It’s the age-old query: what’s the distinction between PR and advertising and marketing? They work collectively to maneuver a model ahead and are important to a musician’s profession, however are usually not the identical factor. To be a profitable musician in as we speak’s fast-moving business, it’s essential to have a primary understanding of those two fields. Therefore, we’ve compiled a starter information that will help you differentiate between them!
In idea, each PR and advertising and marketing will work in tandem to advertise a model with velocity and consistency. However the reality is, these complimentary items of the puzzle are very completely different. And but, each are essential for a musician’s burgeoning profession. Nicely, what precisely is the distinction between them? First, let’s take a look at what every particular person position does:
Public Relations (PR)
A publicist wears many hats – relying on the business, their shopper’s wants, and so forth. For this text, we’ll be specializing in the music business. PR helps your model holistically – from model messaging and sustaining a optimistic public notion to securing press. In a nutshell, public relations is how the world sees you.
You’d rent a publicist to:
- Coordinate alternatives to attach with the press (interviews, evaluations, and many others.)
- Construct your model and preserve a optimistic picture
- Write your bio and press releases
- Handle a disaster
That is the best means to think about PR. It’s typically the primary position you interact in rising your profession. Efficient PR will assist you to refine your messaging and bolster your total status, which can assist you to safe extra alternatives.
Advertising
Advertising, then again, is targeted on selling a model’s merchandise with the purpose of promoting. When it’s completed effectively, it’s nuanced and concerned. Whereas PR focuses on model picture, persona, and messaging – advertising and marketing takes that and pushes it to the lots.
It could imply so many various issues relying on who you communicate to, however a number of the choices you’re certain to see on the subject of advertising and marketing are social media advertising and marketing, launch technique, promoting, creating launch supplies, researching new gross sales alternatives, and extra!
You’d rent a advertising and marketing company for:
- Adverts
- Graphics creation
- Writing your weekly publication
- Forming a social media technique
As with PR, that is only a starter record, however ought to offer you an concept of what advertising and marketing is. If you happen to want one other option to bear in mind it: PR builds the model, so advertising and marketing can promote it.
Which one do you want?
That is the true query—which one do you want? The quick reply is: it is dependent upon your objectives, your funds, and your wants as a musician.
Ideally, you’ll work with a publicist to construct your model, tailor your messaging, and develop public consciousness by means of a press push. This might embody working along with your publicist to craft a compelling message and constructing out a launch plan to your music or album. Your publicist would then coordinate alternatives to attach with the press, and assist you to rating interviews, evaluations, and highlight options to construct consciousness round your model – that’s, you and your music!
Then, you’ll take the superb materials you’ve constructed and put it to use in your advertising and marketing. Utilizing the business consideration and curiosity garnered from the press, a advertising and marketing crew would assist you to open doorways to new alternatives. For instance, the branding that your publicist has helped craft could in flip get you higher social media engagement, as a result of the messaging is in tune along with your viewers and resonates with them.
If you happen to’re on the early levels of your profession and attempting to resolve on one, right here’s my suggestion — take into consideration what will transfer the needle essentially the most for you, and put your cash there. It may be tempting to leap straight into advertising and marketing because it correlates to gross sales, however if you happen to don’t have already got a strong model and followers ready to listen to your subsequent single, you is perhaps leaping the gun a bit.
Ask your self – do I have already got a thriving fan base? If the reply isn’t any, you would possibly want PR first. If you happen to haven’t constructed a following on social media, you might not need to sink a big sum into attempting to go viral. Strive tightening up your messaging and constructing your affect to succeed in the correct individuals.
Nevertheless, if you happen to’ve constructed sturdy branding and a monitor file of engaged followers – you is perhaps able to take that up one other notch! Advertising could be an ideal place to place your cash and begin pushing a message that you recognize works.
Keep in mind, neither of those is a one-and-done service. All through your profession, you’ll need to implement them over the long run, time and time once more for each new launch, tour, album, and many others. They’re part of your musician toolbox now, so don’t be afraid to make use of them.
Angela Tyler is the founding father of MP Co. (previously Muddy Paw PR) securing placements on Forbes, Enterprise Insider, American Songwriter, PopWrapped, & extra. She loves dessert, her rescue canine Sawyer, and discovering new music.
