Turning event marketing into a useful and popular tool for generating buzz and excitement around events, creating publicity, and increasing brand awareness. The percentage of event marketing grew from 3.6% in 2011 to 7.8% in 2012, coinciding with the emergence of communication technology and social media. Brands focused on events as a means of driving sales and implemented event marketing tactics and strategies alongside professional public relations support. This will ensure that your event receives ideal media coverage that attracts both end consumers and influencers.
If you are planning a special event soon, follow these steps to ensure that you attract the attention of the media and online community, leading to short-term and long-term media coverage.
Before the event
1. Develop a targeted media list
When planning an event, it is important to develop a targeted media list that will be used to showcase your event. This requires a lot of effort and time, but getting media coverage can attract your customers, enhance their awareness of your brand, and may lead to broader media coverage. To develop your targeted media list, start by researching appropriate titles and outlets to build a list of journalists. Which newspapers, magazines, television programs, radio stations, and influencers will be interested in your event? Having an appropriate mix of local, national, and international press will ensure that your event reaches a wide audience. Additionally, consider whether influencers or online content creators are suitable for your event. Today, these people have the same or even more audience than traditional media, and an Instagram story, blog post, or even a video blog can promote your brand and reach hundreds or thousands of followers.
2. Create a customized press release for the event
To properly showcase your event, it is necessary to create a customized press release for it. The press kit will help the media promote your brand and each of its components. The press release should include press materials, email messages, and phone calls to promote the event. The event should receive coverage on television, radio, print media, and online. If a press release is sent before and after the event, a press release describing the event (who, what, where, when, why, and how) with popular links to related pages on your website should be created. It can be delivered in various ways, including video, presentation, paper (printed or handed out electronically), or as a related product. Distributing press materials is of utmost importance for your media contacts, who receive all the necessary information in addition to a personal invitation to attend the event.
Start generating buzz early by writing a press release to increase awareness of the event in the media. You can request that the media print event details and use them as an opportunity to secure their attendance. Focus on important details and make sure they look like an event that can’t be missed to generate excitement.
Additional tip: Include your contact details, including email addresses and phone numbers, on every page of the press release where you can be reached immediately on the day of the event.
3. Send invitations to appropriate media outlets and the press
To send invitations to appropriate media outlets and the press, it is important to stay in constant contact with media outlets that fit the specific geographic location of the event. Local focus and search are a growing trend in the digital age, and this trend should be used to your advantage.
When creating the invitation, make sure it is eye-catching and concise and includes the five questions (who, what, where, when, and why). that journalists receive about 20 invitations to events per week. Therefore, it is important to ensure that your invitation stands out from the crowd, and the goal is to create an invitation that can be easily scanned, which is a good strategy because it encourages attendance. If the journalist has already heard of your brand and recognizes it in the invitation, they are more likely to attend.
At Creativity Experts, we offer a comprehensive range of media-related services to help showcase your brand, including media coverage, television interviews, and news releases to draw attention to your event and take effective steps in the marketing and promotion process. For more details, you can contact us.
4. Effective planning for the event
Effective planning for your approach on the day of the event is important to ensure good and effective preparation for the event. This approach helps facilitate media coverage of the event, achieve desired goals, and enable you to communicate with strategic media representatives and focus specifically on a certain aspect of your brand, services, or products. This event can reflect your commitment to the media agenda and network, enhance your brand, and provide an opportunity to introduce an idea that resonates with your audience. Therefore, this method can be adopted to make media work easier and achieve desired goals effectively.
5. Creating charitable events
Most broadcasting stations have a public service aspect that needs to be met. Therefore, if your event is charitable and contributes to the public good, creating a short radio coverage will not only gain you free advertising but will also convey the essence of the non-profit event on another level. Many free media opportunities can be obtained by communicating with radio stations and presenting your charitable event idea. This will help you get free media coverage and promote a positive image of your brand, as well as enhance the event overall and convey the message of the non-profit event to another level.
Charitable events can be a unique incentive and an effective way to collaborate with multiple parties and give back to your community. Therefore, organizing a charitable event as part of your marketing strategy and leveraging the free media opportunities will allow you to promote this event and promote a positive image of your brand in the community.
