Publicity is a powerful tool. When used correctly, a publicist can earn you spots in outlets that are genuinely interested in your project. But publicity is a field that requires dedication and hard work, both, at the hands of the publicist and the client. If you’re in it for the long haul, you can expect some great results when your publicity campaign includes the following items.
Table of Contents
Dedicated Publicist
It’s great to have a team of professional publicists working on your account. What’s better is having one specific person that you know is working on your project every single day. This could be your point person. The one you contact with any questions or concerns. A dedicated publicist will review your project, create a curated list of media, a strategy for the campaign and execute pitching and follow ups to make sure you land in print media, radio, magazines, online blogs, etc. This will be the person you can reach out to with any questions. They will provide you with updates on a weekly, daily or monthly basis, depending on what the agreement is, so you will know exactly how the campaign is going.
Consistency
It’s important for a campaign to have a consistent schedule for pitching and follow-ups. It really aids in the success of a campaign. Your publicist will have this schedule available to you in the beginning stages when the campaign timeline is mapped out. It can also be helpful for publicity clients to have consistent newsworthy events, showcases, etc. This will aid the publicist with content to pitch the media.
Patience
Publicity takes time. You will not see drastic results overnight. It’s important to give your publicist time to secure placements. Larger publications can have longer lead times and this is key to remember as you begin the publicity process. If you are in it for the long haul, you will see some great results that will only help your brand grow.
Goals
Every campaign should have goals that are SMART.
- Specific – get specific with what you want from the campaign.
- Measurable – how will you measure success?
- Achievable – Does your budget allow for this goal?
- Realistic – Does this goal make sense with where you are at now?
- Timeframe – What’s the timeframe?
Focus the Campaign Towards Your Audience
One thing a publicist will do is make sure the campaign is being targeted towards the correct audience. They will make sure that they are reaching out to writers in their Rolodex that might be genuinely interested in your story. This is a genuine skill. To have and understand multiple journalists and each specific sector they work in and then knowing who to pitch and when to follow up. Your publicist will take care of all of this leg work for you.