Following on from my blog last month – How a media event can generate positive press coverage for your company – I’m back with some useful tips on how to plan and manage your own media event.
- Plan, plan, plan – forward planning is king! To achieve a successful media event, start planning well in advance of the actual date to make sure it runs smoothly. Make a ‘To-do list’ and against each task add a deadline. This will help you prioritise and keep you focussed on sorting the most important tasks first. A To-do list will also prevent you from getting caught up in the finer details early on, when they’re not a priority.
- Invites – draw up a primary and secondary list of journalists who you’d like to attend your event. If your primary contacts are busy, you then have secondary contacts to fall back on. If you have the time and budget, a creative invite in the form of a well-designed e-shot will help capture journalists’ attention. For lesser budgets, a well-written personalised email can also be effective.
- Make it worthwhile – whether the purpose of your press event is to launch a new product or promote a unique aspect of your service, journalists are more likely to attend if there’s something in it for them. Take journalists for lunch to a restaurant that fits in with your press event theme, or engage them in a sporting activity.
- Look after your guests – on the day of your event, make sure you have enough staff present to look after journalists and answer all their questions. Press events offer an ideal opportunity to build stronger relationships with journalists, so don’t neglect them!
- Press material – present journalists with a press pack at your media event so they go away with all the information they need to do a good write-up. A press pack might include a press release about the product or service you are launching; accompanying photos on a CD or USB stick; relevant marketing literature; a background on your company; and a biography of your key personnel with their contact details.
Planning and managing a media event for the first time can be a daunting prospect for companies. If you are convinced of the benefits of a media event but don’t have the staff or time to organise it yourself, contact PRG and we will call you to discuss your requirements and provide you with a quote.