6. Creating a page, website, or personal profile on social media
A digital marketing strategy requires creating pages dedicated to the event on social media platforms and enabling users to participate and interact with invitations, including information about your institution, company, products, services, or cause. These pages should contain a call-to-action statement in addition to key messages and continuous media updates. This channel is your way to attract media attention and customers, increase attendance, and increase sales.
You can benefit from the services of creativity experts in managing and organizing exhibitions and conferences to achieve the best results. In addition, you can benefit from the integrated and comprehensive services we offer to enhance your digital strategy. To learn more about our services, you can visit the following link:
During the event
7. Making the media coverage process easy
The media coverage process for journalists can be facilitated by creating a designated area for them on the site where they can easily write and edit their stories. An exclusive space can also be allocated to them as a media room to provide a place to work during their coverage of the event. With the use of electronic platforms to report news quickly and anywhere, it is important to ensure a good WiFi network for journalists.
Providing these facilities will help journalists feel appreciated and privileged and can create a positive impression about your brand. It can also encourage them to attend more events and provide more media coverage for your brand. Therefore, it is important to facilitate the media coverage process and provide everything journalists need to achieve the best results.
8. Direct Marketing
Events provide a unique opportunity for direct communication with your audience and attendees, as well as an opportunity to showcase the features of the event and build awareness of your brand, directing attention towards your products and services. This opportunity can be leveraged for direct marketing, expanding your current customer base, and attracting new customers.
This can be achieved by providing a space to set up a dedicated booth for your brand within the event, where you can display your products and services and interact with attendees and followers. Additionally, you can offer free giveaways and promotions to attendees to promote your products and services.
Furthermore, specialized staff for direct marketing can be designated to attend the event and communicate with attendees, providing them with information about your products and services, answering their questions, and offering special discounts and promotions to encourage them to make purchases.
9. Professional Photography
Capturing photos of your event, products, or services is the perfect opportunity to participate in various media outlets and is an important part of your digital marketing strategy. With the continued evolution of technology, digital photos are becoming more shareable and visible, allowing your audience to have a visual connection to the event as if they were there.
You can take advantage of this opportunity by providing a designated area for photography within the event or by pre-determining ideal photo spots and encouraging attendees to take photos and share them on social media using the event’s designated hashtag.
Additionally, you can hire a professional photographer to capture and secure the photos for future media and marketing use. Using digital media, you can increase brand awareness, interact with your audience, and increase opportunities for the promotion and advertising of your products and services.
Therefore, it’s essential to make the most of photo opportunities within events and ensure they are shared on social media and used in future media and marketing to increase brand awareness and achieve success in digital marketing. Utilizing tools like an AI face generator can also help create realistic images for various promotional needs.
10. Finding the Right Communication Tool for Expressing Gratitude
Choosing the appropriate tool to express gratitude depends on the relationship and previous communication with the person or organization being thanked. If the person or organization has shown a strong interest in electronic communication, email can be used to express gratitude and feedback for their support and cooperation. It’s important to write a clear and concise thank-you message, specifying what was gained from their help and appreciate their efforts.
If the person or organization has shown a greater interest in phone communication, a phone call may be the appropriate tool for expressing gratitude and communicating with them. It’s important to schedule a suitable time for the call, prepare a list of things to discuss, and ensure that the person or organization is not disturbed at an inappropriate time.
Social media platforms such as Twitter or LinkedIn can also be used to express gratitude and communicate with the person or organization, especially if they prefer using these platforms.
In conclusion, it’s essential to choose the right tool for expressing gratitude and communicating with the person or organization based on the previous relationship and communication and their communication preferences.
11. Continuous Communication with Media Outlets
Continuous communication with media outlets is an important part of marketing and promoting your events, and to achieve success in communicating with media outlets, all required information must be provided on time.
If media outlets request any information, it should be provided clearly and on time to ensure that journalists get all the information they need to cover your event. This information can be provided by preparing a comprehensive file containing contact information, photos, videos, and any other relevant information for media outlets.
It’s also important to verify the accuracy of the provided information and ensure that there are no updates or changes to the event schedule or any other information that media outlets might be interested in.
Continuous communication with media outlets is also necessary, and an open communication channel should be established with them, either through email, phone, or social media, to respond to any inquiries or updates.
Read also: A Complete Guide to Virtual Events in 2022.
