Public Relations Prospects: Event Management Part 1

By Erica Wenham, Wednesday 30 January 2013.

Public Relations Practice & Skillset (Week 16)

 “Hope for the best, but plan for the worst.” Morris and Goldsworthy (2012:279)

The 4 key dimensions of good project management in relation to PR events are: Communications, Resources, Time and Money. Next, the 7 phases which are essential to take into consideration are;

1.      The Nature of a Project

2.      Teams and Teaming

3.      Negotiation and Conflict Resolution

4.      Planning Cycle

5.      Budgeting and Estimating

6.      Scheduling & Resource Allocation

7.      Control and Change

Why Events?

·         Greater ROI than other form of marketing communication, according to some

·         Captive targeting and focused participative communications beats advertising clutter

·         AND events are hooks for publicity campaigns in their own right.

Event Advantages

·         Interaction

·         Enhanced loyalty

·         Commitment increases purchase intentions

·         Live experience increases favourable disposition

·         Emotional experience critical for some brands

·         Live = credible

Overreaching Goals of Events

Organisational Events can range from anything to Conferences, Seminars, Exhibitions, Road Shows, Press Launches, Product Launches, Promotional & Corporate Events, Gala Dinners, Christmas Parties and more.

Event Characteristics

For successful event management, you NEED “Strong creative eye... Good administrative skills... And strong social skills”. Morris and Goldsworthy (2012:279)

Creating the Event Concept – The 5 W’s

1.      Why?

-          Why is it important, viable?

2.      Who?

-          Who exactly are the stakeholders? The primary audience?

3.      When?

-          Impact on timing, timetable, opportunity?

4.      Where?

-          Optimum balance of needs, comfort, accessibility and cost.

5.      What?

-          Content and “product”? Should synergise needs, wants, desires and expectations.... And the why, who, when and where.

Staging The Event (Key Aspects)

·         Venue, venue, venue is the equivalent of ‘location, etc’ in estate agency

·         Venue = theatre/context

·         Narrative/play

·         Outcomes

·         Actors

The 5 Overall Key Stages of Events

1.      Conception

2.      Planning

3.      Marketing

4.      Implementation

5.      Post Event