One of the most critical elements in organizing a successful event is publicity. People would never attend events that they have not heard of or those that they have no interest in.
However, it is not as easy as just getting the message out there, the right message needs to reach the right people at the right time on the right platforms.
Here are our PRO tips:
1. Develop an aligned communication framework.
2. Create different targeted messages for different audiences.
3. Use a press release to share succinct information and insights to media and influencers.
4. Use social media to reach out directly to end consumers.
As an event organizer behind 5 installations of Ethiopia’s largest and most premium shows, Spectacle Events, our work behind the success of these events was hardly considered a breeze. How did publicity and active partaking in the conceptualization of the events take an inaugural number of 800 guests in 2016 to 3,000 in 2016?
Here are our learning points:
Different platforms speak to different audiences in different ways. The assumption of homogeneity in the target audience and failure to frame and align diversified messages are many organizers’ Achilles’ heel.
Long gone are the days when one size fits all. Even high-budget communications can slip up and backfire if social trends and information consumption patterns are not thoroughly analyzed. Take Kendall Jenner’s Pepsi ad for example. No such thing as bad publicity? Think again.
The trick is to gain an insight into how information is received by the target audience and the relevance of content. From there, formulate the communications strategy.
A press release may seem archaic to the uninitiated. However, it has certainly not outlived its usefulness. It is one critical tool that outlines and puts into perspective the key highlights of an event.
Think of it as a cheat sheet. It must cut through the clutter, and get to the point. If you have a seven-page press release (trust us, we have seen it before), we suggest looking through it again and craft a succinct story.
Many inexperienced publicists also overlook the importance of visuals. Pictures speak a thousand words. Social media have time and again released data of how relevant visuals capture attention and increase traction. On the same note, videos are on an upward trend. Our data shows that videos in the 20s to 30s have the highest viewership. And nothing is better than capturing the atmosphere of a successful event than real footage.