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Tips for Planning the Perfect PR Event

By 
Tara Figg
 Posted on 03, May 2023

Planning an event can be a daunting task, whether it's a small gathering or a large conference. Weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries - and PR events. But the last item in that list has unique requirements that aren’t always obvious.

Event promotion, logistics, follow-up … there is plenty to consider in order to make sure your event is a success. But don’t be daunted. PR events can be hugely beneficial for your company. Done right, they’re worth the effort.

So says you.

Not convinced? Let’s take a look at some reasons why PR events are so important, especially for a growing small or mid-sized company.

First, PR events can help build brand awareness and reputation by creating positive associations with the brand through the event. This can lead to increased visibility, new customers, and positive word-of-mouth marketing. “Hey - I attended a fantastic open house hosted by Bob’s Restaurant. Their appetizers were divine! I’m having my big family reunion there.”

What else? These events can generate leads and sales by providing a platform where you can show off your products or services to potential customers, leading to potentially increased revenue and growth. Say your town is having a festival, and your clothing shop sponsors a game - winners get to take home one of your store’s stylish vintage-washed t-shirts. Your name will get out in a big way. (See, you don’t always have to host an entire event yourself: you can participate in larger events! We’ll talk about that more later.)

PR events can also help build relationships with customers and stakeholders by providing a chance for you to engage with them in person and create a personal connection. This is how you start to establish trust and loyalty, and that in turn can lead to long-term business relationships.

Another benefit of PR events can also help position your company or brand as a thought leader in the industry - and you’ve probably heard that phrase dozens of times without realizing what exactly it means. It boils down to this: people will recognize that you know your stuff. You can host speakers in your industry, host discussion panels - any of these can increase your credibility and influence.

In this post, we’re going to talk about some tips and best practices for event planning that can help you create an unforgettable experience for your attendees.

Is there always a reason to party?

Well, sure. No matter what your goals are, you can design a PR event that works for what you’re hoping to accomplish. But it’s important to know what that is.

Before you start planning an event, sit down and write out a list of exactly what your goals are - as well as the specific reason for holding an event in the first place. Are you launching a new brand or company? Expanding an existing one? Maybe you’re hoping to generate leads or build brand awareness - or offer a brand-new product or service. 

Again, you can always think of a great reason for a PR event, if you’re willing to put in the work - but you need to define that reason. Once you have a clear goal, you can start to plan the event logistics, such as the venue, date, time, and budget. Make sure to create a timeline for the planning process, including deadlines for key tasks such as booking the venue and sending out invitations.

Who’s coming to dinner?

You’re going to want to figure out your guest list in advance. For a PR event, a guest list boils down to your target audience. After all, if you’re going to put in the planning, money, and time, your event should be directed to the right people to resonate appropriately.

Who are your customers? If you don’t already know, find out. Understand where they are in life and what they’re interested in. Conduct market research to gather information about your target audience, including their demographics, preferences, shopping habits, and pain points. This information can help you tailor your event to their needs and give you the results you want.

Thanks for the memories

The key to a successful event is creating a memorable experience for your attendees. You want the whole town talking about it - in a good way. Think about what you can offer that stands out. A jewelry store could give out goodie bags with free samples. A bakery could offer each attendee a small custom cake. (Freebies are always appreciated, just FYI.)

And don’t just throw a forgettable cocktail party. Have a purpose. Incorporate unique and engaging elements into your event: interactive activities, guest speakers, or networking opportunities. Make sure to consider the flow of the event and create a schedule that allows attendees to fully engage with each activity.

Buzz worthy of a beehive

Remember - you’re hosting a PR event to promote your company or brand. Utilize PR to promote your event, too. Giving away prizes? Post it all over your social media. Hosting a special speaker? Embed a video of one of their best speeches in an article or blog post and post it on your company website. Make people excited to show up: give them a reason to come to your event.

