Definitive Guide to Event Marketing

Public Relations for Events
#DG2EM
Event Goals and Metrics
Before any event, it is crucial to determine
your event goals for PR. What are you
planning on getting out of the event? Also
consider your tangible goals and metrics
for the event. How many press releases
will you write? How many briefings will
you pursue?
Situation Analysis
Before you decide on your PR tactics, you
need to understand the context of the
show, including both internal and external
factors.
Noise Level
When sponsoring an event, one of your
key challenges may be breaking through
the noise. Very large shows with many
sponsors are typically very noisy. Take
this into consideration and know that you
will need to come up with a special hook
to get yourself noticed. If you are hosting
your own event, you don’t need to
yell through the noise; instead you will
have the perfect platform to let your
company shine.
Here are some tactics you can use
to rise above the noise:
• Focus on influencer relations – The
media at noisy shows will be flooded
with inquiries. Instead of focusing on
getting media spots, invest time in
influencer relationship building.
• Ask, don’t tell, your analysts – Analysts
are booked solid with companies
looking to tell them about the next latest
and greatest. Instead of telling analysts
your pitch, ask them questions about
your space and the industry. Show that
you care about what they think. An
analyst at a busy show might be more
apt to take your meeting if you position
it as being in need of their expertise.
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• Love on em’! – Invite your prospects,
customers, and influencers to lunches
and special events. Also make sure
your briefing rooms are comfortable
and inviting, and in a tranquil setting
away from the rest of the conference.
• Beat the drum and keep it rolling – Plan
and start promoting early. And always
feature a call to action. Come to our
booth! Download our whitepaper!
Come to our sessions!
Announcements
Do you have any news to announce at the
event? While nice to have, it isn’t necessary.
However, if you do not have any news, you
need to figure out your angle for the show.
What will you announce and how will you
announce it? You also want to take into
consideration what the rest of your year
looks like as far as PR announcements and
how you can roll your event announcement
into your marketing calendar.