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What Is It Like to Be a Publicist?
Day-to-Day Stories From PR Professionals
A publicist is responsible for managing their clients’ public image. They navigate the fast-paced world of media relations, create and distribute press releases, and organise promotional events to capture public interest.
Publicists also build strong relationships with journalists, influencers and other media contacts to help promote their clients effectively. But what does that work actually look like day to day?
In this post, we speak with six publicists to shed light on their daily routines, the skills and qualities they use most in their careers, and the advice they would give to anyone considering a career in public relations.
Curate Online Presence and Manage Image
Much of my work in publicity is in the digital realm. I spend a lot of time curating the online presence of my clients. Before I pitch their work to journalists, entertainment executives, and other stakeholders, including talent reps, I make sure their digital footprint showcases them in the best light. For example, I may update their Wikipedia, IMDb, and search engine knowledge panels (e.g., Google Knowledge Panels).
Hence, some of what I do entails reputation and image management. This work precedes the active pursuit of press on behalf of media subject experts and personalities. For new clients, I spend a lot of time researching their brands and broadcast and media CVs to better understand what sets them apart in a competitive news and entertainment media marketplace.
Dr. Jordan Schaul, Publicist, Schaul PR Group
No Typical Days; Embrace Versatility and Relevance
It might be a cliché, but there are no typical days in publicity! My mornings tend to involve a mix of scanning the news and sharing relevant stories with clients, getting out those time-sensitive pitches, and planning for the day's meetings.
In terms of skills and qualities I use the most, the elements that come to mind straight away are a strong interest and a helicopter-level understanding of the stories I am working on. That may be trite, but without these, I won't be able to have detailed conversations with journalists who are interested in the yarns I am putting out into the world.
I read somewhere a while ago that a journalism degree—which I proudly possess—is the new arts degree, as it gives students not only transferable communication skills but also the cross-disciplinary capabilities I rely on in my work. With a client stable that includes, but is definitely not limited to, disability support, agtech, and personal finance, I need to be able to find linkages between what is happening in my clients' worlds and what is happening in the world of the media.
Cameron Magusic, Publicist, Pure Public Relations
Curiosity and the Art of Conversation
I work fully remote as a part of a small but growing team of PR pros. Day-to-day for me involves a lot of screen time; I ghost-write thought leadership pieces, I design overall creative strategies around different verticals of earned media, I create media lists, I design interview prep materials, I coordinate said interviews, I find the journalists to fit the story, I draft pitches, and the list goes on.
It makes for a busy day, but it made my whole world so much bigger to be seeing the news from a different perspective. My current clients are lifestyle, gadget, and AI-focused which gives my day a good amount of variety.
For me, it's 90% about researching. They pay us to be the experts, so I do my best to emanate one. I'm not sure if you've seen Avenger's Endgame, but it's sort of like when Ant-Man asks Captain America and Black Widow if either has studied 'quantum mechanics' and Natasha answers, 'Only to make conversation'. In PR, you always need to be able to make conversation.
What's more, you need to generate conversations with genuine interest. People, particularly people inundated with pitches regularly, can absolutely identify false enthusiasm or charm. I am a curious person by nature, so I find myself able to approach new clients with open-minded interest which - I've found - leads to more creative strategies and solutions to land placements.
To any aspiring PR professionals, I would highly recommend keeping your nose in the news and a finger on the pulse. Learning how to frame a story that will land top placements comes from exposure and recognizing the pattern of the thread in the headlines.
Julianne Goldfinger, Public Relations Account Executive, SlicedBrand
Stay Informed and Channel Your Passions
As a travel PR professional (and a very passionate explorer), working is a new adventure every day, and we can never predict what’s next. Sure, there will be pitching, emails, and reports to handle daily, but the magic of this career lies in embarking on an endless journey every day. Specializing in experiential travel, my workday can involve deep research into cultural traditions, planning trips for journalists, exploring all possibilities to craft a perfect itinerary, or learning about the Medici and their impact on Italy.
Truly, it can be anything, and you’ll never know what to expect! We also evaluate and send our clients numerous press opportunities daily while keeping ourselves updated on properties and destinations. Keeping up with the news, industry trends, and what travelers seek is crucial because human experiences change all the time, and to properly pitch and adapt for our clients, we need to stay informed.
The amazing part of this job is using your personal experiences to describe places, experiences, and desires to your audience. Sometimes, if I'm writing a pitch about how being near water can impact your hotel experience, I’ll bring my computer close to a river, feel the environment, write it down, and relate this experience to the angle I initially wanted to focus on.
Often, after living and reflecting on it, I’ll take the pitch in a completely different direction. Another important quality is strong expression skills and an extensive vocabulary to describe more with less—journalists appreciate brevity! Creativity is a must; pitching is an art that goes beyond the media agenda, a boilerplate, and a Dropbox link. We’re describing experiences, adventures, feelings, and landscapes, and being able to connect and translate them uniquely is vital.
