The Importance of PR

Public Relations (PR) is a vital element in marketing your music. Effective PR communicates the message of your music and ministry, builds a positive public image of you and your overall brand, generates visibility for you in the marketplace and continually cultivates media relationships on your behalf. 

I strongly suggest that you hire and contract a professional publicist or PR firm that can develop a campaign specific to you on a national level. The PR professional you retain should have a credible track record in the music industry with deep and significant relationships with media outlets. You can go a step further and seek a publicist who specializes in your genre of music. There are thousands of internet sites, magazines and TV shows, and of course not all cover the same types of music. It’s an advantage to have pro’s on your team who currently work with your style of music and, most importantly, have a passion for the type of music you create.

PR campaigns get maximum impact when executed or run simultaneously with radio and retail promotions in order to utilize your marketing plan to the fullest. There is a synergy when all elements cohesively fit and work together to achieve the momentum you’ll need to impact the marketplace.

Your PR campaign can consist of a series of press releases about your CD release, tour schedule, community involvement and milestones or accomplishments. Your publicist will be seeking interviews and features for you with magazines, TV programs, internet sites and even radio shows. Publicists also assist with your events and concerts by making sure that media coverage is secured. It is important that your publicist continues to look for innovative methods of generating press and has a close relationship with the media and with you.

Digital or cyber publicity campaigns targets internet sites, blogs, podcasts, and Internet radio stations. This type of campaign helps to upsurge your core fan base via your social media portals – Facebook, Twitter, Reverbnation, etc. The addition of digital PR campaigns has become an important marketing element. Music is a personal experience and is accessible via so many technological platforms. Consumers want to have access to news breaking and even personal information on an artist at the click of a button.

All of these pitches and editorial placements are to draw attention to you and for the most part, done without advertising. These placements are also monitored by your publicist to determine that your career is being received and portrayed in a positive manner. Your press features and reviews are utilized many times by your marketing team to determine which direction to proceed in promoting your music and developing your brand. Good press coverage can be a catalyst to your marketing plan. Bad coverage…well, can have your team strategizing on a new plan of action!

To sum it up, PR is getting the word out about you. PR can and does influence the public and can be executed in a cost effective manner. No marketing plan is complete without a solid PR strategy!