Frequently asked questions
These are plain answers to the questions people ask most about corporate public relations, media relations services, press release costs and hiring a Los Angeles publicist.
Susan von Seggern, a Los Angeles publicist with more than two decades in PR, answers 46 questions here, grouped by topic. Answers draw on her own website and on named published sources. Where a fact was not available, the answer says how to confirm it rather than guessing.
Last updated: November 2026
PR, or public relations, is the work of shaping how the public and the media understand an organization, person or event. In practice it means earning attention rather than buying it: pitching journalists, issuing press releases, arranging interviews and staging events. Los Angeles publicist Susan von Seggern describes her own practice as honest, positive and tenacious media outreach for event, corporate, cause and cultural clients.
Public relations helps a business earn credible third party coverage that advertising cannot buy. It announces milestones, explains the company to reporters and builds a public record of what the business does. Susan von Seggern frames corporate work around four pillars: sustained media outreach, press releasing, lead service monitoring and events, each aimed at generating media coverage for clients with genuine news to share.
Public relations usually points outward, toward media and the public, while corporate communications covers every message a company sends, including internal, investor and executive messaging. The two overlap heavily, which is why people search "public relations and corporate communications" as one phrase. Susan von Seggern's corporate work concentrates on the media side: outreach, press releases, lead services and events.
Media relations builds and uses relationships with journalists, editors, producers and podcast hosts to earn coverage. It means identifying the right outlets, pitching stories that fit them, answering reporter requests and following up. For Susan von Seggern this includes sustained outreach with podcast pitching, press releases, daily monitoring of five lead service feeds, and event PR.
Common media services in public relations include press release writing and distribution, media list building, pitching reporters and podcasts, monitoring journalist requests, arranging interviews and producing press events. Susan von Seggern's services cover sustained media outreach, press releasing with optional wire distribution, lead service monitoring, and event PR ranging from media cocktail hours to large celebrity and media events.
One widely taught answer is the four models described by scholars James Grunig and Todd Hunt: press agentry, public information, two way asymmetric and two way symmetric communication. They move from one way publicity toward genuine dialogue with the public. Other writers group PR by discipline instead, such as media relations, corporate, crisis and community relations.
There is no single official list, and different practitioners name different pillars. Susan von Seggern uses a four part media relations framework she developed over decades of PR work: sustained media outreach, press releasing, lead service monitoring and events. Each pillar is a separate route to coverage, and campaigns combine them depending on the client and the news.
The 7 C's are a classic communication checklist, commonly listed as clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete and courteous. Some textbooks use variants such as credibility, context and continuity. In media relations they translate into short, accurate pitches and releases that a busy journalist can understand quickly and trust.
The Page Principles come from the Arthur W. Page Society, named for an early AT&T communications executive. They are: tell the truth, prove it with action, listen to stakeholders, manage for tomorrow, conduct public relations as if the whole enterprise depends on it, realize an enterprise's true character is expressed by its people, and remain calm, patient and good humored.
Most practitioners agree on a few core rules: be truthful, respect journalists' time and deadlines, pitch only real news, target the right outlet and reporter, and follow through on what you promise. Susan von Seggern describes her style as honest, positive and tenacious, which matches those basics: accurate pitching, steady follow up and a long view of media relationships.
PR fees vary widely by scope, market and seniority, and this site does not publish Susan von Seggern's rates. Her campaigns are individualized, so the practical step is to describe your event or company and timeline through her contact page and ask for a proposal. Wire distribution, if budgeted, is a separate cost on top of PR time.
Distribution alone ranges widely. PRLab reports prices "from free to $5,000 per release," with basic online distribution around $50 and national newswire coverage at $800 or more. Writing and media servicing are separate from wire fees. Susan von Seggern's clients who budget for a wire can use her annual Business Wire arrangement, which she says significantly saves money versus one off releases.
Susan von Seggern does not publish fixed packages. Her campaigns are individualized for event, corporate, cause and cultural clients, combining whichever of her four pillars fit the news: outreach, press releases, lead service monitoring and events. Ask for a scoped proposal through her contact page, including your dates, goals and whether wire distribution is in budget.
Pay for media relations roles depends on employer, city and seniority. For current figures, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes median pay for public relations specialists and managers in its Occupational Outlook Handbook. This site does not cite a salary number because none was supplied by a source it relies on. Independent consultants typically set project or retainer fees instead of salaries.
