Get The Right PR For Your Event In 8 Steps

Producing an event can be a fantastic opportunity to showcase and strengthen your business, expand your network, and create new synergies. However, without a proper promotional and media relations strategy, the event is liable to become an awkward handful of people sitting in a near empty conference room. When beginning to evaluate how to best promote an event, the following 8 steps can help you use your resources most effectively and target the media outlets that can get your message to the right audience:

Step 1: What is the purpose of the event?
Recognizing what you hope to achieve from the event is crucial to the event’s success. Is the purpose networking, education, or purely marketing to extend your company’s brand awareness? Ask yourself why your event is worth someone’s time and resources, and incorporate your answer into your event’s marketing materials. Knowing why the event is worth someone’s time will help reinforce the event’s value from the start, saving time, money, and resources.

Step 2: Determine the offering for the participant, and conduct research
The first rule when promoting any conference is to know what your participants will walk away with. When you think you know the deliverable, conduct some research. Reach out to your clients to gauge interest in the event topic. Online research (news, blogs, discussion boards) is also valuable to determine if what you’re offering is new and relevant. Research is crucial, as it will help you determine if people will come to your event. There is little point in holding an event if people won’t come. Ultimately, every step you take should help you further pinpoint your deliverables. Zeroing in on them immediately will provide a roadmap for planning your event.

Step 3: Messages equal money
Time is money. Prospective attendees, as well as the media, need to justify any time expenditure. If they recognize the event’s key messages, prospective attendees can understand why this event is worth their time. By being clear in what you are offering, prospective attendees will see the value in your event and take you more seriously.

Create a list of key messages to determine why this event is important to your target audience. By understanding what the event’s key messages are, and regularly communicating them through both traditional and social media outlets, you will increase your visibility and help prospective attendees see how your event can add value to their business. If you have a robust mailing list, find out what media entities reach your desired market. For example, Venture Wire newsletter is the perfect online media venue if you are looking to reach people interested in venture capital via the web.

Step 4: Focus all marketing and PR efforts
Regardless of budget, it is essential to focus your marketing and PR efforts correctly. Whether in magazines and newspapers, or on radio, TV, or the web, it’s vital to understand the different types of media and audiences that are available, and what is correct for your audience. If you are promoting an event for businesses looking for additional funding, it’s vital to focus your marketing efforts on newspapers, radio shows, websites, blogs, newsletters, and other businesses that cater to that specific market. By focusing your efforts, you will find the audience you need faster.

Step 5: Have a plan and don’t forget to look at a calendar
As with any event, you need to give those in attendance enough time to plan. There is nothing worse than hearing someone say, “I wish I knew earlier.” I always suggest creating a media plan at least twelve weeks in advance of the event date. Try to avoid major holidays or news events that will cause your message to be ignored.

Step 6: Create a press release and send it out
For an event to be successful, a press release needs to be on the newswires and sent to journalists who cover that topic. Custom media lists can be created by public relations professionals or purchased by topic from the larger newswires, such as PR Newswire or MarketWire, and range in cost from $75 to more than $700 depending on the level of customization. If an event is going to take place in New York City, focus your dollars on a local New York State Metro release (starting at $285) instead of a national release (starting at $785).

Step 7: Have room for the media!
The goal of a PR person at any event is to ensure that media attends, and that they have news to report. Have room for journalists to sit, write, and conduct interviews.

Step 8: Follow up
Congratulations, your conference was a success! Email reporters who attended the event to thank them and let them know you’re available to provide any necessary follow-up information. Lastly (and most importantly), email your participants to thank them for attending, as well as inviting their feedback so that your event can be even more successful next year.