Big Picture Media is a forward thinking full service public relations and digital marketing agency based in Manhattan, New York, and Beverly Hills, California.
Tell us a little about yourself and your experience.
Hiya! My name is Stacy Soquet and I am a publicist for Big Picture Media! I’ve been with the company five months, but previously I was doing freelance PR on the side of my full-time gig for about a year.
What drove you to choose your career path?
I had been interviewing bands since I was 16 for a variety of sites that I had created, and when I decided to go back to school, I researched a variety of industries. As I was researching, I realized communications/public relations might be fun as I was always on the receiving end doing interviews. I did an internship and realized that PR was what I wanted to do, so I majored in it!
How did you go about getting your job? What kind of education and experience did you need?
It was a long and bumpy road getting to where I’m at now! I have a degree in Communications/Public Relations and while I was in school I did three internships in music/marketing/public relations. I was also on the executive board of the Entertainment and Tourism Club at my school where I would work on bringing professionals out to our student panels. I was working in radio and was doing freelance PR for about a year before my friend introduced me to my new boss. I came in for the interview with all of my press clips and somehow landed a job with an amazing company!
What do you actually spend the majority of your time doing?
Researching new outlets and pitching! We always strive for new, unique features for our artists, and there are a lot of new sites/blogs/magazines popping up.
What misconceptions do people often have about your job?
A lot of people think it’s a super glamorous job. It definitely has its perks and we get to work some great events, but we work really hard.
What are your average work hours?
Officially 8:30-5:30, but I check my email when I wake up and I check my email when I’m home at night. We also often go out to see our clients perform, so sometimes it will be 10PM before I’m finally home for the evening!
What personal tips and shortcuts have made your job easier?
Cision! When I was working freelance PR, I pitched based off of lists that I had created just by researching outlets on Google and emailing them. It was tough! But Cision is a lifesaver, providing contacts to people that I otherwise wouldn’t have. Teamwork is also essential. My coworkers will introduce me to contacts that they’ve made, which will help me secure features for my artists as well.
What do you do differently from your coworkers or peers in the same profession?
Everyone does things differently. Some of my coworkers prefer calling people and chatting with them one-on-one to pitch certain things. Others prefer emailing. It just depends on the person and the company!
Do you have any advice for people who need to enlist your services?
Know your budget and know the company you’re wanting to work with. Firms range in pricing, so definitely pay attention to that. Also, have content. We love pitching exclusive content whether it’s videos or song premieres, content is essential to creating a buzz around an artist.
What's the worst part of the job and how do you deal with it?
I hate not getting responses from people. I send so many email pitches and unfortunately never hear back from a good majority of them. I’d prefer receiving a no or a pass over no response any day!
What's the most enjoyable part of the job?
Seeing my hard work pay off! Whether it’s a feature or a premiere, I LOVE seeing the artists I work with featured on outlets that I pitched. It gives me a rush :)
What kind of money can one expect to make at your job?
It really depends on the company that you work for. There’s a lot involved whether it’s the size of the company or if it’s commission-based.
How do you move up in your field?
Work, work, work! The better I do on my campaigns, the larger artists my boss will give to me, in turn helping me land larger features/coverage.
What advice would you give to those aspiring to join your profession?
Get involved! Whether it’s an internship, volunteering for a publication, or being a part of a club on your school campus, get involved. Find what you love to do and do it. Work generates work!