Branding has never been more essential for a business. With that in mind, one of the best ways to boost your company’s reputation—and keep its name front and center—is to put on a PR event.
When an event is done successfully, it can significantly boost the image of your brand. The issue: making sure it is successful. Because if the event is lackluster or even catastrophic, it can have the opposite effect on your brand’s image.
To plan the perfect PR event, here are five steps you should take toward that goal.
Step #1: Understand the goal of your event
What are you hoping to achieve with your PR event? There are different reasons why a business decides to host this type of event, including:
- Brand launch
- New product introduction
- Press PR events
- Public talks
- Networking
Before you go forward with a PR event, it’s essential you have a strong reason to do so. An event without direction is guaranteed to be a flop.
Step #2: Cover the 5Ws
Once you have the reason, the initial stage of planning for your PR event should revolve around the five W’s. These are:
- Who: The event’s intended audience.
- What: The purpose of the event.
- When: The date the event will take place.
- Where: The location for the event.
- Why: Understanding the event’s importance for improving your brand’s image.
Step #3: Pick an optimal event space
If you are running an event, you need an event space. Corporate event spaces, as the name suggests, are built for events such as those that revolve around PR. Along with typically being suitably sized to host a large collection of individuals, they will often have the necessary facilities—whether it is a stage or on-site kitchen—to run your event successfully.
When selecting the right corporate event space, there are certain factors that enter the equation. This includes it being in the right location, as well as having enough space for your intended event.
Step #4: Promote appropriately and thoroughly
You want attendance levels to be high for your event. Obviously, if you only have a few people dotted around a large venue, this will result in negative PR for your business.
To increase the number of people that attend, it is essential you get the word out effectively. Promote your event through email newsletters, social media posts, and even traditional marketing like print ads and local radio.
Step #5: Create an event team
You shouldn’t attempt to do all of this work on your own. Instead, you should put together an event team that will assist with planning a wonderful event. This is especially important if the event is a large one with many different moving pieces.
As for roles that should form this team, think of getting a project manager, creative designer, marketing coordinator, operations liaison, and accountant on board. Of course, certain individuals could perform multiple roles, although this is often dependent on the event’s size.
