The All-Important (and Sometimes Unattainable) Agency Experience

Word's from TSG's awesome 2011 Fall Intern, Alina.

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I graduated in 2010 from a Big Ten school with a pile of student loans and no means to pay them back. How did I get here? I did everything I was supposed to do. I entered an accredited university, chose and excelled in a major broad enough to provide options yet focused enough to enjoy a specialized area of interest, I volunteered and completed three internships in my field, I joined a sorority, I built my network through experienced professors with connections, and I participated in my PRSSA chapter. So I’m sure you can imagine my confusion when I crossed the stage with a $40,000 piece of paper in my hand and I lacked the pool of job offers I was told a college education would guarantee.

Six months before graduation I began applying to all the big PR firms with offices in metro-Detroit. The common thread in the impersonal rejections: “no agency experience.” How could that be different than all the experience I had gained in internal PR departments? And if it is, how could I gain that experience if none of them would hire me?

Fast forward one year and a rainy relocation later: here I am, a graduate student working full-time between two internships in successful PR agencies. And guess what? The rejections were right.

Agencies provide a much deeper understanding of the practice of PR. My creativity and writing skills have been challenged as I’ve had to adapt to different clients and styles of writing. I’ve gained further insight into crisis management. I have sharpened my event planning and coordination abilities. My media relations knowledge has more than doubled in the past two months with the opportunities to accompany the executives to press events and interact with journalists one-on-one. And I have absolutely mastered the art of time management. Overall I’ve learned that PR offers a more sophisticated means of communication. My interest and faith in the industry has been restored by its unrestricted nature, and I’ve decided that publicizing the arts and entertainment fields is what I will continue to work toward.

So I want to thank The Silverman Group for taking a chance on someone with no agency experience and providing me with what truly has been a unique learning opportunity. And to all the recent graduates encountering the same problem, I encourage you to remain a current and viable asset in this industry. Enroll in graduate school and move to a more vibrant market. Join your local PRSA chapter and engage in interesting conversations with successful people. Volunteer, offer your services to local businesses, and inquire about job shadowing to get you one step closer to that hiring manager. Most importantly, don’t give up. Eventually your dream agency will recognize your potential and your increasing proficiency will transform you into the PR professional you’ve worked so hard to become.

5 Things I’ve Learned About Arts Publicity

Words from one of TSG's excellent 2011 Summer Interns, Deirdre.
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I’ve been an intern with The Silverman Group for a couple of months now and I can honestly say that I’ve learned quite a bit about arts publicity. A lot goes on behind the scenes of promoting art, theater, dance, music and other entertainment clients that I didn’t expect. I came up with a list of five lessons I’ve learned about arts publicity and will dive a little bit deeper into each lesson below. Warning: this list is not meant to scare anyone away from pursuing a career in arts publicity, it’s just a heads up on what you can expect!

1. Publicists are busy; Journalists might be busier.
My point here is that it is important to not waste a journalist’s time. I’ve noticed that they tend to be overwhelmed with endless stories to cover, so their time is precious. This was never more evident than the first time I was assigned to call up the major news desks to confirm they received a media advisory from us. Within seconds, I already felt like I was wasting their time, as they rushed me off the phone. With the decline of the economy, it’s no secret that many journalists now individually cover double to triple the amount of work that they used to. Since journalists are so busy, it is important for publicists to make a client’s event super easy to cover. We can do this by creating clear, concise media alerts. Make sure that the necessary information is laid out for them to see and that the supporting facts are easy to find. The less research an editor or reporter has to conduct, the more likely they are to cover a story.

2. Just because you think an event sounds newsworthy, that doesn’t mean reporters will.
Even the catchiest media advisory can’t save some events from little coverage. I learned this lesson at the first event I helped staff, in which no reporters (with cameras) showed up to film. I thought the event sounded like the definition of newsworthy. It was a collaboration event between a live music orchestra and some award-winning filmmakers. I thought I’d see as many camera crews as I did hipsters, but I was wrong. I guess it’s not always realistic to expect a lot of media coverage, which I’m sure seasoned publicists understand. All you can do is try your best to get the word out there and hope news outlets will show an interest.

