I’m fortunate enough to work with great clients who understand the importance of creating tasteful , “mediable” events. Every quarter my team and I work very hard to put together something special for Verizon Wireless in order to showcase the latest and greatest devices on the market and we always learn something new. Below are my top three “event imperatives.”
Don’t be a media snob, invite everyone. Make sure that you invite industry bloggers, mommy bloggers, influencers and radio. It can also be very worthwhile to open the event to a select number of customers or “super users.” Remember that media might show up for the free drinks and food but sometimes what “makes” an event is an enthusiastic crowd that is genuinely enjoying themselves.
Or, if feasible, partner with the right media outlet. Working with a credible and well respected media partner has many benefits. (We are big fans of Mashable.) It will instantly help you reach the right people, generate buzz within the industry and bring more attendees to the event. Use the opportunity to tap into their resources and post about the event on their website, Twitter stream and other social media platforms. A word of caution, however: your media partner will likely demand category exclusivity, so it is a trade-off for the guarantee of coverage.
Nail down the logistics. Often, it’s the little things that rock the house. Create a do-to list at the beginning and stay on top of it. Assign your team specific responsibilities before, during and after the event. Keep the venue staff and your client well informed about your plans and your progress. But most importantly, make sure that you leave yourself plenty of time for everything because even the most experienced event planners stumble upon something unexpected!