Effective event promotion is crucial for driving attendance and generating buzz around your event. A combination of digital and traditional marketing channels can be extremely effective. Consider email marketing, social media, even radio or TV spots. Make sure to create a clear and compelling message that highlights the benefits of attending your event - and why no one on your guest list should miss it.

The devil’s in the details

The logistics of your event are just as important as the content and activities. Make sure to consider details such as transportation, parking, food and beverage, and audio-visual equipment. If you can throw in luxuries like valet parking, all the better. Just make sure that you’re familiar with your chosen venue, so you won’t have any unpleasant surprises the day of.

But emergencies happen. Have a backup plan. For example, if you planned an outdoor event and the weather looks nasty, have an alternate indoor venue available. A lot of event centers offer both indoor and outdoor options; so if you’re hoping for a party under the stars but are afraid of rain, make sure there’s a ballroom inside you can use if needed.

For a bigger event, it’s never a bad idea to have a backup caterer in case something falls through with your food planning. You don’t want hungry and thirsty guests, after all!

I’ll call you when the party’s over

It’s so tempting to throw off your dance shoes and relax after your event - but this is where a lot of the real work begins. When your event is over, make sure you follow up with attendees. Get feedback and keep building those relationships.

You might go as far as to send personalized thank you notes (or emails - with surveys attached) to each attendee. After all, you want to know what they liked, loved, or were disappointed with, so you can improve for next time. Ask for suggestions for future events. When your attendees know that you care about their experience, you can build a loyal following.

Playing piggyback

Remember how we talked about hosting a game or booth at a local carnival? Well, if you’re feeling uber overwhelmed by all the moving parts of organizing your own event, you can start small and piggyback on someone else’s.

Is that cheating? Nah. It’s a great way to get your toes wet in PR event planning. There’s still plenty to consider when it comes to sponsoring a game at a fair or putting together a sales booth at a farmer’s market, for example. Don’t be ashamed to start small. Everyone starts somewhere.

How did it go? 

Even if you feel like everyone had a smashing time, you have to play the numbers game. You’ll want to measure the success of your event to understand its impact and ROI. Maybe you sprung for the bougie appetizers that no one touched - next time, save money on the caviar and please the crowd with cheese curds. (There’s never a bad time for cheese curds.)

As you’re crunching numbers, define metrics that align with your event goals, such as the number of leads generated, social media engagement, or attendee satisfaction. Use this information to evaluate the success of your event and make improvements for future events.

The all-important clean-up

Event planning can be a complex and challenging process, but following these best practices can help you create a fun, memorable, and profitable event. Focus on clear goals, understand your audience, offer something unique and noteworthy, promote effectively, pay attention to logistics - and then cap it off with follow-up and measuring your ROI.

Then reflect. What went well? What went wrong? Make another list - just like you did at the beginning of this journey. Did you forget to offer vegan options? (OUCH! Don’t forget that!) Did you have a good range of non-alcoholic beverages? Did you plan an open bar and then reluctantly turn away guests with young kids?

It’s okay to make mistakes, especially if this was your first event. But by considering as many details as possible ahead of time, you can craft a one of a kind PR event that successfully promotes your brand and builds a loyal audience.

Imperium Group is an American public relations and marketing consultancy firm. Founded in 2016, it specializes in guaranteed placements, creating utmost transparency for its clients. Imperium Group generates over 15M impressions a month for its clients. Its team is based out of New York, Dallas, and Los Angeles. 

For more information about Imperium Group, please see https://navigator.imperiumgrouppr.com/.

3 Comments

  • David Angel Makel

    The bee's knees bite your arm off bits and bobs he nicked it gosh gutted mate blimey, old off his nut argy bargy vagabond buggered dropped.

    Reply
  • Bailey Wonger

    Do one say wind up buggered bobby bite your arm off gutted mate, David victoria sponge cup of char chap fanny around.

    Reply
  • Hilary Ouse

    Baking cakes is cobblers wellies William geeza bits and bobs what a plonker it's your round,

    Reply

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