3. A Publicist must be a know-it-all, of sorts.
At least it helps. I can’t count how many times the office gets phone calls from people—whether clients, reporters, or agents, asking unexpected questions. As a publicist, it helps to know as much as possible about your clients, the city you’re working in, the relevant news outlets, social trends, etc. Seemingly pointless trivia ends up being very useful at times! The more you know, the better. It’s vital to at least know the basic history of your client’s organization—when it was formed and how its existence has transformed over the years. When you already know a lot about your client, it makes work like writing a press release a whole lot easier!

4. The hours are long.
I learned this lesson while helping with the TBS Just for Laughs comedy festival. The festival lasted one week, which I spent staffing the press room and assisting with media relations at the events. When I factor in the time spent commuting, I think my shortest work day that week was 13 hours. Don’t get me wrong, I loved working at the festival. It was a great opportunity to get to see how press functions at such large scale events. I even got to escort some comedians around to their scheduled interviews. My only point is that an arts publicist probably can’t expect to have a standard 9-5 work day schedule. They are often handling media at events later in the day and sometimes even on the weekends. Which brings me to my last lesson learned…

5. It takes a true passion for the arts.
Life as an arts publicist would be quite dreary if you weren’t completely in love with what you do. You need a true passion for the arts to dedicate yourself to this field. You have to be willing to put in the time and effort that your client deserves!

It's the weak end!

And no that isn't a typo. This final post for the week is going to be a weak one. It's a Friday in August, one of our final weeks of "summer hours" and the crickets have returned (as has the bird that just flew perilously close to my open window).

Time to take advantage of the quiet and quit complaining about it.

So I'm off to check out a new Blackberry.

Not surprisingly, I've become somewhat addicted to the practice of blogging (aka, talking about myself). Who knew?

And PS. the new business meeting this morning went VERY well. Am providing a proposal next week. I am 100% sure we can deliver what they're looking for - and we'd enjoy working on it! Just a matter of money, and what they can afford. Hints were made about tight budgets, the need for sponsors, etc. Will keep you posted... promise!

Mundane, Mundane

So, when people (usually job applicants) ask what a "typical day" is like at The Silverman Group, I usually respond that "no two days are alike," which I consider to be a good thing. However, the last few days have been unusually similar: slow and filled with mundane bookkeeping tasks, health insurance renewals, and scheduling meetings to discuss the (aforementioned) Fall season. All necessary evils but not exactly energizing endeavors.


I know that soon I will wistfully recall these less hectic days, when I have the luxury of focusing on one client at a time, instead of seven, but right now, I miss the drama - and the multi-tasking. The running from one client's meeting to assist at another client's interview to the office and out again.


And having a legitimate excuse why I can't hit the gym after work.


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So, we're meeting a potential new client on Friday, for a festival which we're perfectly qualified to represent, and I look forward to selling the company's services. Hopefully the fest director can afford us, but this reminds me that new business acquisition is not always about the fee. One retains new clientele for a variety of reasons. For instance, The Silverman Group represents a diverse range of cultural organizations: theater, dance, film, comedy, music, visual arts and assorted non-profit institutions, such as WBEZ FM/NPR and the Chicago Loop Alliance. I have sometimes accepted lower fees for projects in any of those fields of expertise so as to continue utilizing the valuable media contacts we've compiled and to keep us front-of-mind with those contacts. For example, soon after we promoted the opening of the new Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies building - and had initiated some great relationships with architecture and "green" building press - I definitely wanted to take advantage of having established those contacts, and sought to secure other new building projects, which we did. Utilizing existing media contacts made it easier to produce solid coverage for the new clients, and having other relevant clients to "pitch" helped to solidify our relationship with those particular members of the media....which will make it easier to produce solid coverage for the next client!


