Public Relations Specialist
What is a public relations specialist, and do you need one? Well, one question that's easy to answer is if you need publicity. Of course you do! Everyone needs publicity! Celebrities need publicity so that people will keep hiring them to do movies. Once a celebrity is ignored by the public, their career is over. Athletes need publicity so that they can get marketing contracts. They also need to manage their publicity carefully so that they don't lose their jobs over those scandals that they all seem to run into. Big time lawyers need good publicity, and politicians need publicity not just for reelection, but also so that they can get their bills passed and money to their states. But even small-time businessmen and corporations like you and me need publicity. If you're an accountant, and nobody knows who you are, how are you going to get clients? Publicity is always an issue, and it's not something that you can ignore.
Publicity is obviously a big deal, but you probably don't have the time to really deal with coming up with an enormous publicity campaign all on your own. What's more, you probably don't have any expertise in the area. How could you? You're a computer programmer, not a publicist! Fortunately, there are lots of people out there who can help you. This article will define what a public relations specialist is, if you want one, and how to find, hire, and keep a good one who will help you develop a publicity plan that fits your publicity and public relations needs and your budget.
The job of a publicist is to get you publicity. Your public relations specialist, or publicist, will be the one who contacts and interacts with the media on your behalf. They're the one who will write your press releases, take care of organizing your news conferences, be in charge of crisis control, and will generally direct and preserve your corporate image. The benefit of a publicist is that they know how to write that perfect pitch letter, and they know how to create a great media kit.
Here are some things that you should look for when you hire a publicist:
--How well and how quickly do they sell themselves in the interview?
The way that your potential publicist convinces you in the interview will be a clue as to how they can convince and interact with the media. If you're hooked right away, that tells you that this publicist will be able to do the same thing with tired journalists.
--Do they follow-up?
If your potential public relations specialist calls you a few days after the interview to see how things are going, you know that you might have a winner. Publicists have to be determined and energetic when working with the media. They should be the same when trying to get a job with you.
--What do both their good and bad references say?
You know that all references listed on your publicist's resume are going to say great things. So ask for some people who aren't listed. If you can find out why a particular client didn't like your publicist candidate, you can get clues into how this publicist works and whether or not they'll be good for you.
Here are some other tips that will help you find the perfect public relations specialist for your company and for your budget. Remember that you should check all references, that you should discuss during the interview ideas that the publicist has for your company and your budget, and that you should notice whether or not your publicist has the energy and the dedication to follow-up.
Things to Notice in Hiring a Publicist
http://www.publicrelationsideas.com/making_the_call_hiring_the_perfect_publicist_000109.html
Publicists and Your Budget
http://www.publicrelationsideas.com/your_publicity_your_budget_000108.html
When to Hire a Publicist
http://www.publicrelationsideas.com/media_coaches_and_publicists_when_to_hire_000107.html
When to Hire a Publicist 2
http://www.publicrelationsideas.com/when_to_hire_a_publicist_000106.html
Tips on How to Hire the Perfect Publicist
http://101publicrelations.com/hireapublicist.html?s=prideas&c=perfect_publicist
