How to know if you’re ready for a music publicist

A great music publicist can make people stop and pay attention to your art, but it can be difficult to get them to care about your career.

A guest post by James Shotwell of Haulix.

Publicists are among the hardest-working people in entertainment. Whether you’re a career musician hoping to make people care again or a new artist trying to capture the world’s attention, great music PR can do wonders for your visibility.

But there is a catch—sort of. Publicists can only work with what you give them, and many artists don’t know what PR needs or wants. Most assume a publicist will tell them what they need, but that isn’t true. If a publicist has to ask for something, you’re already behind.

For example, let’s say you reach out to a publicist inquiring about their interest in working your next release but forget to include the release date, music, or artwork. That publicist then has to make a choice. They can either do some research into who you are, what you make, and when you might be releasing music, or they can skip your message and move on to something more actionable. Every publicist is unique, but you can guess which of those two options is most likely to be chosen. 

In this Music Biz update, host James Shotwell shares what publicists are looking for when seeking new clients. He gives you everything you need to make sure publicists open your emails, click the links, and return your calls. If that’s what you’re looking for, then click play, and enjoy! We can’t guarantee results, but we can put you in a position to succeed.

Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.

James Shotwell is the Director of Customer Engagement at Haulix and host of the company’s podcast, Inside Music. He is also a public speaker known for promoting careers in the entertainment industry, as well as an entertainment journalist with over a decade of experience. His bylines include Rolling Stone, Alternative Press, Substream Magazine, Nu Sound, and Under The Gun Review, among other popular outlets.