ABSTRACT
In this chapter we will focus on what, at the end of the day, is really the essence of what the publicity business is now and what it started out to be-getting ink for the client, no matter who or where he or she is. As you will see later on in the book, the industry has grown to the point where much of the focus is on the glitz and glamour, or the return on investment for a sponsor or an organization, or on maximizing company revenue. That is all very encouraging for an industry that continues to grow and expand. However, the one fact remains that if you cannot essentially get coverage in media for whomever you are working for, the best business plans and multimedia presentations will all fall apart. At the end of the day, the publicity industry remains very much a people industry. Just like selling a commodity, you are selling an image, or a story, or yes, even a product. Is there always a hard dollar attached to the sale? No. However, the idea of return on investment and building clip and video files is showing to be a larger example of success for companies than it has ever been before, especially in these days of cost-cutting on hard-dollar advertising. Also, the great news is the 24/7 news cycle, the online world, the growth of niche and hyper-local publications, the explosion of the digital platform for sports television, and the competition for the disposable leisure dollar have all created more opportunities for the sports publicist. Whereas 5-10 years ago the value in placing a story in an online site was deemed as subservient to getting a story in a print publication, today correctly servicing that .com may be seen as your biggest success. The competition is always fierce for the larger, mainstream publications and media outlets. However, now building a stable of stories and contacts through smaller, niche publications that lead to the big hit is becoming more commonplace.
