How to Create a Successful Relationship with your PR firm (& a successful promotion of your release)

A few months ago I wrote this article about what a PR agency is, why it is useful to get one, and what materials you should provide them to promote your release.

Today I want to talk about some aspects that were marginally touched on in the article. Things that would make your band more professional and valuable in the music industry.

Every minute is a chance to improve yourself, so why waste such possibilities? Jump aboard with me! :)

Before sending any e-mail to a PR agency, check if your message includes all the information (band name, genre, unreleased material, services needed) and if it has been written by aiming to create a relationship with the agency. Believe me, do not underestimate this point. You do not have to send an unpolite message like "Hello mate, can you promote us?", but surely the message should not be a "cold" one. So check these points to prepare a relationship-driven message:

- Open yourself (and your band) to the world. Your release is important, but it is not a treasure to keep secret. There is a world out there ready to know your music, so explain to the PR agency what your band is, and what it wants to communicate;

- PR means "Public Relations". It means that the PR specialist has a particular ability in talking with people and making the most of it (in other words, understand your music and how to channel it). Try to communicate with the PR specialist as most as you can, explain your need, your vision, and what you did not like in previous experiences with other PRs, and you would see it realized with the agency you are writing to;

- The price is a very important issue, but do not base your email only on it. Asking for a price, without talking about the rest, leads to two consequences: 1) you give the idea that you do not value enough your music, and 2) you do not make your music attractive for the PR agency: your music will not be a topic to discuss.

- Please do not say to the agency that "you are also evaluating other options". It is obvious that you are contacting more PRs, so there is no need to say it. The PR agency does not need to be treated as the "King of PR", but neither like one of many.

Unsuccessful PR is restricted to "be paid & go". Successful PR is "what can we do together to spread your music at its best?".

Other useful tips to create a good collaboration:

- When you introduce yourself and your next release, please explain if you are intending to work with more PR agencies (or if you already hired them). There is no need to mention them, but it is fair to inform who you are hiring because some issues – like who will organize the album premiere, or the countries where the PRs will operate - have to be better organized;

- If you wish to contact some media outlets by yourself, please share the such list with the PR. A professional agency does not need them to increase the contacts in the database (they should already have them), but it will avoid contacting them. For a reviewer or interviewer is not nice to be contacted by two different sources about the same release. It will make them more confused, with the risk of rejecting the promo from both sources.

In doing Public Relations, PR agencies and bands should build fair and transparent relationships with the people around them. What we call the "Human Factor" is the key element in PR. To be human, to be yourself is the decisive turning point. After all, promoting your release means promoting yourself, don't you think?

I hope you enjoyed this article. Feel free to ask questions, or make comments. We would like to listen from you.

For any info about how to promote your next release, please send an e-mail to themetallistpr@gmail.com

Thanks for your time & believe in your music!