Do You Need a Publicist?

If you have told yourself or someone else, “I need a publicist,” you may want to read this article. While a lot of people believe they need representation by a publicist or PR firm, not everyone is ready to maximize the investment. Before you jump out there, keep a few thoughts in mind.

Don’t hire a publicist until you pledge to do three things.

Commit to invest for the long haul.

Even in the best of circumstances, public relations involves an investment. Too many times, we may want microwave results when it comes to promoting our work. For most people, media attention comes from sustained action, repeated investment and continual pitching.

That means you may not get all the media coverage they want based on one campaign or one series of events. You must invest the work over and over again. I remember when I was working with the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber at the outset of his Forward Together Moral Movement. He held weekly actions at the North Carolina state capitol, and each protest was an opportunity to engage different and more people about the work he was leading. It was also an opportunity to capture state and national media attention. 

While investing in public relations requires resources of time and money, it is an investment worth making. As public awareness about your issue, campaign or work increases, you stand to position yourself for bigger opportunities.

Commit time on your schedule for media.

Media outreach involves a time commitment. There is the time to prepare for the media interview and the time after the interview to promote the segment or your interview’s message. There is also an investment of time required when thinking through the best angle to share your work and story.

What visuals promote your message? What validators do you need to have lined up to affirm and confirm what you are saying? I’ve described a best-case scenario, but certainly not everything goes according to plan. Sometimes interviews get cancelled at the last minute. You have to be flexible and understand some things are out of your control.

Be coachable.

If you are inflexible and unwilling to be coached, you may want to reconsider hiring a publicist. A publicist’s job is not only to help you share your work publicly but to anticipate the public’s reaction and help you adjust accordingly. The publicist should also help you articulate your vision in a way that invites others to be a part of it.

PR work invariably requires feedback, so expect a publicist to challenge you, and offer suggestions to help you refine your product or approach. If you’re unable to receive input or are unwillingly to bend, hiring a publicist may be a waste of your time and the publicist’s.

Make the publicist a part of your core team. 

Publicists can do very little to support you if they are not fully embedded in your team. In my book, “Extraordinary PR, Ordinary Budget: A Strategy Guide,” I mention that publicists and communications staff should be included at the outset and throughout core campaigns. This will allow them to understand the broader strategy and determine the right communications tactics to implement that strategy. It also allows them to give reporters and editors sufficient notice to cover your event, issue or campaign.

If you are ready to take the plunge, and hire a publicist, we hope you’ll book a consultation on our website.

Jennifer R. Farmer, aka The PR Whisperer^®, is the founder of Spotlight PR LLC. Check out our blog posts and subscribe for updates.