How Master Flawless Event Planning with PR Tactics
Events are activities that take place within or outside an organization premise with the purpose of educating, celebrating, marketing and reuniting stakeholders and achievements. Behind a successful event however, lies meticulous planning and promotion which are both part of event management that falls under the profession of Public Relations.
What is event planning?
The institute of event management gives a pessimist’s opinion on what event planning is: “Event Planning is the stressful work of planning meetings or events, and can be a very demanding career choice. Planners must multi-task on several things at one time, face numerous deadlines, and orchestrate the activities of many diverse groups of people.
Meeting planners may need to travel extensively to attend meetings and to visit prospective meeting sites. Work hours can be long and irregular, and working more than 40 hours per week is fairly common, especially during the time leading up to an event and wrapping up after the event. Finally, be prepared for some physical activity – long hours of standing and walking, carrying of boxes of materials, and is just the beginning!”.
Events in business can come in a form of conferences, product launches, seminars, charity events (CSR), tradeshows, awards, meetings, conventions among others. In this blog, we will be making your event planning process by providing expert tactics you can use to conveniently plan and promote your future event.
Importance of planning and executing successful PR events
Every brain with logic reasoning knows that planning leads to prosperity. Careful planning ensures various aspects contributes to a flawless and positive memorable experience for those invited, it gives life to:
- Goal and objective setting: Setting clear goals and objectives guides the entire planning process is one of the main important PR strategies and it ensures that every aspect of the event aligns with the overall purpose. Goals are specific, measurable outcomes that the event aims to achieve, such as increasing ticket sales or boosting brand awareness. Objectives are detailed steps that help achieve these goals, such as establishing engagement targets. This clarity helps the event management team stay focused, effectively allocate resources and measure everything accordingly and accurately.
By defining goals and objectives using the SMART criteria (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound), the event management team can create a structured approach to event planning that gives room for clear communication among team members.
- Message control: Like mentioned before, a purpose of an event may be educational. People attending are in need of some sort of information and being able to provide accurate messages that align with the theme of the event while supporting the main goal is important.
Message control is basically having the upper hand of how stakeholders attending receive the messages shared and how. Please note that not only must your messages align with organizational or event goals, it should also be relevant to your attendees’ interests and be clear for a better understanding.
- Resource allocation: People involved in the planning of the event, the financial aspect, time, insurance, promotional material and equipment are the main important resources of event planning. Therefore, they must be allocated and used efficiently. Carefully optimizing all your resources ensures there are no unnecessary costs, time waste and allows proper/accurate reporting where necessary.
Additionally, hiring a competent team for your event planning process is one the most important and critical things you can do. It allows seamless processes and results in a well-coordinated execution because everyone is skilled and dedicated to their assigned roles.
- Risk avoidance: Challenges and risks are always lurking, planning allows the team to anticipate potential crisis and come up with relief plans that will enable smooth operation. For example, there is a well-known issue of load shedding in South Africa which involves national energy/electricity blackouts in certain times of the day. Therefore, having an energy backup such as solar or generator would help keep an event going even during loadshedding. And that is a risk avoidance.
- Good attendee experience: Planning ensures your attendees are having a positive and memorable experience in your event. For example, events are hosted in any season of the year. This means, if it is winter or summer, the air conditioner should be on and accommodate the type of weather affecting their experience. These small details may disturb their attention span which would yield little to no results.
Another aspect is making sure your guests are in a clean and tidy venue, well accommodated and fed during the event because food is one element that gives people a reason to stay throughout, as it helps avoid people driving out to go buy food for themselves.
- Social media and Digital PR: This focuses on managing a brand’s online presence and engaging with audiences through social media platforms, blogs, websites, and other digital channels. PR professionals create and share compelling content, monitor online conversations, and respond to comments to build brand reputation and foster meaningful relationships.
- Events and publicity: These involves organizing events, press conferences, product launches, and promotional activities to generate positive publicity and increase brand visibility. PR professionals work to create buzz around these events and attract media coverage.
- Crisis communication: Refers to the strategic process of managing communication during times of crisis or emergency situations that could potentially harm an organization’s reputation, operations, or stakeholders. It involves the proactive planning, coordination, and implementation of communication strategies to address the crisis effectively, reduce negative publicity to protect the organization’s image and credibility.
- Internal communication: Internal communication plays a critical role in facilitating effective teamwork, aligning employees with organizational objectives, promoting a positive work culture, and enhancing employee satisfaction and productivity. Various channels and methods are used to disseminate information, foster collaboration, and engage employees in the organization’s goals, values, and activities.
Effective promotion strategies for events
Event promotion does not string far from event marketing and its primary goal is to influence people to make/take the desired action which leads to your event goals. This means you may want people to buy tickets to the event, sponsor the event, attend or something that bring you closer to your goals depending on the event type and focus.
Image Source: Unsplash
Promotion means you will be addressing the who, what, where, when, why and how of the event either online, offline or both. This is to make sure the people who receive and see the promotional material understand every detail about your event. This is to avoid confusion and endless queries or concerns regarding the aim, purpose and their need to avail themselves. Below are listed strategies your team must use to have a successful and impactful event.
1. Know your event promotion goals
Begin by clearly defining what you want to achieve with your event. This could be increasing ticket sales, attracting sponsors or boosting attendance. Knowing your goals helps shape all other aspects of your promotion strategy and placements.
