As a musician, it’s important to market yourself in a way that will appeal to your target audience. Disseminating your music to as many listeners as possible is one of the most important steps to achieving success.
Music PR firms are an excellent way to gain media coverage and establish a stable career, but only if the firm has the proper resources and experience. If you’re looking to hire a music PR firm, there are a few questions you can ask to make sure they’re the right company for you.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the five most important questions to ask before you hire a music PR firm.
What Is Music PR?
As a musician, the ultimate goal is not only to get your music heard, but to also build your brand. At the end of the day, think one hit wonders. The music was great, right? But, the musician didn’t have their brand built up enough to stick in the minds of the people.
Music PR, also known as music public relations, is the practice of promoting and building awareness for a musician whether it’s for their brand, overall image, and music through a variety of media outlets and channels. The goal is not only to increase visibility for the musician, but help build a fanbase which is turn can lead to better music sales and overall success in the industry.
Popular Music PR Strategies
When you hire a PR company, you’re going to see a wide range of strategies used. Music PR professionals work closely with musicians and their teams to create a unique brand identity and image that resonates with their target audience.
Examples Of PR Strategies
- Content Creation
- Social Media Marketing
- Influencer Partnerships
- Event Planning
- Ad Campaigns
- Press Coverage
Overall, music PR plays a crucial role in helping musicians and bands to establish and maintain a strong presence in the music industry and connect with their fans.
What To Look For In A Music PR Company
When hiring a PR company, you’ll likely get a dedicated publicist to help get your career up and running. Here are a few questions you should ask yourself before checking the “you’re hired” box.
1) Does this PR firm have good reviews?
Be sure to do extensive research on the firm you’re considering. Reading reviews from other musicians will give you a good idea of whether or not this company will take your goals seriously. While you shouldn’t let one bad review determine whether or not you hire a firm, an overwhelming number of poor reviews suggest you should probably take your music elsewhere.
2) What type of marketing do they excel in?
When you’re preparing to meet with a music PR firm, it’s important to have your business and marketing goals established. Doing so will communicate to the firm that you take your music seriously, and that you have a vision you plan on bringing to life.
Don’t feel the need to have every minuscule marketing detail worked out; that’s where the firm will step in. However, telling your potential PR firm your larger goals will give them a clear idea of whether or not they can turn those goals into a reality.
3) What music do they specialize in?
If you’re a metal musician and the firm you’re interviewing with has only worked with country artists, they might not have all of the connections you’re looking for. Part of being a successful musician is having successful connections that will help you get your foot in the door.
Additionally, if a firm is currently working with bands from the same genre as you, then you can be sure that they have experience with marketing that type of music. Marketing techniques will change based on the audience, so it’s best to pick a firm that knows how to cater to your target audience.
4) How many clients are they currently working with?
Having a large number of clients may be an indicator that this PR firm is popular and has a dedicated client base. However, a large number of clients may lead to less time being invested in your projects by the firm’s employees. If one employee is managing twenty bands, their company likely stretches the employees too thin, and is, therefore, more concerned with the number of projects rather than the quality of their marketing.
5) Can you show me some examples of recent work?
This question will give you a good idea of whether the firm has experience with outlets that will benefit your career. The outlets you’re hoping to receive coverage from will vary depending on your style of music, so be sure to meet with the firm and have names of reputable outlets prepared. If the firm has experience with those outlets, then you can be confident that you’re one step closer to getting noticed by the right people.
The Cost Of Music PR
So, what should you expect to pay a PR company? Ugh, what a loaded question and so overwhelming for a musician that’s just starting out. According to The Mora May Music PR Agency, you should expect to pay at least $1,000 to start.
I’ve found this to be the typical answer when doing my research. But, fair warning here! CyberPR makes a great point in their article that ‘”many PR firms try to charge what the client can afford.”‘ So, long story short, be careful when chatting about your budget and be sure to get your questions answered to even see if the PR company is a vibe before getting into the discussion.
Well, What Do You Think?
Now, it is up to you! You should put a lot of thought into deciding whether or not to hire a PR firm. And hey, I’m here for you. Aside from Elicit, I’m also a Digital Marketing Consultant, so if you start questioning the campaigns a PR company wants to run or have questions in general, please reach out, I would love to hear from you.
I’ll end with this… like anything you’re just diving into, there is always going to be a “mistake” made. Don’t get down on yourself, learn from your experience and go into your next one with confidence.