The ‘informal’ definition of rainmaker is ‘a person who generates income for a business or organization by brokering deals or attracting clients or funds. The definition of a publicist is ‘a person responsible for publicizing a product, person or company.’
So, as the music business model has changed to be more of an entrepreneurial and more hands-on from independent labels, navigating the ever-changing landscape has unique challenges. Like any other business, working with clients and understanding their needs and capitalizing on the publicist’s relationships, says Rainmaker Media Group’s established president, Rhonda Brilliant.
The Boston native’s thick accent is not nearly as strong as her tenacity and business experience. Brilliant will soon hit her 18-year milestone as a publicist headlining publicity campaigns for global music clientele. Rainmaker Media Group’s musical tastes are diverse and that in itself makes what she does all the more fascinating and challenging.
“Rhonda and her team are so passionate about their artists, professional but fun to talk to at the same time…you know what they say..hardest working
publicist in the biz”
-MTV News
“I tell everyone about The Rainmaker Media Group.
Their insight and guidance is invaluable, allowing me more time for actually working on my art and helping me find the audience I always knew was out there for my music. No price tag can be put on that.”
-Knox Bronson
To say things are busy for Brilliant in 2014 is a substantial understatement. Her work resume knows no bounds. Try balancing pitches for classical artists, new age singers, techno musical wizards, country-rock, heavy metal, R&B and so on. Brilliant manages a team that works media on nearly every continent and constantly field requests from bands wanting to make an impact.
After 18 years, she certainly has made an impact among many, many people.
Please offer readers a brief history of what drew you to the music industry and music in general?
When I got out of college, I worked as a New Business Development Executive for a group of radio stations. I had always loved music and with my marketing and sales skills thought it would be a good match. And it wasn’t until I realized that radio had nothing to do with music, but money and I became disenchanted. I quit my job and started a TV show here in Boston which highlighted local unsigned bands.
Some of the bands hired me to do press and a career was born. I dedicated this new company to unsigned bands and musicians only. It was not where the money was in 1996 but it was where I felt I could really help. And it just worked.
Do you have to love the music of the client to be able to represent them?
Yes, we do of course. But just as important is the marketability of the cd. I have to be able to sell it to my editors, reviewers and freelancers. I also have to like the musicians in the band. When the band calls me and we have a discussion I am actually interviewing them as well. Do they have realistic expectations? Are they going to be under financial stress hiring us? Are they going to be able to make decisions and within a reasonable time? Is the production good? Do they have a chip on their shoulders? This is a big one. I seriously have at least 4-5 complaints a week regarding another PR company out of Minnesota. What can I say to them? We are better! No one wants to go into a press campaign with a band that feels like another publicist screwed them.
How has the digital age & social media changed the world of PR and how have you embraced them?
Obviously we can get more done at a quicker pace. But, so can bands, labels, music publishers, dj’s etc. You get the picture. The other downside is that now everyone is a publicist. As newspapers and magazines lost their momentum journalists needed new jobs. As terrestrial radio became obsolete, radio reps needed new jobs. Now that there are no record labels, lawyers needed jobs. My press list serve went from 248 to over 1200 ‘publicists’ in the last 4 years. What I think is lacking is the knowledge of what is a publicist, what do we do? When it all boils down, a good publicist is one that has long-standing relationships…managing editors, critics, writers, bloggers etc. That is why you are paying the big bucks.
PR can be an intangible service in that some things cannot be measured. How do you deal with clients who may not feel like they get their dollars worth?
Depending on the year, my team and I can sign up to 70-80 new bands. I do my best to be as realistic as possible with them all but of course there are always some bands that are not happy. They think they should have had more press or that the reviews were not well written or that they only sold 50 cd (units) and wanted to sell more. For the most part, I just talk with them and we come up with a solution and in some cases a partial refund. And then, you have the bands that go up on message boards just to do it. It seems that every 6 or 7 years I hear about a message board that a disgruntled band/artist has started. The weird thing about those is that I don’t even know who they are. All the posts are anonymous. There are a lot of angry people out there. There was one message board that still cracks me up though, and I am not sure if it’s still up. But basically it names music publicity agencies, a & r sites and some record labels as “Pay To Play.” Of course we are pay to play. That’s how it works. You pay me and I work for you. It’s so silly. Anyway, after 18 years I have seen and read it all. I like to concentrate on all of my recurring clients who have become friends and the over 2,000 bands that we have helped.
As a publicist for indie bands, what is the best advice you can give bands or artists?
When advising bands what they should do, it usually starts with what they shouldn’t do. Don’t hire a radio representative. Instead get your tracks on a cd compilation that many of the music magazines put out. Don’t hire a manager. At this stage, you think the manager will take on booking and social media and everything else. They usually don’t. An indie band needs a great publicist and a great booker.
Talk about the little things that you do that no other publicist does?
I can only tell you what my clients have said to me in the past. I tend to help out with much needed advice as well as referrals to music publishers and bookers. Because I have been around awhile, I know a lot of people.
