Many PR professionals will support the view that news releases are the bread and butter of a solid event PR campaign.
Even in these days of social networking, blogging and high-speed online communities, a regular pipeline of PR news is still a fundamental requirement to drip feed awareness of your event over time.
When you understand the need for a plan and an event PR pipeline, take a step back and ask the all-important question ‘What messages should my PR campaign convey?’
All too often this is a slight after thought when it comes to PR, whereas other marketing initiatives will start here.
The general positioning may be clear, ‘This event is the only place where all IT security managers across the UK gather each year’ etc, but do your PR announcements reinforce key messages and actually build a reputation over time?
Changing Perceptions
It is one thing to have name awareness, but to really change perceptions you need to have a ‘manifesto’ of topics or themes that reinforce the positioning of your event.
This could be anything from having excellent technical capabilities to providing a taste of the latest gadgets to offering the highest quality of speakers in the industry.
Let’s take that last example. If your event wants to have a reputation for attracting industry thought leaders, make sure your PR emphasises the credentials of keynotes and speakers lined up.
It might be as simple as referencing how infrequently they present in public, what new material they have to share or ensuring that they offer a unique insight that will not be revealed elsewhere.
Like all good PR, the most powerful techniques are usually the most obvious and often the easiest to overlook.
Next time you are planning your event PR campaign, start with the reputation of your event in mind and your PR pipeline will become a powerful resource for marketing your event.
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