DON'T CALL ME A PUBLICIST!

As a PR practitioner for many years in the corporate world, and now as the owner of an award-winning PR/Marketing practice, I'm very uncomfortable when someone refers to me as a "publicist."

I consider myself a "Public Relations Professional" - someone who helps people or companies tell their stories; someone who creates effective communications strategies and objectives; and someone who works very hard at establishing "relations" with the media. To me, a publicist has always had a somewhat-glitzy connotation...a pushy, in-your-face Hollywood-type who represents other Hollywood-types, and who will do just about anything to achieve "publicity" for that Hollywood-type (or for themselves).

Our profession seems to have - and probably always will have - an image problem. I can't tell you how many times, when I've told people that I'm a "Public Relations Professional," I get a knowing wink, along with "Wow, that must be great! Going to all those parties, on yachts..." I've given up trying to explain to those people what I do, because they're never going to get it, anyway.

It's for those reasons, among others, that I have a problem with being called a "publicist." That name implies, to me, a release-flinger and a contact-list and cell-phone junkie who may not have any real communications skills.

I don't "get publicity" for my clients. I create strategies to position and explain their stories - if I think they have worthwhile stories to explain - to their various publics. In so doing, I help them achieve higher visibility, enhanced reputation, and increased business. And that's being a "Public Relations Professional."

Don't get me wrong; there's probably a real need for "publicists" in this world, especially for movie stars, entertainers, and writers on book-tours. Just don't call me one.

I've been doing this for twenty years; generally six, and often seven, days a week; for 10-14 hours a day. And I just don't like being labeled a "publicist."

By the way, the last yacht party I've been to was about six years ago. And the time before that...I can't even remember.

Steve Winston
President, WINSTON COMMUNICATIONS
(954) 575-4089
steve@winstoncommunications.com
www.winstoncommunications.com