How to Attract the Media Attention to your Event Karl Hayes - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Event Director’s Best Practices Webinar Series Presents For audio dial-in: Australia: 0282386449 New Zealand: 0800880174 Singapore: 6565974623 Conference Code: 423 657 9790 How to Attract the Media Attention to your Event Karl Hayes Business Title, Trizone March 29 th 2011

Webinar Agenda  The Basics  The Press Release  Social and New Media  Be Intuitive  Local Press  Extand your Reach  Preparing for an Interview  Damage Management  Q&A

The Basics Why a public relations program?  Increased participation  Bigger sponsorships  Higher profile athletes  Reputation  Community relations

The Basics  Starting from the beginning – how is your event interesting?  Are you guilty of assuming your event is interesting to other people?  Do you have any „hooks‟ already prepared to get press involved? (e.g. points of interest, celebrity involvement)  Is it any different to other existing events? Popular areas all seem to have very similarly named events which puts press off covering more than one.

The Basics  The press are your friends, know them, talk to them, but don‟t pester them.  If you can make it interesting, include a press launch, attendance will almost certainly result in coverage.  Timing – get it right, don‟t bombard press during busy periods of the calendar and understand that an event isn‟t likely to take priority. Use different mediums – press releases aren‟t always right. Photos,  videos and endorsements can often be far more valuable.  Supplement coverage with advertising, it‟s not always a waste of money if it keeps people on side and has proven results. A lot can be done for free in the right way, but advertising still delivers.

The Press Release The oldest and most trusted way to get your information across. The press release is still a very functional method, but they can be catastrophically boring and irrelevant if you‟re not careful.

The Press Release DIY or Agency?  Dependent on the size of your event, the amount of people you‟re trying to target and ultimately, your budget, you may want to „DIY‟ or consider using an agency or dedicated PR individual.  It‟s not always necessary to hire somebody. If you‟ve got the expertise and the time, you may be able to get some coverage.  PR is ultimately about contacts, if you haven‟t got many deep in the cycling and sports press, you might be wasting your time. Agencies, if they‟re good, will dedicate time to chase up on leads and  think outside the box. It‟s not as simple as just „hitting and hoping‟ – sending out a release and then relying on someone putting it up off their own back.

The Press Release Things to remember:  Be comprehensive – more information, less words  Make it interesting – announcing a new route into your event is not worth a press release. Getting a popular figure, or something new as a bolt-on to the event, is.  Make it readable – even if it has good grammar and no mistakes, it could still be fairly boring. Use relevant images – paint he picture, magazines need good images if  they don‟t already have their own.  Be timely – don‟t send your release on the day of the Tour de France route launch. Once it‟s out there, chase it up!  Quote me happy – use relevant quotes from people involved.

Create Visual Opportunities

Social and New Media  There are some very good sports websites out there. Most of desperate for new content that‟ll keep their users attention.  Videos – they keep people watching and listening to your brand messages, while they‟re enjoying themselves.  Podcasts – if you‟ve got interesting and talkative people (you know who they are), get them to talk some more, on tape. It‟ll save you time in the future in explanation and you may find people will listen to some important/entertaining info in their own time.  It‟s all about maximizing the time people spend looking and thinking about your brand.

Social and New Media Be sociable  Everyone‟s got Facebook nowadays. A well -stocked and updated Facebook fan page can facilitate the communication.  Load it with video, clips, links and encourage interaction through competitions – more coverage for you and your sponsors.  Connect with industry bloggers and inform them about your event

Social and New Media  Include share functions where press releases are featured on your site  Sources to find bloggers and other online news sources:  Blogsearch.google.com  Technorati.com  Alexa.com  Find popular and relevant people on Twitter  wefollow.com  Twitter hashtags (#triathlon)  Who are others following?

Social and New Media  Link in with partners and ask for the return favour. Ask high profile Twitterers and ambassadors to give you a „shout out‟.  Get Twitter – use short, timely messages and answer questions your clients may have. Run competitions, be humorous, but don‟t tell people what you‟re having for dinner; keep it professional.  Stuck for time? Link Twitter and Facebook together but make sure messages are relevant to both fan groups.

Be Intuitive  Whatever mediums you choose, please, please, please be intuitive.  Putting articles together takes up your time, it‟ll also take up journalists‟ time looking at it. Think outside the box, if it makes people chuckle they‟ll want to send it on.  Get away from your biased opinion of your event, and think “Would I be interested?”  Just an idea: Six Day Cyclist Sebastian Donadio entertained the croud at Revolution 30 by playing the piano and singing Robbie William‟s “Angels”. (available here: http://www.vimeo.com/17040022)

Local Press  They can be your friends or the bane of your life, but either way, local press are important for keeping your community informed and involved.  Find the journalist with the bike – most local papers have someone who fancies themselves as the weekend warrior or commuting hero. Start up a rapport with them; usually stories only need their go-ahead.

Local Press  Meet the press, or call and speak to them. Be personable; explain why the event is good for the community.  Look after your community. Some sporting events are in jeopardy in certain areas because the community aren‟t on side. It‟s all very well trying to attract people from all over the country, but once you‟ve packed up and they‟ve gone home, it‟s the community that has to deal with any problems.

Expand your Reach  Create dream list of media outlets and reporters and follow their news  Set up Google Alerts to ID new reporters and media outlets  Position yourself as an industry spokesperson (sports business, sponsorship acquisition, future of  marathon, managing pro athletes, etc.)  Follow rules of good pitching Bad Pitch Blog - http://badpitch.blogspot.com 

Preparing for an Interview  Read the Media Outlet  Read What the Reporter Has Written  You are always on the record  Know Your Facts & Figures  Be Bold! Get to the Heart of the Matter with Opening Summary (list key messages)  Think in Headlines and Sound Bites  Focus is Everything--Repeating is OK  Close with Key Messages

Preparing for an Interview Never say anything you don‟t want to read in the newspaper, see on television or hear on the radio.

Damage Management  Bad things can happen, and you may find yourself in a situation where using your PR skills can prevent a bad situation from becoming worse.  Sample Damage Situations  Water stations running out supplies  Weather conditions  Natural disasters  Stolen bicycles  Contaminated water in swim course  Timing or course issues  Major injury or death during race

Damage Management  Quick pointers that can help damage management:  Be consistent, if you‟ve got a line, stick to it.  Try and give you statements electronically, so you don‟t divert from the agreed message.  Assess the situation; seek advice before giving anything away. Make sure you know the implications before you say something you shouldn‟t.  Be calm and helpful, if it‟s local press, try and use their communication power to help with your communication.

Questions & Answers? Karl Hayes Trizone www.trizone.com.au Twitter @TriathlonZone www.twitter.com/triathlonzone Active Network Marketing.Global@ActiveNetwork.com +44 (0)207 313 5701 www.twitter.com/active_uk

Thank you for attending! Would you like to be a speaker at a future Active Network webinar? Contact Ana Jesus on the email below : marketing.global@activenetwork.com Special thanks to Karl Hayes