By BidMyServices

Whether you are a budding writer looking to be published, or an aspiring professional seeking to offer your services on a wider scale, this is a question you are most likely to ask. While hiring a publicist may cost a pretty penny, it does have its benefits. Some independent artists/professionals can still get some face time on TV or land an interview spot on the radio by their own efforts alone, but a publicist can definitely get you the attention and the buzz that could be worth every dime you shell out. Here are some pointers to consider that may help you answer your question on whether or not you may need a publicist.

Exposure
While the integrity you build by word of mouth on how great your product or service may be could be encouraging, the exposure that a publicist can get you is incomparable. It’s feasible to pay for a page off of your preferred publication in order to advertise, but it is even better to tap into the more aggressive and impressive media like television and radio. If you want to get the word out on what you have to offer or would like the world to know, a publicist can get you the attention you need. A good publicist can also increase your exposure to a regional, national or international level.

Reliability
Let’s say you do put an advert out on publication. People don’t usually buy into the idea because they know that the ad has been paid for. By using quality public relations, a publicist can reach the public for a fraction of the cost of an advertisement. When it comes to cost and credibility, you will find that public relations is much more cost-effective. It may also be possible that you don’t know exactly who the appropriate media are that you need to approach. A publicist who has a good professional history more or less knows who’s-who in the business and will know exactly who to go to in order to generate a good buzz about you.

Time Constraint
It takes a lot of time to put together a good PR campaign—precious time that you could be spending polishing and/or revolutionizing more of your ideas that are part and parcel of the service/product that you are trying to get out there. Getting a publicist can take that burden off your shoulders and allow you to focus on the more important things that are central to your cause.

Press Kit
You may or may not know how to put together a press kit or what it entails. And even if you could compose your own press release, a publicist already knows the ins and outs of the industry and can put together a veritable press kit that has everything the media will need to know more about your product or service. They are well-versed with the rules—whether unspoken or otherwise, when it comes to media kits and have experience with working from the right angles.

Credibility
While it is quite noble and precious to see a hardworking individual tirelessly and devotedly market him/herself, a publicist gives a credibility boost that self-marketing cannot give. It is simply more professional and impressive to have public representation. The saying “have your people call my people” is more than just a favorite Hollywood line. It gives the impression that you are serious about your product or service and that you truly believe in it—enough to hire professional public relation services to get the word out there as expansively as possible. Lastly, it also serves to give you a shot of confidence that you will need to succeed.

Last week was wild! Client, model and good friend Dawn Montgomery had to deal with mounting pressure from both national and local media outlets as a result of a controversial ad from Akoo, a clothing line by Atlanta rapper, T.I. In a matter of days, more than 300 news articles were posted online about this issue. Everyone from CNN to Bossip.com were commenting on the story.

The best way to deal with any crisis or controversy is to tackle the issue head on-avoid the “no comment” approach. Having a skilled crisis communications team is not easy and it takes planning BEFORE an unfavorable situation occurs. Any organization, business or public figure not prepared to deal with crisis is constantly at risk. Risk management, issue anticipation and crisis communication programs should be a part of any public relations strategy.

But, let me be clear. Crisis management does not mean that an organization or its public relations team can manage outside influences-but what we can manage is the response.

Anyhow, check out Dawn Montgomery’s response amid this controversial billboard ad for the clothing line, Akoo:

Essence Magazine
EXCLUSIVE: Akoo Jeans Model Speaks About Billboard-Essence.com

Rolling Out
Model in T.I.’s Racy AKOO Jeans Billboard Calls the Outrage Hypocritical- RollingOut.com

T.I.’s clothing line Akoo proves fashion isn’t for the prudent at heart-The Loop 21

Dawn also made an appearance on the Frank and Wanda morning show on Atlanta’s V-103 and CW 69 to discuss her involvement with this controversy.

More media coverage to come from Sister 2 Sister Magazine and the Loop 21.

From time to time, PR pros have to dabble in crisis management in order to protect their client’s best interest to the public. It can be a scary time because a failure in communication can do more harm than good. Don’t you just hate the “no comment” approach?

