PR companies, and responding to emails.

digitalscream

One of my bands, after many false starts, finally has an album ready for release. So...we figure we'd do it properly, and get a PR company on the case. So I narrow it down to five which appear to operate at our level (or slightly above).

The problem is...not a single one has even bothered to reply to an email. And that's after trying every other possible avenue to contact them - hell, I've only managed to get one of them to even answer the phone, and even then the only thing I could get out of them was "send us an email". Which, obviously, was duly ignored.

How hard can it be to spend money with these people?????

EDIT: I'm pretty sure it's not because our music's crap, or doesn't fit with their existing roster. It could be something in my approach, but I can't actually change that approach until I know what's wrong with it...which, of course, would require one of them to respond to an email. Natch.

midlifecrisis

i find increasingly email in all walks to be very inefficient, people dont respond or dont respond with what you asked them. I feel your frustration that theyve asked you to email and then dont respond

TimmyO

digitalscream said:

One of my bands, after many false starts, finally has an album ready for release. So...we figure we'd do it properly, and get a PR company on the case. So I narrow it down to five which appear to operate at our level (or slightly above).

The problem is...not a single one has even bothered to reply to an email. And that's after trying every other possible avenue to contact them - hell, I've only managed to get one of them to even answer the phone, and even then the only thing I could get out of them was "send us an email". Which, obviously, was duly ignored.

How hard can it be to spend money with these people?????

EDIT: I'm pretty sure it's not because our music's crap, or doesn't fit with their existing roster. It could be something in my approach, but I can't actually change that approach until I know what's wrong with it...which, of course, would require one of them to respond to an email. Natch.

Does seem odd and annoying. random thoughts:
are they genuine and good, or might sttheye be one-person-operations with good online presence and zero extra capacity? 

digitalscream

TimmyO said:

digitalscream said:

One of my bands, after many false starts, finally has an album ready for release. So...we figure we'd do it properly, and get a PR company on the case. So I narrow it down to five which appear to operate at our level (or slightly above).

The problem is...not a single one has even bothered to reply to an email. And that's after trying every other possible avenue to contact them - hell, I've only managed to get one of them to even answer the phone, and even then the only thing I could get out of them was "send us an email". Which, obviously, was duly ignored.

How hard can it be to spend money with these people?????

EDIT: I'm pretty sure it's not because our music's crap, or doesn't fit with their existing roster. It could be something in my approach, but I can't actually change that approach until I know what's wrong with it...which, of course, would require one of them to respond to an email. Natch.

Does seem odd and annoying. random thoughts:
are they genuine and good, or might sttheye be one-person-operations with good online presence and zero extra capacity? 

I don't want to name names, but these are successful and well-respected companies that are most definitely not one-man-band operations.

Snags

Junk filter?   Yours or theirs, thinking about it.

What kind of time frame are we talking about, and have you used email addresses specifically intended for 'cold' enquiries? I've got used to companies (not PR) getting back to me promptly, so when someone takes a week or longer to respond it stands out and makes me double-check logs etc. to be sure the message actually went.

If they're all ignoring you, I guess there's always the nuclear option of doing a tweet in the "Hey @prcompany who do I have to shag to get you to reply to me?" variety. Can't go any worse than being totally ignored.

TimmyO

It's tempting to assume that if they can't deal with enquiries then they won't be good at the job in hand but they aren't necessarily connected. Whoever IS responsible for handling enquiries does need a kick up the arse though. 

We've all edpericed companies who are slick and helpful until you sign up then the people who service you are crap - this could simply be the reverse 

Cirrus

The music industry really is a den of scum and villainy. The absolute most depressing setback of my musical life was at the hands of a PR company, they really can be absolute scumbags. Unfortunately they can also be a gateway into new opportunities...

digitalscream

Cirrus said:

The music industry really is a den of scum and villainy. The absolute most depressing setback of my musical life was at the hands of a PR company, they really can be absolute scumbags. Unfortunately they can also be a gateway into new opportunities...

Yeah, I hear you. Fancy PMing me with the name of that PR company?