If the very thought of talking to reporters and editors or appearing on a radio show frightens you, hire a good media coach. A media coach will give you all the training you need to feel comfortable during print and broadcast interviews and can prepare you for what to expert during your publicity campaign.

Many publicists know who the best coaches are, so you could actually hire a publicist first. After all, there’s time to get training while a strategic plan is being created and while the media kit is being written. Plus, the publicist may have some ideas and angles that should be covered in training.

Don’t use a publicist as a crutch or as someone who can shield you from the bulldog reporters you’ve heard so much about. The closer you are to your own publicity campaign and the more you understand it, the less susceptible you are to getting stuck with the Publicist from Hell.

For more on hiring publicists, check out How to Hire the Perfect Publicist.