5 reasons you need a publicist

There are many reasons for the need to hire a publicist, and often it can be confusing about when is the right time to hire a PR professional. Or even, why do I need one?

Photo credit: Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash

You may have heard people refer to having a publicist. Someone may suggest you need a PR. Or you may be wondering what a publicist can do for you. Here are five reasons you could need a PR professional on your team.

1. Your new movie, song, book, app, product, or business is launching soon

If you have something new being released, this calls for a reason to hire a publicist. "New" is one of the media's favourite hooks for a story or reasons for featuring a product. For a new product being released you want to hire a publicist 5-6 months in advance, especially if you want editorial in magazines. In America, the lead time is four months, and in Australia and Singapore, it is three months. This is how far out the editorial team is working on a magazine. So if it is March, they are working on the May or June issue.

You need to allow a couple of weeks to a month to prepare the material for pitching (this depends on what material you have on hand). Therefore, you can do a dis-service by thinking about publicity last minute and not thinking about it in the release strategy as it reduces the placement opportunities. Every publicist has to work to the journalists' and media outlet deadlines. If you are only interested in online, tv, podcast, or radio coverage then they need to be pitched 1-2 months out from the release date.

2. Unfortunately, a crisis has popped up, and it's in the media everywhere

It's not always peaches and cream when dealing with the media or being in the spotlight. Out of nowhere, a crisis can arise online or within traditional media. And it can come in a multitude of ways. So there's no time like the present in a crisis... you need to hire a publicist asap.

When this occurs, the PR's job focuses on protection. Either mitigating damage, limiting it, or possibly just managing it so it doesn't get worse. Although.... if the client doesn't listen to advice, it can just keep getting worse, and there is not much the PR person can do. They can help you manage the media and public eye on your behalf as you hide out and simultaneously work out solutions to your problem.

In crisis management, PR is focused on the public eye. We often focus on not letting sensitive private information being leaked to the media or sniffed out. Sometimes in a crisis, the PR person might need to strike a deal with a journalist to help protect the client.

3. Woohoo, you're invited to walk a major red carpet event

Having the opportunity to walk a major red carpet is exciting. And in America, depending on the event, it can be overwhelming. It is a great idea to hire a publicist to walk you down a red carpet as it will assist you in securing interviews and can help calm the nerves. In America, the major red carpets are busy with publicists pitching their client to the media lined up along the carpet. There is a protocol, and it is very fast-paced. This can mean the difference between getting an interview or not on the carpet. There are strategies for a red carpet and the best way to leverage it, depending on your current career status.

4. Backlinks for your website

When researching backlinks for online marketing, you'll hear many experts talk about getting a third-party website to somehow feature one of your page links, whether it be your homepage, a particular product, or a blog article. Each one helps create credibility with Google in your chosen industry. So when a person asks Google a question, backlinks help with your ranking on the page results. The majority of the online articles I secure for clients include a link to a website for them.

5. You believe you have a story to tell within the media

So many people have told you to hire a PR. This is a huge sign you have something interesting to share. Or you just know you have something original, new, and interesting. Each publicist comes equipped with different media contacts, skills, backgrounds, and experience. Ensure the publicist has experience within your field/area of expertise. Also, the honest publicists will be frank and tell you that they can't help you; work with you; or it isn't the right fit.

If you receive this response from a publicist and aren't sure how to find one, then ask them if they know anyone that might be able to assist you. I often refer beauty brands to beauty specialized PRs as this is not my area of expertise, but I know there are plenty of kick-arse beauty publicists.