Other reasons for accepting less-than-acceptable fees might include: the high profile nature of project/personality will add cache to our client list; I have staff who have the necessary expertise, and at the time could afford to be busier; given the familiar nature of the project, we have the ability to produce results with little effort or time; it is personally important to - or would prove especially enjoyable for - someone on staff; and/or perhaps an initial low paying project will lead to further work in the future.

I will let you know how the new business meeting goes and ideally prove to the prospective client that The Silverman Group is worth its weight in, er, gold!

The dog days of summer

The dog days of summer are upon us....

And it's not just because I'm a cat lover, that I'm feeling a bit frustrated.

Typically, the last days of August are a bit, er, quiet around Ye Olde Silverman Group. (Let's just say I'm wearing jeans to work again with no fear of a meeting interrupting my casualness). Folks are out of town, I get it. Families taking vacations before school starts, others using up vacation days to attend baseball games or other summer pursuits left to the last minute.

So while phones aren't ringing and meetings are few and far between, we typically all try to use this time to work ahead: get press releases written, media lists updated, maybe even some desk straightening or blogging! One gets lulled into somewhat of a false complacency (not to mention a 5:01pm departure time).

However, the trouble is that within days (okay, 10) it will be Labor Day weekend and then.... the official START OF THE FALL SEASON. Sorry to yell, but every year it plays out the same. While now, virtually ever email sent out this week and next receives an "out of office" reply, on the Tuesday after Labor Day (September 7, this year), members of the media, clients (and presumably the public) are jolted from summer thoughts and suddenly focused on what's taking place September - December. (Let's not even discuss the holidays). It's time to get serious and we're all running around like chickens with our heads cut off because "September is nearly half over"! (There's alot of animal analogies in this blog, and you can see there's alot of drama in our world.)

And at the risk of sounding as though I'm complaining (which I'm not), this year, the abbreviated Labor Day work week includes not only a major Jewish holiday (Rosh Hashanah, Thursday Sept. 9) resulting in two days off work for many (Monday and Thursday) but also we've got two major events to promote that week- the re-opening of the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum on Wednesday afternoon and the ground breaking for the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center on Friday afternoon! That will make for one crazy "welcome to Fall" week!

And in the meantime.....crickets.

The first time often falls short of expectations

And lest you think I'm referring to anything beyond posting one's first blog entry, shame on you!

So welcome to my first missive on The Silverman Group's blog. As the self-proclaimed "Leader of the Flacks" (and a practitioner of arts PR in Chicago for some 23+ years), figured that it was finally time to put pen to paper, er, fingers to keys.

I hope my unique point-of-view running a successful public relations firm (knock on wood), and also the lessons I've learned working in the industry for so long will at least prove entertaining, if not somewhat educational.

A brief start--what more did you expect?

TSG Speaks Out: Laura Silverman, vol. 2

So now that you know how I came to be a PR professional, why do I enjoy what I do? Well if you didn't realize from my first entry... I love working with people! The knowledge, experience, and passion that I get from others in the industry (whether its media or clients) is amazing. Everyone in this business, as you can tell from all the previous TSG Speaks Out entries, have found their way by a completely different path and that allows for me to learn and share my work with a wide breadth of people.

Getting down to specifics... the client and media interaction. When I first started in PR I was terrified of pitching the media, but now it's one of the things I enjoy the most! It's a true accomplishment when you offer up a story idea to a feature reporter about a small non profit organization and they roll with it! Subsequently, seeing the reaction from that non profit client is thrilling! That's what makes it all worth it.
(photo - WGN Reporter, Dean Richards, interviewing Jada Pinkett Smith and Jason Clarke at the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival)

I also love the event planning part of PR. Though rare in my day-to-day duties, I still get a thrill from working an event from the ground up whether it be a gala, awards benefit, or even a red carpet premiere! And to be honest they're fun!

