Jessica Michael PR

My book has been out for a while. Can I still get media attention?

jessicamichaelpr@gmail.com (Jessica Michael) — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 16:00:02 GMT

I often work with authors who’ve made the unfortunate (and completely understandable) mistake of thinking they’d receive ample marketing and PR support from their publisher, only to find out once the book arrived that wasn’t the case.

While in an ideal world, we’d start a book launch campaign 6 months in advance, getting PR post-launch is not only possible– it can be crucial for keeping your book top of mind for your audience.

For example, I worked with an author whose debut how-to business book launched two years previously. He was gearing up to pitch agents for his next book and wanted to maximize his profile. In 3 months, we were able to land him 9 podcast interviews, including two with pods that have over 500k listens per month.

In another case, I was able to get my client quoted (and their book mentioned) in one of the nation’s largest newspapers over 10 years after their book came out. They were working with their agent on finding a publisher for a revised edition and needed to boost the original edition's profile to attract publishers.

In both cases, we focused on connecting their expertise with hot topics in the news cycle.

Other ways to land placements even after your book has been out for a while include:

Targeting smaller podcasts that cater to your specific readers. While smaller pods still get tons of pitches, you have a better chance of getting an interview with a pod that focuses on your niche. These smaller podcast interviews add to your media list and are a great way to come to the attention of the people most likely to buy your book.
Writing a guest blog post or oped about relevant current trends that tie into your subject matter or personal biography. If you can’t mention your book in the article, you’ll probably be able to mention it in your bio.

Collaborating with other authors on creating a live or streaming event and pitching it to local or relevant media. When you add additional people to the panel, the date of your book publication matters less. Make the event interesting and novel, and you can leverage it for media coverage.

There are many ways to turn your less-than-stellar pre-launch media coverage into a post-launch buzz. Don’t get discouraged, keep reaching out to media contacts, and send me a DM if you’d like to set up a personal PR strategy consultation.

Don’t just pitch your film. Pitch yourself.

jessicamichaelpr@gmail.com (Jessica Michael) — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 23:14:32 GMT

The story behind your film might just be how you get noticed.

When I create pitches for film clients, one angle I like to explore is the story of the filmmaker behind the film.

For example, I represented a client who created a short film about Afghani refugees. All of the cast and crew were Afghani or Middle Eastern, including the filmmaker. We highlighted this as an important part of her filmmaking process and her desire to be as authentic as possible.

Another filmmaker I worked with faced backlash for her film because of her ethnicity. We were able to land her an interview with one of the film industry’s biggest outlets by highlighting her struggles getting the film screened.

Pitches that focus on your story as a filmmaker might include:

Why you created this film and what message you want it to send
How you got funding
Your background and what led you to filmmaking
Any special notes on the process of making the film

In an industry where thousands of films are produced every year, sometimes stories centered on your biography or creative process can be the media hook you need.

This gives your audience , potential investors, and distributors a way to connect personally with the film. It also opens up new avenues of media coverage, which can be vital for getting your film the attention it deserves and for establishing your profile as a filmmaker.

For boutique PR for your film, send me a message, and we’ll set up a meeting!

PR for nonprofits is different. Here’s why.

jessicamichaelpr@gmail.com (Jessica Michael) — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 01:11:45 GMT

Leveraging PR to Amplify Impact and Advocate for Your Cause

Every PR campaign has similar goals: expand your reach, increase legitimacy and get in front of the right audience. If done correctly, this leads to increased sales and new opportunities.

For many nonprofits, however, PR goals go beyond an increase in donations or a higher sign-up rate for volunteers. Many nonprofits are working on very specific projects that benefit from public support as well as partnerships from businesses and organizations.

Take for example a nonprofit that puts on an annual golf tournament used to raise funds for cancer research. An effective PR campaign would target local media coverage, like local newspapers and TV stations, because most people entering the tournament are going to be from the local area. You’d also want to reach out to relevant sponsors, like the pro shop in town. And connecting with other nonprofits with similar missions means they can reach out to their email lists and membership to let them know about your event.

I’ve recently worked with an environmental nonprofit that is seeking approval from their city council for permanent protections for a preserve area. We’ve put together a coalition of other environmental nonprofits in town, offered informational field trips to the site, and partnered with local media to increase public support at city council meetings.

For larger nonprofits, fundraising may be a large part of the PR picture, but public support for ballot referendums or working to change the national narrative about a particular issue may be just as important. Working with a holistic PR strategy that takes into account the larger goals your organization is working towards means you can target the right platforms and develop effective story angles.

Even if your organization isn’t ready to hire a full-time PR professional, working with a publicist on a particular project or on the launch of a new initiative can be incredibly valuable and cost-effective. There are also numerous marketing grants available for nonprofits that can be used to pay for PR.

If you want to learn more about how to leverage PR to meet your nonprofit’s goals in 2024, reach out to us for a free initial consultation today.

Why Sustainability Departments Need PR

jessicamichaelpr@gmail.com (Jessica Michael) — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 01:11:42 GMT

Your company is committed to the values of sustainability, from reducing your carbon imprint to developing eco-friendly products to innovating new business models that reduce waste and support conservation philanthropy.

Thing is, no one is going to know about that until you tell them.

Consumers care more than ever about the ethics of the companies they support. In fact, if given a choice, 88% of global consumers would buy from companies that ethically source their ingredients. And 60% of consumers say they’d pay more for a product with sustainable packaging.

People are backing up their ethics with their wallets, which is great news if you are an environmentally ethical company.

But the public at large is more and more cautious about companies that claim to practice sustainability. That means you’ve got to do more than just use marketing buzzwords.

You need to get the story out about what exactly you’re doing to live up to your environmental values and why the innovations you’ve implemented matter. You need to talk about how your company became committed to sustainability and what you’re planning on doing moving forward.

