Events to Increase Lead Generation & PR Coverage
Need new clients? New prospects? Need to fill your sales pipeline? Want media coverage? One of the easiest ways to get media coverage… HAVE AN EVENT!
Don’t start the new year with the same old plan, the same recycled customers, and the same clients. Keep the clients that you have and focus on gaining new ones. NEW BUSINESS should be the goal of the NEW YEAR! The more people that know about you and your company, the more opportunity that you have to gain their business. Public relations and media coverage is the best way that you get the most people to know about the solutions that you provide and how they can benefit from doing business with you. Of the multitude of ways that can garner media coverage, having events are going to be your best way and here is why…
It’s Free!
You cannot pay for great media coverage. Based on the professional judgment by decision-makers in the media, you get coverage based on the newsworthiness and wow-factor of your event. Now, you may spend money to make sure that your event has great aspects but you cannot pay to be covered. Strategic partnerships and planning is the key element.
Editorial Calendars
Get your foot in the door by submitting your event to the calendars of local and regional news outlets. It is a service to provide media outlets with quality content to publish. Depending on how far in advance you submit the info to local TV stations, they plan to cover the event. Magazines have an editorial calendar that you could tailor your pitch to compliment and be included as a feature.
Good Deeds
The media and the public love companies that foster goodwill. Your event can include a significant donation, sponsorship of a local organization or collaboration with a nonprofit to bring recognition to their cause. Possible media coverage will elevate the purpose and provide visibility to all participating companies.
Alternative Press
Depending on your company, product, and cause, you have the opportunity to reach out to niche publications, bloggers, and influencers. Others in the same field will see that you are accessible and newsworthy. This leaves open the possibility or additional follow-up coverage.
Local Dignitaries
No matter what event you are having, the local dignitaries and officials should be invited. The local government officials, uniformed department heads, and well-known community leaders should be invited to your event. Those RSVP’s are newsworthy and should be acknowledged. It’s a good look for them to support local commerce and good for your business to have them in attendance.
Great Excuse for Contacts
The announcement, the buildup, the event, and the follow-up of the event are all great excuses to contact your customers and prospects. Instead of simply pushing product and services, you are offering a great customer experience to your clientele, building brand loyalty and continued patronage.
Future Marketing
The footage captured at your event is great material for the next event and social media content. It can be broken down into smaller parts and utilized in various different ways. Video of the actual event is authentic and captivating instead of staged and dramatized. Using those best moments to promote the next event has been proven to increase attendance and participation in any follow-up events.
Keep It Going
The storyline for the event is important. Ensure that something significant happens at the event that has a long shelf-life. Keep the story alive, add-on and keep it growing to keep the interest of your attendees and fans. Bring your followers along on the ride as they become more attached to the company and the story.
SURPRISE!
An event is a great time to reveal a new product or service. Being able to pitch the media and have a big reveal or demo at an event is very newsworthy. When done right, it can increase your chances of media coverage, followers, and profits. Master the art of the build-up with teasers, the reveal, and the follow-through where you turn the curious into customers.
It’s fun!
Events are a reprieve from the mundane and routine business day. It energized your staff and your consumer. It takes work in planning and executing. However, it’s never your normal-day-at-the-office and can be newsworthy and well worth the press coverage. Much of this can be done on your own or with the help of a great public relations consultant.
To rise above the noise in journalists’ inboxes, you need to make it clear why the public will care about your event and your story. Once you start to plan the event, start looking at sponsorship to increase name recognition and attendance. For more information on PR, event planning, and sponsorship, contact Sand & Shores PR at info@sandandshores.com (424) 262-1920