And, the entertainment doesn't hurt. I've been fortunate to see a wide variety of entertainment including top-tier comedy shows, a live rodeo at the United Center, countless film screenings and theatre performances, a dog show, and much much more. The way entertainment can lift people's spirits (especially during these times) is truly inspiring. Sometimes laughter really is the best medicine and in PR I'm able to help more people experience that. The more coverage I secure for a client, the greater the number of people who can be exposed to it. (photo - Mayor Richard Daley with the World's Toughest Rodeo Cowboys at the United Center, February 2009)

But still, the number one reason why I am and enjoy being a PR professional is because every day I am learning more! Whether it's about a specific art form, a specific media contact, or even a type of media, my knowledge is expanding all the time. With the array of clients I have had the privilege of working with, the different media personalities I have met, and the ever changing face of the media there is always more to learn and build off of in this industry. So keep the knowledge and interesting conversation coming and I'll plan to be in the Public Relations industry for years and years to come!

TSG Speaks Out: Laura Silverman

How did I come to a career in Public Relations? I guess it stemmed from my childhood dream of becoming the next Oprah. However, when I realized that this was an unlikely career path and that I much preferred to be behind the cameras while my actress sister was in front of them, I turned to journalism. Then I realized that as much as liked to write, I liked people more. Take that and couple it with the fact that I'm a planner, love events, and am thirsty for knowledge and you get my road to Public Relations!

I think it was senior year of high school when I was applying to colleges that someone mentioned public relations, I asked them to elaborate, and here I am!

I studied PR at the University of Miami (Go Canes!) with a double major in Math (just because!) and for the most part enjoyed everything I was exposed to. From the research to the writing, graphic design, and especially my campaigns class, I was hooked! What most kept my attention, however, was the opportunity to work and interact with so many different people. My professors alone were from a wide range of professional and educational backgrounds as were my classmates.

My internship experiences only reinforced what I already liked about the industry... the diversity, the tempo, the events, and above all the chance to work with others. Seeing a pattern?

My first PR job was a result of an internship, in-house PR at a large regional theatre in Coral Gables, Florida. Though I truly enjoyed the work there, I wanted to move back to the midwest and wanted to be doing more than just theatre. My personal interests are so vast (hence the PR and Math degree) that an agency seemed like a great fit! The Silverman Group has allowed me the opportunity to work on a HUGE variety of clients (everything from mainstream theatre to film premieres and even a rodeo), always keeping me on my toes!

So that's how I got here... I guess I should thank Oprah because had she not inspired me to become her, I may have never discovered my own path.

TSG Speaks Out: Farrah Malik, vol. 2

Why do I enjoy Public Relations? What is it about my profession that really drives and satisfies me? After thinking long and hard about these questions, I came up with a few ideas about what really gets me going when it comes to PR…

I may not be the best dancer, painter or piano player, but I firmly believe that art, no matter what form it is packaged in, is something everyone should have access to. Chicago is such a culturally diverse city and this translates to a plethora of amazing artistic outlets. I feel that art helps us understand one another and the rest of the world as a whole. To have a musician from India, a vocalist from Greece or a dance company from Russia travel to America and collaborate with an organization here is something wonderful to see. To watch as an audience at Orchestra Hall is exposed to something other than Brahms or Beethoven is a thrilling experience. For a girl who grew up in Africa – watching this “globalization” makes me feel that I am working to promote a good cause!

Being at The Silverman Group has allowed me to experience and appreciate so many different cultures through the clients we work with. I have been able to meet the most amazing individuals and every season I am affected by these artistic geniuses that come into my life and invigorate my passion for my job. They have such a zeal for what they do and a desire to touch the world through their art forms – how could I NOT be passionate about working to bring them into the limelight?
(photo of Kiran Ahluwalia, who performed with the Chicago Sinfonietta in March 2009)