If you are able to get your eco story out to the media, you’ll develop credibility with your target audience. And you might even inspire others to align with the same ethics that you are!

Set and Setting in the Business of Psychedelics

jessicamichaelpr@gmail.com (Jessica Michael) — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 01:11:40 GMT

The term “set and setting” is used frequently in the psychedelics ecosystem to indicate the intention and environment in which someone takes psychedelics.

But what does it mean in a business sense?

Psychedelics is a booming industry, and while there are many more steps to take before there is full legalization of therapeutic psychedelic use, many businesses have jumped on the bandwagon to take advantage of growing interest and accessibility.

For any new business or organization throwing their hat into the ring (and those of us that work with them), it’s important to define a healthy and ethical set and setting for psychedelic business.

For example, profit shouldn’t be the only motivator for businesses in the sector.

It’s great to make a living and a profit so you and your employees can thrive, but a profit-only motive can lead to cutting corners, disrespecting indigenous entheogenic rights, and potentially dangerous products.

Having the intention to create accessibility for those in need or to further education and awareness ensures that moving forward, your business will be aligned with best practice.

In addition, the circumstances in which you conduct business is important.

Do you have trustworthy partnerships?

Are you fully in line with the legality of your state?

Are you creating a positive work environment?

Set and setting takes on a whole new meaning when you apply it to the how and why of psychedelics commerce.

Pitching a Bookstore for Your Book Launch

jessicamichaelpr@gmail.com (Jessica Michael) — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 01:11:39 GMT

Did you know that most bookstores book out their event calendar 6 months in advance?

Or that popular bookstores receive hundreds of event requests per month from authors?

Or that almost all of them require your publication date to be within 2 weeks to 1 month of your launch?

If you want to launch your book at a specific bookstore, you have to start pitching early. And you have to make your pitch compelling.

Many bookstores, both independent and chain, will only feature authors in certain genres (i.e. literary fiction) but won’t feature authors from other genres (i.e. self-help or business books).

Just like publishers, they want to be sure you come with your own audience– a local network that will show up to support you as well as a larger following for your work.

Some of them will require you to sell books on consignment, provide your own books, or will take a large cut from your profits.

They may also want you to have a host or facilitator, often another popular author in your genre.

If you’ve got this lined up, start contacting the managers of the bookstores you’re interested in to see what their specific requirements are and how to best apply to be featured. Make sure to spell out your audience, your marketing and PR strategy for the event, and how you plan to get people in the room.

You’ll also need to convince them that your work is compelling and unique and deserves to be highlighted.

If you can’t land a store in the area you’d like, consider renting a space. Many authors have succeeded putting together amazing and profitable book launches at restaurants, bars, and local stores.

Platforms like Peerspace also have great (and often inexpensive) options.

Remember, you may love the idea of launching at your favorite store, but you and your team will be doing the bulk of the marketing and PR regardless. It may even work to your benefit to book someplace else.

Have more questions? Reach out and we can see how I can help you on your road to book launching success!

Top 5 Tips for Acing a Podcast Interview

jessicamichaelpr@gmail.com (Jessica Michael) — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 01:11:37 GMT

Ready to connect with your target audience, define your brand and build a media profile?

Podcasts are a great way to get media exposure and speaking experience while creating buzz about your business.

Because of the longer format, podcast interviews help develop a personal connection with listeners, which makes it more likely that they will follow you on social media or research your products and services.

Podcasts can also be a more accessible route for building up your press links than traditional media, especially when you are first starting out.

But to cash in on these benefits, you need to be the best guest you can be.

Here’s my top 5 tips for making a splash on your next podcast interview.

Tip #1: Do your research
To get a sense of the type of questions, tone, and host’s interview style, nothing beats listening to a few episodes of the podcast you’re about to be a guest on. Choose recent episodes with similar themes or guests and be sure to take notes on what you notice. It can also help to visit the podcast’s website to learn more about their subject matter and mission statement.

Tip #2: Choose your number one message
Chances are, the podcast picked you for a reason. Either they sought you out as an expert guest because they liked your biography or they picked you based off of an enticing pitch. So what subject do their listeners want to hear more about?

Spend some time brainstorming on your primary subject matter and the message you most want listeners to take away. If you start to get sidetracked or flustered, knowing your message makes it easy to get back on track.

Tip #3: Support your message with short stories, stats and soundbites
Stats help listeners build trust with you by providing proof of your points, short stories make you relatable, and soundbites are what listeners are going to remember after the bulk of the interview fades.

Spell these out in a document that you can study and/or have in front of you during the interview. Podcast interviews work best when they feel natural, so there’s a good chance you won’t get to all of them. Having them memorized or readily available will make it simple to call them up when it makes sense within the flow of the interview.

Tip #4: Understand how and when to include a CTA
A call to action is what turns an interview into a sales funnel, but how to include one can be tricky.

Some hosts will ask you directly to share your information, which will usually include where to find you on social media and where to buy your product or service. They might also share that with listeners themselves at the beginning or end of the pod.

However, if you are being brought in as an expert on a more news-oriented podcast, they may not appreciate you mentioning your products or services directly. Make sure you are clear on the type of pod you’re a guest on and what their standard practice is (see Tip #1). When in doubt, ask!

Tip #5: Practice
Knowing what you’d like to say and having it written down on paper are very different experiences from saying it out loud. Give yourself time to practice sharing your stories, stats, and soundbites. If you can, role play with someone who can act as an interviewer to give yourself practice for responding off-the-cuff to questions and queries.

Remember, publicists are also media coaches! We can help you develop talking points, practice being interviewed, and give you tips and pointers for improving your skills at being a great podcast guest. Find out how in the comments below.