Do’s and Don’ts of Planning a Media Event

Planning a media event can be one of the best and easiest ways for your company to gain exposure to the media and attract more people, but only if the event is done correctly. If you have no experience planning media events it may easily end in disaster, so that’s why this article is going to tell you all about the do’s and don’t of planning the perfect event.

Do: Find a Great Venue

One of the first things you may want to do is find the right venue. This will let you know exactly how many people can be accommodated for, and then you can plan out the event essentials on the inside. It’s also great to find a venue quickly and early on because you may not know which venues are already booked out for other events. You wouldn’t want to be waiting until last minute and then get stuck with a venue too small or just not right for your event.

Don’t: Wait Until the Last Minute for Planning

As said with the venue, don’t wait until the last minute! Waiting to plan everything out like scheduling a date and time can have such a negative impact on your event. If you already know your event day, let the press know when your event is and when to arrive. Waiting until the last minute could mean they possibly don’t show up, and then you won’t get as much exposure that you want from the event.

If you have other services available at your event, i.e. entertainment or food, make sure you book what you need to in advance. Your event relies on what you’ve planned, so don’t miss out on having things you need to just because you waited until the last minute.

Do: Plan your Event at a Good Time and Date

Not only is it important to make sure the press and your audience know about the event beforehand, but it’s also important to have everything planned in a timely matter. Don’t plan your event at a time that’s inconvenient for news reporters and other press, or else they may not be able to arrive on time or even at all.

Think about your audience as well: are you planning the event towards teenagers? If so, don’t plan the event at a time and date that will conflict with school or other events already happening. This creates a conflict of interest and you won’t gain as much audience as you desire. Planning for adults? Make sure it’s at a good time where there isn’t other events in the area happening, and make sure you’ve planned it at a reasonable time.

Don’t: Underestimate the Budget

Even though your event might not be the biggest you’ve seen, it can still be incredibly costly. Hiring people to speak or entertain at your event may come to a lot more than you expect, so always plan to spend more than you initially think. Decor costs, swag, and food & drink options can easily add up in price, be conscious of the decisions that you’re making when it comes to purchasing for your event.

Do: Provide Event Details

You want to make it easy to understand all the exact details of your event. Provide the press and the people attending with the details straight up and simple. The name of your event should be part of the key information, as well as the location, date, and time. Be upfront with people as well, name the price of tickets and where to buy them as well. You don’t want people showing up at the venue with money if tickets are needed.

It’s crucial to provide the event information details to ensure everyone shows up at the right place at the right time. If details aren’t provided right, or maybe they’re even given wrong, it can be horribly disastrous for your event. So keep in mind all the information that press and attendees need to make it the best event possible.

Don’t: Try to Do Everything

Though you might want to do it all, it really isn’t in your best interest to even attempt to. Trying to do everything and go completely over the top can be overwhelming to you as the event planner, especially if you’re doing it all on your own. You may want certain things done and certain things but in an exact area, but don’t overdo it! Not everything can be perfect about an event, so do your best to make it an amazing experience overall.

Also, remember that you’re the event planner, not the director of the event. Let the reporters, photographers, and videographers do their work. Don’t try to tell them what to do, who to interview and what shots to get. They know how to do their job, so let them be and enjoy the event that you spent so much time planning!

Do: Be Prepared

This may be the most important overall advice as it applies to not only planning the event, but it also applies to during and after the event has ended. On top of that, it not only applies to you as the event planner, but to any speakers and entertainers you’re going to have at your event.

Being prepared while planning the event is crucial for the event becoming a success. You have to be aware of if things can go wrong and how to deal with them before the event date. Having a prepared mindset is the starting path to having an awesome event.

During the event, be prepared in case something isn’t going right. It’ll be your job to fix whatever it is as quickly as possible and ensure the event is still going to run smoothly.

After the event, you might feel like you’ve completely succeeded and all is done. Not yet though, as there’s still the press to report on it in coming days. Expecting the best is what we all want, but you have to be prepared for the worst too in case your event didn’t exactly appeal to everyone. You’ll need to be prepared to have a response to the media regarding your event.

Finally, prepare your speakers and entertainers. Rehearse with them and make sure that they’re ready for the event. Keeping all this in mind, you’ll no doubt create one of the best media events ever.