Of course, we PR folk would be nowhere without the solid group of media outlets who give us a reason to do what we do. I love working with the writers, editors, producers, on-air personalities, bloggers, and tweeters to get them all what they need, how they need it, and when they need it. It has been so interesting to watch the media world change over the last five years. That alone keeps our job interesting. New/social media has added a new and unique dimension to what we as PR experts do every day! (still of the Indian silent film "A Throw of Dice" with a new score by Nitin Sawhney, which had its U.S. Premiere as part of the Grant Park Music Festival's 74th Season)

So, I guess the long of the short is that my passion for PR really stems from what and who I am working to promote and not so much the act of writing press releases and pitching stories…. Obviously, those techniques led me to this career path (see my blog dated November 24), but I actively chose the area of PR I wanted to be in and THAT is what really satisfies me when it comes down to it.



(photo of visual artist Luis De La Torre creating the backdrop for Eduardo Vilaro's "Quinceanera")

TSG Speaks Out: Farrah Malik

Someone once told me that if I made it through my first 2 years of working at a Public Relations firm, that I had chosen the right career field. January 3, 2010 will be my five-year anniversary with The Silverman Group. Phew! I made it!

If you had asked me where I would be in 10 years during my freshman year at Valparaiso University, I would have never imagined that Public Relations in Chicago would be my answer. International Relations, yes, but Public Relations, no way!

I was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya (That’s EAST Africa, not South Africa!). Both my parents worked with Non-profit organizations, many times working with refugees or in war zone areas. Growing up surrounded by talks of the United Nations, wars, refugees, 2/3 countries all inspired me to want to do the same. Freshman year at University my major was International Service and Psychology with a minor in French. I wanted to go back to Africa and help in war zone areas, just like my parents.



So how did I get from International Service to Public Relations you ask? It all began when I took Communications 101 as a general class to fulfill a social science requirement. Somewhere between learning about the history of the radio and how to write TV script, I fell in love with the concept of public/media relations and within weeks, my major was changed from International Service and Psychology to Communication with an emphasis in Public Relations. Through all my classes, I gained a great appreciation for effective communication. I already knew that I enjoyed writing (I would like to try my hand at writing a Children’s book one day!) and had always enjoyed the Arts (dance, music, theater and visual art). During my junior year of University, I chose to do a semester in Chicago through the Chicago Arts Program. For my internship during the program, I got to work at Carol Fox & Associates (admittedly, The Silverman Group’s friendly competitor). It was a wonderful internship experience and I knew that entertainment PR was the road I wanted to travel down.



After graduation I worked as an assistant community manager at a non-profit in Northwest Indiana for several months, but eventually found my way to The Silverman Group. I consider myself extremely lucky to be working in a field where I combine my love of the Arts and public/media relations. I am constantly learning and enjoy how many opportunities The Silverman Group has offered me. Of course, owner and president Beth Silverman is one of the most well-connected women in Chicago and has an amazing portfolio – there is no better place to learn!

TSG Speaks Out: Eric Eatherly, vol. 2

In our efforts to allow you to get to know The Silverman Group a little better, we want to spend a little time on why we each enjoy PR, because everyone has a different reason for how and why they find PR rewarding.

As referenced in my first blog (on Nov. 10), I came to work with TSG through a love of dance and all things arts-related. After an active career as a performer and a foray into journalism, PR was a natural shift for me. So it will probably come as no surprise that the reason I enjoy working in PR and interacting with the media is because I love spreading the word about the arts. Whether it be dance or theater, music, film, comedy, or any hybrid thereof, it’s important to me that as many people as possible hear about all the wonderful, creative, inspiring work happening in Chicago. Granted, not all of our clients here at TSG are in the arts. Some are leisure-oriented while others are cultural institutions. But they all have something in common that makes them appealing: they build and enrich the community. PR is the bridge that makes possible the connection between the institutions, the media and the wider public.

(Above: Megan Quiroz and Thomas Nicholas in The Joffrey Ballet's "The Nutcracker," this year Dec. 11-27. Photo by Herbert Migdoll.)

