Skeleton Crew PR Frequently Asked Questions
We work closely with authors, musicians and creatives to bring their visions to life. Have questions about promoting your book, music or art? Find answers to common questions about Skeleton Crew PR’s social media services for authors, musicians, and artists.
Business Questions
How does the process work?
After you contact us, we send you a questionnaire. Your responses not only inform us of your project needs, but give us a sense of who you are. Your responses also serve as the basis for the vibe we create for visual content. If necessary, we follow-up the questionnaire with a phone call. Once we’re both on the same page, work begins.
How long does it take to receive the end product?
This varies based on the service. If you have a tight deadline, please mention this on your client questionnaire.
How does pricing/payment work?
We have a flat fee for each service, so there never is a question on how much you owe. We invoice via PayPal.
Do you offer bundled packages?
We do not, but we’d be happy to quote you a custom package that fits your needs.
Public Relations Questions
What is Public Relations?
Public relations is persuasive communication used to provide positive word of mouth. It is deliberate, planned and sustained to establish a mutual understanding/beneficial relationship between a brand and the public.
What is Strategic Communication?
Strategic communication is purposeful communication that is consistent with a brand’s mission/vision/values and enhances positioning and competiveness. It is flexible and can be measured against specific goals.
Strategic communication works best when it doesn’t feel like persuasion, but instead connects with an audience in a more authentic way. Many brands spend a large amount of money on advertising and neglect building relationships. If people don’t know your brand, they will believe whatever they read – good or bad – about it. Strategic communication manages how people see a brand though storytelling, allowing recognition to develop over time.
Marketing is about creating relationships, meeting needs, building trust, understanding audience values and creating stories that resonate.
Remember: People don’t remember facts but stories. Messages should be concise yet simple, strategic, relevant, compelling, tailored, memorable, and real. It’s about the right message for the right audience at the right time using the right channel.
Remember also: A brand will never be perfect, but it can be honest and transparent. You can control the message and the tactics but not how it is perceived. That’s why communication should be consistent and logical to build trust and strengthen brand identity.
What is a Brand?
A brand is the conscious and intentional effort to create and influence public perception of a person/band/company by positioning it as an authority and elevating credibility. Engaging, informative content helps audiences find your brand by sparking curiosity and interest. Even better if the audience sees themselves in the narrative.
- What aspect of your personality do you want to share with others?
- How do you want to represent yourself?
- What sets you apart?
- What are your strengths and values?
At Skeleton Crew PR, we translate the answers to these questions into your online presence.
What is the Point of Social Media Marketing?
Social media marketing creates real connections with your audience, keeps them informed and make it easier for them to reach you.
What Are the Types of Video Content?
Social media marketing creates real connections with your audience, keeps them informed and make it easier for them to reach you.
What is Storytelling and How Does it Relate to Social Media?
There are two types of video content: short-form video and long-form video.
Short form video is less than 60 seconds long. It’s designed to catch viewers’ attention quickly and convey a message. It is quick, engaging and consumable. This length is ideal for Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
Long-form video is at least a minute. This type of video is best for documentaries, deeper dives tutorials and webinars. This format works best for YouTube, although some Facebook users prefer longer videos.
Why are Captions Important?
Captions are an important aspect of brand building and storytelling as they allow you to connect with your audience by putting the image or graphic into context. You can explain, share something about yourself, ask questions, etc. This boosts engagement by encouraging your followers and others to comment, like and share your post. Captions also increase visibility in search results and can help with accessibility for the visually impaired. Spam accounts tend to be light on captions, so you also don’t want your account to be mistaken for a spammer.
Why are Hashtags Important?
Adding a hashtag allows anyone searching for that topic to find your post. This, in turn, can increase engagement. Hashtags also can be used to find others with common interests. You can create custom hashtags specific for your audience or a particular trend or event.
That being said, algorithms are constantly changing and with them the role of hashtags. Too many hashtags can make your look like a spammer which eventually could limit your reach.
What is a Press Release?
A press release is a written, one page, official statement making a newsworthy announcement and distributed to the press. Press releases are used to gain the attention of journalists who might be interested in your story, counteract negative publicity, manage crises or boost brand reputation.
Why is Album Cover Design Important?
Album cover design is important because it’s a form of branding. It says something about your artistic identity and the type of music listeners will hear. It should align with your overall brand, genre and vibe. In addition, in today’s digital world, an album needs to look just as good as thumbnail image as it does in your hands.
What is Proofreading?
Proofreading occurs after a book has been copy edited. It is the last opportunity to catch errors before a book goes to publication.
What is Copy Editing?
Copy editing occurs after a book’s final draft but before it is proofread and published.
How Does Copy Editing Differ from Proofreading?
Both copy editing and proofreading reviews content for grammar, spelling and punctuation errors; spacing issues; and other typos. Copy editing, however, takes a deeper dive. It also points out inconsistencies, factual errors, and areas where the plot or narrative are confusing. It aims to increase readability by eliminating wordiness and polishing prose without changing the author’s voice and meaning.
Why Can’t I Edit/Proofread My Own Work?
Authors are often blind to their typos. They read what a sentence should say instead of what it actually says. Effective editing/proofreading needs someone who has an excellent grasp of English grammar, punctuation and spelling and the ability to spot discrepancies within a single book and between books in a series.
What is Book Formatting and Why is it Important?
Book formatting prepares a manuscript’s visual layout for publication by maintaining consistency and visual appeal. It includes such elements as chapter titles and page numbers, but also includes the addition of front and end matter.
Book formatting increases readability across all devices as well as print versions. It makes a manuscript look polished and professional.
Why Don’t You Use Vellum?
Currently, Vellum is only available for Mac users and comes with a hefty $250 fee.