What do you do? (Part One)

My SO (Significant Other) has a running joke that I don’t really work. While I know that his comments are in jest, believe it or not many people have no clue what a Publicist does. For example, I told someone I was a Publicist and their eyes lit up and they said, “OMG I was thinking about writing a book”.

(crickets…)

I slowly explained that I in fact was not a Publisher but a Publicist, and a Publicist will come in handy when they want their book to be promoted.

Then there are others who think PR is just fun and games (chatting on the phone, emailing non crucial material), but actually there is nothing unadulterated about laying out a strategic PR plan and pitch to take your client to the next level. Of course with experience and technique it gets a lot easier, but if it was so simple everyone would be a Publicist.

When I first met my SO he really wasn’t knowledgeable about PR (although he would not have admitted it), but I gave him a quick overview. Now I have to straight point things out to him so he can see it DOES require hard work.

For instance I LOVE THE GAME on the CW11. After a couple of episodes I vowed that I wanted to see my fashion client’s product worn by one of the actors. I mentioned that to my SO and of course he gave me the chuckle and yeah alright. The next day I went to work. Very few people realize when starting a PR project from scratch it requires tons of research and cold calling. Some people have difficulties in general communicating, imagine what it is to call a TV executive, finagle that person into giving you the direct contact to the person who will personally see that your clothes is placed on a specific person. Not easy! But as any good Publicist knows you have like 5 seconds in a conversation to get that person’s attention and intrigue them enough to get them to do just that. Well bottom line… Job Accomplished. After a couple of weeks I knew what show the product was going to be worn, and by who. While watching the show with my SO the person came on with the product and I kindly stated, “Oh My! What is that person wearing”? My SO stopped looked over at me and I nodded yup. “Don’t Say I Don’t Really Work”.