Public relations can pay well, especially at management level, but earnings vary by city, industry and experience. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook publishes current median wages for public relations specialists and for public relations and fundraising managers, which is the most reliable place to check. Senior consultants usually bill by project or retainer.
Many do, though pay spreads widely between entry level coordinators and senior managers or consultants. Roles in large markets such as Los Angeles often pay more than roles in small markets. Check the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for current median figures, since this site does not publish salary data of its own.
A press release is worth it when it announces something genuinely newsworthy and reaches the right reporters. Susan von Seggern pairs releases with an exclusive or pre brief model and direct email servicing, then wire posting if budgeted. Weidert, a marketing agency, questions paying "$350 or more per release" for wide distribution to networks that may never read it.
Susan von Seggern uses a four pillar framework: sustained media outreach including podcast pitching, press releasing through exclusive or pre brief models with email servicing, lead service monitoring of five feeds daily, and events. She combines newer tactics such as podcast pitching and hyper local coverage with tried and true methods built over more than two decades in PR.
Lead service monitoring means watching services where journalists post requests for sources, then pitching the ones that match a client's expertise. Susan von Seggern monitors five lead service feeds daily, plus emails and Substacks from journalists seeking leads. She has placed lead service coverage in Good Housekeeping, Yahoo, the New York Times, HuffPost, Best Life and many other outlets.
In an exclusive model, one outlet gets the story first. In a pre brief model, selected reporters see the news before it is public, so they can prepare coverage for the announcement. Susan von Seggern uses either approach for significant milestones, followed by email servicing to her media contacts and posting to a newswire if the client has budgeted for one.
Yes. Podcast pitching is part of her sustained media outreach pillar, alongside pitching traditional outlets. She identifies target shows and contacts that fit a client's story and pitches for coverage. She also uses hyper local coverage, meaning community and neighborhood outlets, as one of the newer tactics she blends with established PR methods.
Event PR takes many forms in Susan von Seggern's practice: producing large scale celebrity and media events, small media introduction events like cocktail hours or luncheons, event sponsorships, exhibiting or speaking at conferences, exhibiting at gifting events, and gift bag inclusions. Her experience spans hundreds of events, including festivals, conferences, concerts, fundraisers, author events and premieres.
Susan von Seggern recommends Business Wire for wire releases because of its respectability. She has an annual deal with Business Wire that, in her words, significantly saves her clients money compared with one off releases on Business Wire or other wires. Wire posting is optional and used only when a client budgets for it.
She consults for event, corporate, cause and cultural clients, and event and corporate inquiries are her current focus. Her published releases cover a technology talent company, a wind power startup, a Korean content streamer, conferences, festivals, a fashion week show, nonprofits, books, documentaries and music. Interesting, newsworthy and active clients fit her approach best.
She suits corporate clients with real milestones to announce, such as launches, new services or partnerships. Her background includes globe trotting corporate PR and time as CEO of a boutique PR agency. Recent corporate releases include Remotesome's AI Transformation launch in October 2026 and IceWind's Arctic turbine deployment with the Icelandic Coast Guard in 2020.
Celebrity PR is usually handled by entertainment publicists who manage media requests, interviews and appearances for talent. Susan von Seggern began as a major label publicist and her event work includes producing large scale celebrity and media events, but her current consulting centers on event, corporate, cause and cultural clients rather than personal talent representation.
Los Angeles has many PR agencies and independent publicists, and the right fit depends on budget, scope and the size of your event. Susan von Seggern is an independent Los Angeles publicist with more than 20 years in the city and experience across hundreds of events. Compare the options side by side on the LA PR agencies page before choosing.
A public relations specialist writes press materials, builds media lists, pitches reporters, arranges interviews and tracks coverage for an organization or client. Senior specialists also plan campaigns and events. Susan von Seggern works as an independent publicist and PR consultant, handling strategy and hands on media outreach for each client campaign.
PR can be stressful because it runs on deadlines, news cycles and outcomes no one fully controls, such as whether a reporter covers a story. Event PR adds fixed dates. Experienced publicists manage this with planning, steady outreach and realistic expectations. Susan von Seggern has worked through more than two decades of these cycles across music, politics, corporate work and events.
Most people enter PR through internships, entry level coordinator roles, or adjacent work in journalism, marketing or events. Writing skill, media awareness and follow through matter most early on. The Public Relations Society of America lists chapters, events and job resources. Susan von Seggern's own path ran through major label publicity, agency leadership, and political and corporate PR.
