Whether you’re planning a large-scale event for the general public or something on a smaller scale tailored to a more targeted audience, garnering earned media coverage is an effective and efficient way of generating buzz and drawing people to your event. However, with so many elements to take into consideration when planning an event (especially tight deadlines), even experienced PR pros can find the process of pitching an event to the media challenging.
Fear not! The event marketing experts at Scooter Media are here with a few of the most essential things to keep in mind when pitching the media on your next event:
Tip #1: Get Information Out ASAP
As PR pros can attest, calendars fill up quickly — which means it’s important to make sure people have plenty of notice to mark theirs for your event!
Even if you’re still working out the specifics of your event, distributing a calendar alert that contains the who, what, when, and where is a great way to start spreading the word on community calendars and to key media contacts. Especially if your event is taking place during a busy time like the weekend, getting a head-start and giving the media plenty of time can make the difference between whether your event gets coverage or not.
Tip #2: Explain the Story Behind the Event
When pitching an event to the media, it can be all too easy to focus on just pitching the basics of the event — but the best coverage comes when your pitch focuses on the why behind the event.
Some questions to consider when drafting your pitch include:
- What story is the event organizer attempting to relay?
- Why should your audience attend this event?
- Why should a reporter cover this event?
- If this is an annual event (such as a nonprofit gala), is there a specific angle or person that reflects the theme for this year’s event?
Spending time thinking through these questions before writing your pitch can go a long way toward ensuring it connects with the members of the media you’ll be sending it to.
Tip #3: Make Pitching Personal
Once you’ve spent time perfecting your pitch, it’s time to carefully consider who you are sending it to. Just like when attempting to secure any other kind of earned media coverage, your pitch has a much greater chance of success when you specifically target reporters and outlets that are already interested in or connected to the event.
For example, Scooter Media recently worked with client meetNKY to promote the organization’s partnership with Braxton Brewing Company’s annual Dark Charge Winter Block Party, which celebrated our region’s rich bourbon history with the release of barrel-age stouts.
In advance of the event, our team spent time researching which local reporters were fans of bourbon or craft beer (or both!), so that when it came to pitch those people were at the top of the list. This due diligence led to numerous interviews leading up to and during the Dark Charge event, making it one of the most successful yet.
Do you have any essential tips when it comes to pitching an event? Let us know by tweeting @ScooterMedia!
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