If you are planning on hosting an event, or conducting some kind of conference, a couple tips could provide you with great publicity.
Careless mistakes are something we have been told to avoid since High School. They hold true in every aspect of life. When publicizing an event, following these simple steps can keep you from disappointing publicity, and will bring you closer and closer to the exposure we all want and need.
Be audience conscious. Keep in mind that not all event topics or event types cater to everyone. It may be best to put your interpersonal skills to good use when a smaller crowd is involved. That way, the person you’re speaking with will get a better sense of what you and your business is about. When dealing with a larger number of people, it may more useful for you as a respectable public figure to speak to all members of your audience at the same time.
Identify the occasion. Ask yourself this question. Is my event worth talking about? Make sure that your event revolves around a topic of interest. You want your event to be news worthy and have substance. Otherwise people won’t likely be interested in attending. It won’t do your reputation any good, either.
Create a plan. First and foremost, put someone in charge. Publicity can become a mess if too many people are involved. Although it’s helpful to assign small tasks to a few people, there should be one person responsible for overseeing and managing the arrangements. Second, do the planning for your event far in advance. Make a decision on how you want to inform others about your event. Then organize a system for making your plan work. Create a schedule of these activities to keep you organized.
Provide correct information. Present the 5 Ws: Who, What, When, Where, Why. The most important thing is to make sure you give accurate information such as the date, time, and address of the event. Always include contact information in your flyer for those who want additional information or have questions.
Keep up with those involved. After the event, make sure to send thanks to those who helped make your event happen and those who attended. You could also send out a small thank you card to those involved in the media relations of your event and let them know the outcome. It always helps to be on good-terms with the media for any future events. You may also want to write about the results of your event and send to the local press for publication. Chances are if your event was successful and worth talking about, it would be considered newsworthy, something that people would want to know about.
Conduct a post-event assessment. Talking to those who attended your event will help you to understand what went well and what didn’t. Keep notes on things that you wish happened differently. When you begin to understand what attracts people to your event and what doesn’t, you will learn what will bring more people to your events in the future. That will ultimately enhance your PR rep.