My tips for those considering a career in PR are to choose a field you’re passionate about so it won’t feel like work. Be aware that the results of your work aren’t certain; many variables impact a PR campaign's results, so managing expectations for your clients and yourself from day one is important. It’s a slow process involving relationship development and a lot of luck, so be patient, persistent, and trust the process.
Anna Nastrini, Publicist, Imagine PR
Find Your Niche and Hone Your Pitch
I usually get up around 7 or 8 and go for a walk to clear my head. Then, grab a cup of tea and get to work. I touch base with clients once per week, and that's when we go over the state of things and any future strategy ideas and get approvals on anything we need for the week ahead. I take calls from 10 a.m. to 1 or 2 p.m., as those are my best brain hours.
The actual work can be anything from emailing and pitching reporters to writing articles to writing and designing social media posts, and pretty much anything in between. I love that I get to use all of the areas of my brain; both analytical and creative.
Definitely communication skills. Pitching reporters, especially cold, needs a really good story, and you need to be able to get that across in two sentences; otherwise, the pitch is dead. I make a point to email reporters like an actual person (I.e. hey, nice to meet you, I'm working on this story with x person, let me know what you think) and if I need them to read anything, I'll link it out and keep the email really short and sweet. Ultra-crafted or AI-generated emails just get deleted these days, so I stay away from that at all costs.
I also use organisation skills; keeping track of multiple clients who are all on different pages with different topics and different business needs can be a big job. I have a director who helps me and my co-founder (and husband), who handles a lot of the creative work, so I can focus on liaising and strategy.
Explore different industries and focuses. I honed my love for media and public relations by trying all aspects of marketing and seeing what resonated. Love social media? Focus there. I learned that my sweet spot is B2B, so I stay away from e-commerce or even working as a publicist for celebrities. Not everything has to be your jam, so explore and see what works for you.
The second is that experience is more important than education. Try to get your foot in the door, get some experience under your belt, and build off of that experience. Last, don't be afraid to make mistakes. We all make them; it's how you handle them that's important. Own up and handle the situation with grace. Mistakes can be fixed; the way you move forward is what will last.
Blair Huddy, Founder and CEO, Hudson Davis Communications
PR Variety in the Wellness Industry
In wellness PR, we work with clients in a slightly different capacity than politics, entertainment, and regular products. Depending on what stage the client’s marketing and PR is in is where we begin. Sometimes, we get clients launching wellness products or fitness apps that are start-ups; other times, we help well-established brands that are launching something new, or it's a returning client that needs a refresh of media opportunities.
We take a client through various stages as we build their legacies. To maximise the value of our interactions, we start planning from day one of the campaign. It begins with a meticulously crafted PR plan, leaving no stone unturned. From there, we create a structured approach that helps us precisely navigate and plan our pitching journey.
A day in the life can range from going over any media’s interest, live media interviews, following up with pending coverage, following up with media to gauge interest in the client, any upcoming media coverage that the client needs to be aware of, updates to clients' activities or calendars, and monitoring the current media trends.
When working on a specific project (book launch, PR event, etc.), communication with clients and beyond (vendors, publishers, etc.) is vital. Having all the details laid out and shared amongst all team members helps make more significant projects manageable with less confusion, leading to a more successful outcome. These details can include particular outreach lists (journalists, podcast hosts, celebrities, etc.), budget concerns, live product trials, etc.
Typically, publicists have multiple clients, so being able to switch gears at the drop of a hat to address different accounts quickly happens every day. Here at Dunn Pellier Media (DPM), our clients love that we are always ready to respond immediately and answer their questions and concerns. Our broad availability also comforts our clients by letting them know we can help them when needed.
If you seek a career as a publicist, I recommend picking a genre that suits you (for instance, we do health, wellness, and fitness) so that you can be passionate about the brands and people you represent. Next, make sure that you sharpen your writing skills (these skills can transfer to almost any profession), and be aware that pitching the media is an art form, so get yourself really good at coming up with short and sweet, good, vibrant, and fresh ideas!
Start paying close attention to the media landscape, watching the news, and reading multiple news outlets online. Become familiar with writers, producers, and editors who cover the stories your clients would be covered in. Trends and breaking news stories are constantly changing. So, your approach and pitch angles must also be flexible. You should start making media friends; suggest Zoom's to say hello and get to know the journalists.
Learn to live with some rejection and don't take it personally. But if you get lots of rejection, you may need to re-examine your pitches. We constantly rework and tweak our pitches. You'll learn to appreciate the big and small victories wherever possible. And remember to discuss the wins with the clients and consistently manage expectations.
Nicole Dunn Garay, CEO, Dunn Pellier Media Inc