We had a client event at the weekend, a big one, to which I had invited a number of key UAE media. It was a lifestyle event, and we were inviting media purely as a relationship builder and to develop familiarity and favourability with the brand and its spokespeople. As the day wore on, conversation turned to the media/PR industry and it was interesting to hear feedback directly from the journalists about their experiences at PR events around Dubai, experiences which completely undermined the purpose of the invitation in the first place, leaving the journalists with a bad taste in their mouths.
From personal experience, most of these mistakes come from the right place in the beginning, and are often the result of staff being too keen! Meaning that a simple mindset shift could be enough to potentially stop them from happening. So what do we need to stop doing?
1. Babysitting
It depends on the event and circumstances, ie whether it is a professional or lifestyle event, whether they are bringing a plus one or not, whether it is seated or free standing, etc. However generally speaking, if you’re inviting media to an event out of hours, particularly if it’s a lifestyle event, then let them relax and enjoy it! They’ll have a much better experience, and ultimately will be left with a better opinion of the brand, if they are able to attend with a guest of their choice and are free to experience the event in their own way. By all means meet them and introduce yourself, see if they need anything and make sure they have your number, but then leave them be!
2. Selling
Again, this depends on the type of event, but if you are inviting media for relationship building, then don’t try and sell the brand into them. You can remind them of your objectives and key messages when you email them after the event, don’t bore them to tears with a sales pitch during the event, unless they specifically ask you for more information. You want them to have a good experience, so talk to them like normal people and have normal conversations! If you have a good rapport, chat away, but if conversation is a little stilted, then refer to point one, and leave them be!
3. Hounding for coverage
I’ve seen this pre-, during, and post-event. If you are hosting a lifestyle event and a media relations building exercise, do not expect media to cover the event. Be clear when you invite them if it is something you want them to cover in their publication. If it is a newsworthy event for them and you’d like coverage, ask if they want to send a photographer, interview the spokesperson, etc, so that they know what you expect, if you are inviting them as your guests to a lifestyle event, do not expect – and certainly don’t ask for – anything! They may choose to share on their personal social media channels, but this would be a bonus, and not something you can demand. If you’d like to encourage sharing on social media, then be clear to put your brand social media handles and any event hashtag on the invitation, and think about promoting awareness of the channels during the event – just don’t apply pressure to anyone. Back to point one – leave them be!
4. Making life difficult
If you invite media as your guests to an event, then you need to treat them as your valued VIP guests. Make sure you give them plenty of notice (ideally send a save the date two weeks before, and follow up with the invitation a week before), nothing dents the ego and disgruntles people more than receiving an invitation two days before a big event.
When you send the invitation, give them all the information they could possibly need – directions and/or a map, details of car parking/valet, timings and ideally a schedule for the event, dress code, as well as the background on any speakers, products, etc.
If you are organising a meal or access to a venue that is normally paid, make sure the operations team are crystal clear about how this is covered, and advise the journalists in the invitation. I’ve heard a lot fo feedback from journalists invited to review places and experiencing having very awkward situations, whereby they don’t know if they need to sign something or not, and in some cases being brought a bill which they then have to try and explain is complimentary – don’t give your media this kind of embarrassment to finish their experience with you. If you are arranging international travel for journalists, make sure you check visa requirements and advise journalists of the process – and make sure any costs are covered or reimbursed. Media should not have to pay anything as part of your invitation.
Media events are one of the best ways of building relationships and brand favourability, they are often expensive, time consuming and hard work, and the results may not be immediately obvious, but the impact is long term and you can be reaping the rewards for many years as a result. The way you interact with media will vary hugely depending on the event, the brand and the journalists themselves, but generally, if you are prepared and they are fully informed in advance, then you just need to relax, put yourself in their situation and treat them as human beings, and you can’t go far wrong. If you have any events planned this year that you think could benefit from media attendance, and you’d like some advice, please do drop us an email to sam@footstepcommunications.com
