Publicizing an event? 7 tips to maximize coverage

Is there a roadmap to ensure your event shines in the public eye?

By Julia Forschino

One of my favorite activities is preparing for client events, from wine and whisky tastings around the country to restaurant tech conferences and other on-site activations. Learning how to generate media coverage for client events is not only a fundamental part of your career in PR but also gets exposure for your event, helps boost ticket sales and creates awareness for future events. It’s a tall task that takes time and effort but is so rewarding once the headlines are secured and the coverage report is compiled. With all of that in mind, here are my top tips for maximizing coverage of client events.

Research your reporters

The biggest complaint I’ve heard is reporters receiving pitches they can’t use, as it doesn’t fit their specific beat. Not doing your homework not only will result in less coverage but also discourages journalists from wanting to work with you in the future. Utilize services like Cision or MuckRack to organize media by market, beat and job title to identify the targets that would be most appropriate for your event - and don’t forget to Google search too! Researching those who have covered similar events in the past and are actively covering your event topic will yield the best results.

Personalize your message

No matter how you send out pitches - manually, mail merge or another service - the way to get the best results is to personalize your pitches. A simple “It’s that time of year again!” will grab the attention of your contacts, enticing them to respond, even if they can’t attend this year. If you haven’t worked with someone but saw they covered a similar event, including “I saw this piece you wrote and thought this event may be of interest to you” can help entice those you may not know as well.

Plan Ahead

One of the most effective ways to secure coverage is to send out media advisories for events about 2-3 months in advance. Some reporters write stories and plan for publication long-term, while others only require a day's notice. Sending out a “mark your calendar” a few months prior will get the attention of those who need to plan, and additional follow-up closer to the event will remind others.

Offer Media Passes

Invite reporters to the event on a media pass in exchange for coverage. Media passes often help yield more positive results since journalists can report on their own experience and coordinate on-site interviews with your clients. Depending on what they see and who they meet with, more in-depth follow-up stories could result as well.

Follow-up

A final step to get reporters interested in your event is sending a follow-up pitch. Just a quick “checking in” on top of the original pitch will provide more responses and additional coverage. Reporters get tons of emails every day and can sometimes miss your original email. Sending a reminder helps you make your way back to the top of their inbox and ensure they’ve received your note. Depending on how early you started your outreach, several rounds of follow-up might be necessary.

Don’t be afraid to ask for coverage

So, what happens when you hear back, but reporters say they’re busy or can’t make it? Don’t be afraid to ask them for coverage. It’s still a worthwhile ask since their readers may find value from the event, plus remind them they can always attend the following year if it’s a recurring event. Be sure to offer videos or pictures for them to use in their coverage. Just because they can’t make it, doesn’t mean they can’t cover!

Call news desks

You may have pitched all of the news organizations in the area already, but what about on-site coverage for your event? Call assignment desks in the area the day before and the day of, and extend an invitation for them to send a news crew to the event, and offer interviews with your client. Local TV stations often create their schedule day-of so depending on the news cycle, your event could just end up front and center!

Publicizing events may seem like a daunting task, but keeping organized and maintaining relationships with beat-specific reporters around the country is the key to success. Once you see the headlines and ticket sales increase, you’ll realize your time and effort paid off. Plus, you’ll have an impressive coverage report to share with your client!