What is a publicist, and do you need one?

What does a publicist do?

A publicist manages how a client appears in the media. Day to day, that means:

• Pitching. Finding story angles and selling them to journalists, producers, editors and podcast hosts.
• Booking. Arranging interviews, TV and radio appearances, panels and reviews.
• Materials. Writing press releases, bios, media kits and talking points.
• Gatekeeping. Handling incoming media requests and deciding which to accept.
• Protecting reputation. Preparing statements and managing negative stories.

Types of publicist

• Personal or celebrity publicists represent actors, musicians, athletes and public figures.
• Book publicists run launch campaigns for authors: reviews, interviews, podcasts and events.
• Music publicists work release cycles: premieres, reviews, playlists and tour press.
• Brand or corporate publicists work for companies, often inside a PR agency or an in-house team.
• Unit publicists handle publicity for a film or TV production while it is shooting.

Publicist vs PR agency

The words overlap. In general, a publicist is one person focused on media coverage, often for an individual or a single launch. A PR agency is a team that covers media relations plus wider communications such as strategy, crisis planning, internal communications, events and social media. Individuals and small launches often suit a publicist; companies with ongoing news usually suit an agency or an in-house PR lead.

How publicists charge

• Monthly retainer for ongoing work, usually with a minimum of three months.
• Campaign fee for a fixed period around a launch, such as a book or album release.
• Pay per placement, where you pay only for coverage secured. Agree the list of target outlets first.
• Hourly consulting for help with materials and strategy while you do the pitching.

Rates vary widely by experience, city and niche, so compare at least three quotes for the same brief and ask what results each fee has bought for similar clients.

When do you need a publicist?

• You have a time-bound launch, such as a book, album, film or product, and no time to pitch.
• Media requests are arriving faster than you can handle them.
• You need access to top-tier outlets where relationships really matter.
• You are facing, or expect, a reputational problem.

How to hire a good publicist

1. Look at who covers people like you, then ask those journalists or clients who their publicist was.
2. Ask for links to coverage they secured in the last six months for clients in your niche.
3. Ask who exactly will pitch you, and how many other clients they handle.
4. Agree on targets and reporting before you sign, and check the notice period.
5. Be wary of anyone who guarantees a specific outlet. Good publicists promise effort and strategy, not placements they do not control.

How to get press without a publicist

Plenty of founders, authors and artists get coverage on their own. The process is simple, even if it takes discipline:

1. Write your story in one sentence and find the angle that makes it news now.
2. Build a short list of 20 to 50 journalists who covered similar stories recently.
3. Send each a short, personal pitch, and follow up once with something new.
4. Keep a simple record of who replied, so your next pitch starts warmer.

InsightFuse does the slow parts for you: it finds the right journalists in a database of hundreds of thousands, reads their recent work and drafts a personal pitch to each, which you send from your own inbox.

Related guides

Frequently asked questions