There is no single best PR agency; the best fit depends on your budget, industry, timeline and the coverage you need. Large agencies offer bigger teams, while independent publicists offer direct senior attention. Susan von Seggern is an independent Los Angeles publicist, and the comparison page on this site sets out the trade offs on the same criteria for every option.
Rankings of top PR agencies are published by trade outlets, change yearly and usually measure revenue or size rather than fit. This site does not publish its own top 10 list. If you are an event or corporate client in Los Angeles, the comparison page explains when an independent publicist like Susan von Seggern fits better than a large agency, and when it does not.
Hire an agency when you need a large team, many markets at once, or several disciplines under one roof. Hire an independent publicist when you want one experienced person running your campaign directly. Susan von Seggern, a former boutique agency CEO, now consults independently and brings a broad media and service provider network to each campaign.
You can, and many companies do. Wire services post a release widely, but posting alone does not guarantee that a journalist reads it. Susan von Seggern treats the wire as the last step rather than the first: exclusive or pre brief outreach, then direct email servicing to relevant reporters, then wire posting if budgeted.
Press releases can be ignored if the news is weak, the timing is wrong or they reach the wrong reporters. Wide wire distribution costs money and may land mostly on sites few journalists read. Releases also give you less control than an interview. That is why Susan von Seggern pairs releases with targeted outreach and direct email servicing.
Publish a press release in three places: directly to targeted reporters by email, on a newswire service if budgeted, and on your own website or newsroom. Susan von Seggern also posts client releases on the press releases page of her own website. She recommends Business Wire for wire distribution because of its respectability.
A press release is a short, factual announcement written in news style for journalists. It typically has a headline, dateline, a lead paragraph covering who, what, when, where and why, quotes, background on the organization, and media contact details. It should announce a significant milestone, such as a launch, event, partnership, book or funding, rather than general promotion.
Commonly named paid options include Business Wire, PR Newswire, EIN Presswire, PRWeb and eReleases. A 2026 comparison on Time partner content pages lists Business Wire from $760, PR Newswire from $350 plus a $195 membership, EIN Presswire at $149 and PRWeb at $110. Susan von Seggern recommends Business Wire for its respectability.
Free options include your own website newsroom and free submission sites, but PRLab notes that free sites host your content "but often display competitor ads." Emailing a release directly to relevant reporters also costs nothing and is often more effective than wide posting. Susan von Seggern's email servicing relies on her own broad media network.
Many publicists favor Tuesday through Thursday mornings and avoid Fridays and holiday weeks, though there is no universal rule. Timing should follow the news itself, reporter deadlines and any agreed embargo. For event clients, outreach is timed around the event calendar; for corporate milestones, around the announcement date and any exclusive or pre brief.
Three hash marks, ###, centered at the bottom of a press release signal the end of the release text. Anything below them, such as an "About" section or media contact, is supporting information for the journalist. Some writers use "-30-" for the same purpose. Both conventions tell an editor that nothing in the story itself has been cut off.
TNW reports that "most services publish within 24-48 hours," and many wires let you schedule a set release time. Plan well ahead of that for an exclusive or pre brief, since reporters need time to prepare coverage before the public announcement. Wire posting is the final step in Susan von Seggern's release process, not the first.
Start with the contact page on susanvonseggern.com. Describe your event or company, the news you want covered, key dates, and whether you have budget for wire distribution. Event and corporate inquiries are her current priority. She then builds an individualized campaign from her four pillars: outreach, press releases, lead service monitoring and events.
Earlier is better, because outlets plan coverage ahead and calendar listings need lead time. This site does not publish a fixed lead time for Susan von Seggern's campaigns, so share your event date when you inquire and ask what window she recommends. Her events experience spans festivals, conferences, concerts, fundraisers, author events and premieres.
Usually the story, the target list or the timing needs work. Common fixes include sharpening the news angle, pitching hyper local outlets and podcasts, answering journalist lead requests that match your expertise, or creating a media moment through an event. Those are the same tactics in Susan von Seggern's four pillar framework.
Many do not track it well. Sprout Social reports that only 37% of respondents said they knew where negative sentiment around their brand was most concentrated, down from 56% in 2024. Monitoring coverage, journalist requests and social conversation is a basic first step. Susan von Seggern's daily lead service monitoring is one structured part of that listening.
Still deciding? Start with the corporate public relations overview or the media relations services page.
Tell Susan von Seggern what the news is, when it happens and what coverage would make it a success. Event and corporate inquiries are her current focus.
Published by Susan von Seggern