2. Identify your target audience/attendees
Determine who your event is for and understand their interests, demographics and where you can find them. This information will guide where and how you promote the event. If your event is online, it means you can also target people outside your country because the internet allows people to connect from all walks of life. If offline, promoting it both online and offline is a way to go, but you need to target local attendees.
3. Early bird registration
Initiating promotions with an early bird registration offer can greatly drive early ticket sales and attendee commitment. By offering discounted prices or exclusive perks for a limited time, you create a sense of urgency which encourages potential attendees to act quickly to secure a seat. This strategy not only boosts initial sales but also helps in foreseeing event attendance and budgeting. It can be promoted through countdown timers on your website and regular reminders on social media platforms and email newsletters. It is a guaranteed way to tapping into the audience’s fear of missing out (FOMO).
4. Content marketing
Effective content marketing for events involves creating and sharing valuable content that aligns with the interests of your target audience. For online promotion this includes blog posts, videos, infographics and detailed articles that highlight the unique aspects and benefits of your event. Optimizing this content for search engines can enhance your visibility, attracting more potential attendees. For offline promotion, this means creating flyers, posters and billboard ads if your event budget allows. Content marketing serves not only to inform but also to engage potential attendees, establishing a narrative that resonates with them and fosters anticipation for the event.
5. Email marketing
Email marketing remains a powerful tool for event promotion, it allows you to reach potential attendees directly in their inboxes. By segmenting your email list based on past attendance, interests and demographics, you can tailor your messages to different audience segments, making them more relevant and engaging. You are welcome to highlight key speakers, sessions or unique event features in your emails to capture interest. Additionally, personalized calls to action can encourage higher engagement and conversion rates which is good news for your event goals.
6. Leverage on influencer partnerships
Partnering with influencers who share a common audience or value with your event can amplify your promotional efforts. Influencers can use their platforms to promote your event, lending credibility and extending your reach to their followers. This strategy involves selecting influencers wisely based on their alignment with your event’s theme and audience and working together to create authentic content that effectively promotes the event.
7. Social media campaigns
Using social media platforms to promote your event allows you to reach a large audience quickly. Develop a coordinated social media strategy that includes regular updates, behind-the-scenes images and videos and interactive content like polls or live Q&A sessions where you ask people what they are looking forward to in an event similar to yours, this can help your team implement some of the suggestions received. Each platform can be used to target specific demographics with tailored content that will maximize engagement. Come up with a unique hashtag for your event to help track engagement and facilitate easier conversation tracking across platforms.
8. Promotional event videos
Creating a promotional video can dramatically boost interest and registrations for your event. A well-crafted video should convey the essential details and unique selling points of your event while maintaining an engaging and concise format. Share these videos across social media, link them in emails and feature them on your event’s landing page to increase exposure. Videos are particularly effective because they can visually and emotionally connect with potential attendees which increases their likelihood to register.
9. Media outreach
Coming up with a successful media outreach campaign means engaging with journalists, bloggers and other media outlets that cater to your target audience. You can start by writing a compelling press release that outlines the key details and unique aspects of your event and distribute it to relevant media contacts. Establish relationships with local and niche specific media by offering exclusive interviews or previews to your event. You can also provide media passes and arrange special briefings to encourage in-depth coverage. This strategy not only broadens your audience reach but also enhances your event’s credibility and appeal through third-party validation. Effective media outreach can lead to increased publicity which will attract more attendees and even potential sponsors who are drawn by the enhanced exposure.
10. ESG reporting
With the recent need for companies to remain responsible for their environmental, social and governmental (ESG) impacts, they must report how they do it to keep their stakeholders informed. This strategy outlines how a company is contributing to a sustainable future, therefore, a company’s event must go according to ESG criteria.
11. Post-Event Engagement
After the event, try to keep the conversation going to build loyalty and interest in future events. You can share event highlights, testimonials and exclusive content to engage attendees and those who might have missed out. Another way is to encourage attendees to share their experiences and feedback, which not only serves as valuable testimonials but also helps you gather insights for improving future events. This ongoing engagement helps maintain a vibrant community and paves the way for successful future events.
Benefits of successful events on brand perception
Image Source: Canva
Successful events positively impact brand perception in several impactful ways. Firstly, they provide a platform for direct interaction with target audiences, which helps in building stronger relationships and creating memorable experiences. For example, by engaging audiences through innovative activities like live demonstrations, brands can create a buzz and a deeper emotional connection with the attendees. This can lead to a more positive brand perception and increase brand loyalty.
Secondly, they demonstrate a brand’s strengths and core values through carefully curated content and presentations. This is crucial in distinguishing a brand from its competitors and reinforcing its image as a leader in its field. By showcasing their products or services and their benefits, companies can effectively communicate their value proposition directly to the consumers and stakeholders present.
Another big advantage is the media coverage that often accompanies successful PR events. This not only extends the reach of the event beyond the actual attendees but also adds a layer of credibility through endorsements from the media. Such coverage can amplify the positive messages about the brand and lead to broader brand awareness and a strengthened brand reputation.
PR led events also serve as an excellent opportunity for networking. They bring industry influencers, potential customers and media representatives together which can lead to future collaborations and partnerships. These interactions can further enhance a brand’s visibility and influence within the industry.
Do you need a good PR agency for your next event, don’t hesitate to contact us for a quote.
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