Chicago has a plethora of knowledgeable culture aficionados, both seasoned critics as well as fresh voices eager to tout all that the city has to offer. Each media outlet brings their own insightful take to an event and they all have an uncanny knack for teasing out the most curious and fascinating aspects of a dance, play, concert, or other creation.

It’s incredibly affirming to see a show or event that we represent be highlighted in the media—whether it be in print, or on a blog, or on air. When you see or hear these highlights, you realize how many other people are seeing them, too, getting excited and thinking “I can’t wait to go see that!” It’s also stimulating to hear about the work straight from the creator’s mouth. The struggles they have gone through in the developmental process, the discoveries they have made and the enrichment they have found can be awe-inspiring. Being able to create an opportunity for them to express their ideas before they get to the final production is a gratifying endeavor. To experience the art first-hand is always a treat, but it’s equally evocative to get glimpses into the process leading up to it—the compulsions, revelations, fears and excitements. It’s like a back-stage pass into an intangible and often over-looked world.

(Above: Chicago Sinfonietta's "Global Holiday Celebration," this year Dec. 16.)

I love interacting with our clients and all the enthusiasm that the artists and their staff bring to the table. I also love the chance to promote art through the media. The relationship between arts and media can be tenuous at times, which comes with the nature of the ever-shifting media landscape. But when the synergy is there it can be magical, and the result is a chance to continually reach a new audience, one that is hungry for the invaluable world of art, culture and expression.

TSG Speaks Out: Eric Eatherly

Welcome to the first installment of TSG Speaks Out!

My name is Eric and I’ve been with TSG since June, 2008, making me the most recent full-time addition to the team. I came to The Silverman Group via a not-so-traditional route. My background is in dance and sociology, both of which I studied at Northwestern University. While training with the likes of Billy Siegenfeld (Jump Rhythm Jazz Project), Brian Jeffrey (XSIGHT! Performance Group), Melissa Thodos (Thodos Dance Chicago), and many other formidable staples in Chicago’s dance community, at Northwestern I began to develop as both a performer and a burgeoning choreographer. I also developed a fascination with sociology. I loved exploring the idea of what makes people do what they do. While psychology tries to answer this question on an individual level, sociology tackles it from a group perspective, examining how our affinity for communities affects our daily life choices.

Following graduation I danced professionally for six years with Hedwig Dances and Same Planet Different World Dance Theatre, two Chicago modern dance ensembles. Both were part-time and provided a wonderful artistic counter-balance to each other. On the side, I was a freelance writer for Windy City Times, contributing to the coverage of local dance events. I loved writing and spreading the word about dance in Chicago. The gig with Windy City Times also led to the opportunity to get to know some of the city’s leading dance PR representatives, including none other than—you guessed it!—The Silverman Group.

(Above: a "vintage" dance photo of me from my work with Same Planet Different World; photo by Cheryl Mann)

Unfortunately my dance career wasn’t fated to be as lengthy as I had hoped. In October, 2007 I tore my meniscus, my first major dance injury. (If you aren’t aware, the meniscus is a spongy layer of cartilage in the knee that helps absorb impact.) I came to realize that going back to professional dance wasn’t going to be an option if I wanted to maintain my health—in other words, keep walking—so I thought about how I could use my experience and knowledge in another way.

I feel very lucky to have found The Silverman Group when I did. Not only was their reputation unsurpassed (and still is, if I may say so), but they also had a stellar client roster, not the least of which included The Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and Luna Negra Dance Theater (pictured right; photo by Cheryl Mann). Aside from dance, they also had theater, music, film, and a variety of other arts-related clientele, all of which were impressive. Granted, I was sad to permanently hang up my dance shoes, but the new endeavor in PR was a chance to learn, a new direction in which to grow. The kind of work that we represent, with so many creative people and intriguing shows to promote, is always a source of inspiration, and I’m happy to work in a capacity that is still connected to the arts community. Sometimes a whole new world can open up with just a little shift in perspective. For me that shift wasn’t planned, but in hindsight, it certainly was welcome.