On yesterday, the blogosphere went nuts over a controversial ad by rapper, T.I.’s clothing brand, Akoo. My client, who is the model in the controversial ad, wanted the best PR approach to deal with this situation in order to protect her career.


I say deal with it by getting your point across. Don’t shun from making a statement about the situation, but be honest and clear. In crisis management, it is important to be open and candid in every message disseminated to the public. A lack of communication will be seen as an attempt to shield information. Communication is the hub of a crisis situation.

This morning, the model displayed in this controversial ad, will share her side of the story to the WVEE’s Frank and Wanda Morning Show in Atlanta, GA. Stay tuned…

The 41st NAACP Image Awards was held at the Shrine Auditorium on Friday.The event celebrated the achievements and performances of people of color in motion picture, television, recording, and literature.

Special honors were awarded to Tyler Perry, who received the Chairman’s Award for special achievement and public service; and songwriter/musician Wyclef Jean, who was honored with the Vanguard Award for his activism and “passion for social justice.”

Here is client and actor Romeo Brown as he poses in the press room during the 41st NAACP Image awards held at The Shrine Auditorium.

According to BlackVoices.com, the ’41st Annual NAACP Image Awards’ producers have announced actors Hill Harper and Anika Noni Rose as hosts of the ceremony, which will be broadcast live from Los Angeles’ historic Shrine Auditorium on FOX Feb. 26. Client, Romeo Brown, will be attending, so watch out for him on the red carpet!

“Anika Noni Rose and Hill Harper are a part of a new generation of Hollywood that embodies the spirit of the Image Awards,” said NAACP Hollywood Bureau Executive Director Vicangelo Bulluck, who serves as executive producer of the awards telecast. “Their talent and success is inspiring and adds a sophisticated glamour to the evening.”

Start conversations about the things you find interesting. Share updates, photos, videos, and more with Google Buzz.

Horray! A simple and cute video that explains social media in plain English. A key term that was used stresses the importance of communication “over time.” If you are looking for overnight success-keep it moving. Communication should be constant and consistent…okay enough chit-chat, watch the video:

This just in from one of my favorite media blogs, Journalistics

By Jeremy Porter

Reach – a journalist that shares links to their most recent content via an RSS feed, tweets or social bookmarking will get a lot more traffic to their posts than somebody that doesn’t use these tools. If you’re a journalist, and you’re not using Twitter to share links to your content, you’re missing a huge opportunity to engage new readers and ultimately strengthen the value you bring to your organization.

Feedback – whether voluntary through blog comments, thumbs up/thumbs down feedback, or solicited feedback from users, social media gives journalists more insight into how their community is interacting with the content they produce. It’s a two-way communication model that is relatively new to the world of traditional media. If I were a professional journalist today, I would love to have this type of feedback on the content I’m working so hard to produce every day.

Sources – there are literally millions of people using social media today. If I need a source for a story, they’re only a tweet away. You can’t beat this feature of social media. Journalists can dramatically expand the range of sources they can pull from for any story, while significantly reducing the effort required to find a qualified source quickly.

Measurement – some organizations share Web analytics data with their journalists, some don’t. If you use a blog with Google Analytics or an RSS feed like Feedburner, you have instant access to detailed statistics on your content. You can learn how readers are discovering your content, how they are sharing your content, and which articles or posts your readers love or hate the most.

Branding – social media enables journalists to develop their own personal brands. Journalists need to find new and innovative ways to separate themselves from the other journalists in their organization. Everyone is competing in the news environment, and those that leverage social media have a competitive advantage to build their personal brands in association with the outlets they produce content for.

Job Security – in times of trouble, it’s the journalists with the largest and most loyal readership that should be kept on staff. This isn’t always the case, but it can’t hurt to have a huge social media following on top of reader survey data that says your content is the best. Journalists that drive the most traffic and readers enable the media outlet to realize more revenue opportunities. For this reason, social media goes a long way towards promoting job security for journalists – if leveraged to its potential.