So, you’ve decided to release your album or single into the world. You know that your best chance to succeed is to engage in effective marketing and PR. Since our expertise lies in the PR end of things, we’ve decided to give you a short guide on how to figure out which PR company might be best suited to handle your release.
Are You Even Ready for PR?
The first thing to address is: Are you even READY for PR? To have a successful PR campaign, you need one key thing: quality music. If your music is poorly written or not properly mixed and mastered, you just aren’t ready for PR. Period. How can you tell? Listen to bands that are currently getting positive reviews in your genre. You don’t have to match the production level of Mastodon or Metallica, but your music does need to sound good. If you’re an independent band, visit sites like Metal Injection and Metalsucks to see which indie bands are being covered and compare your music to theirs.
Next, do you have high-quality band photos? These are crucial because, to secure coverage on major sites, you need professional band photos. Without high-quality photos, you will not get coverage. I’ve literally seen interest from major publications torpedoed due to a lack of quality photos.
Do you have social media and content planned? This is essential too. If you have no social media presence AT ALL, you won’t be able to support the PR campaign. Your social media doesn’t need to have a large following at the moment, but it does need to be consistent.
How to Choose a Publicist
Assuming you are ready for PR, the next step is figuring out who should promote your music. There are a LOT of choices out there. Remember, when looking for a PR, you are essentially applying to work with them. An ethical publicist will not work with you if they don’t feel they can get results.
First, if you are an independent band, it’s not always the best idea to go with a super expensive PR firm that handles major bands. While this may seem like a shortcut (and sometimes it is), the reality is that many of these more expensive publicists excel at taking established bands to the next level, which involves more risk for emerging bands. Sometimes it works and the band takes off, but in most cases, unless the band is connected to a large act, your results will be no better than if you hired a less expensive PR firm.
Second, don’t go too cheap. There are MANY “PRs” out there who do nothing more than send out multiple email blasts and are essentially spammers. If a PR firm is super cheap compared to everyone else, stay away. Unless they are a new company trying to build up a client base, super cheap generally equals spammers.
Next, make sure you seek out a company that handles bands similar to yours. Check their roster THOROUGHLY. Ensure they’ve had success with your style of music. For example, you might play industrial goth metal, but if the PR firm you are considering specializes mainly in doom metal, they might not do well with your genre. If the publicist believes in your project and feels they can do a good job, it might work out, but as a general rule, try to stick with companies experienced in your genre. It will usually go much smoother.
Finally, talk to past clients of that PR firm. Ask bands that have worked with the publicist about their results and satisfaction. Use judgment when talking with past clients, as perceptions can vary widely. Some bands might be thrilled with two articles from a $2K PR campaign, while others might be upset with “only” 40 placements for $500. Find out if the publicist is communicative, prompt, and professional.
These are the key points to check for when seeking out a publicist! If you have any questions or would like more information on this subject, email Curtis or Corinne at curtis@csquared.info or corinne@csquared.info.