these days with lots of overlap between influencer marketing, social media marketing, experiential marketing and probably a bunch of other terms that have evolved since I left the field a few years ago.
In addition to the excellent resources listed above, he could also look for relevant professionals who are offering workshops, webinars or courses on the topics he wants help with. It's a popular way for freelancers and consultants to build their own brands, and could help him find someone he jives with without investing a lot of money up front.
If he knows people in complementary or related fields that have the outcome he wants, he could start by reaching out to them to ask their advice. As long as they aren't direct competitors, people are often very willing to share recommendations of what worked for them.
posted by dotparker at 8:48 AM on February 5
In addition to the excellent resources listed above, he could also look for relevant professionals who are offering workshops, webinars or courses on the topics he wants help with. It's a popular way for freelancers and consultants to build their own brands, and could help him find someone he jives with without investing a lot of money up front.
If he knows people in complementary or related fields that have the outcome he wants, he could start by reaching out to them to ask their advice. As long as they aren't direct competitors, people are often very willing to share recommendations of what worked for them.
posted by dotparker at 8:48 AM on February 5
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So yes, if you have money, you'll absolutely find someone willing to take it! But no, no he shouldn't — why not put a little bit of investment into learning how to do it yourself? I used to work in PR and it's entirely doable.
Here are two Substacks I recommend: Substack Writers at Work by Sarah Fay, Lucy Werner's Hype Yourself. I also like Amber Petty's affordable classes on pitching and promoting your writing (she also has a newsletter class.
posted by socky_puppy at 12:08 AM on February 4 [4 favorites]