|
"Many attempts to
communicate are nullified
by saying too much."
-
Robert Greenleaf -
 PR Blog
Topics
Recent entries posted on our blog, Public Relations Insights,
include:
PR Tip: Sample
Event Planning Timeline
 by
Frank Williams, President
The
April issue of
The Pioneer
Strategist discussed the use of special events as a tool to
achieve your organization's Public Relations goals.
Last month, we discussed the nuts & bolts of planning such
an event. This month's newsletter provides a sample event
planning timeline.
Reverse Engineering
This timeline begins with a clear view of what you want to
accomplish, then works backward from the event by setting
deadlines for the completion of key tasks necessary to achieve
your overall goals.
Your Objectives
For the purposes of this sample
timeline, let's assume you are planning a reception at which
your company's existing clients, top prospects, selected VIPs
(i.e. strategic partners) and the press will have the
opportunity to preview a new product. Your primary goals are:
(1) To
provide current and potential clients with a first-hand look at
the new product for the purpose of motivating them to make a
purchase; and (2) To secure positive press coverage
announcing the new product's launch. For the purposes of
this hypothetical event's media outreach, assume you are focusing exclusively
on media outlets in your local area. The reception is
scheduled for Thursday, September 21, 2006.
Sample Planning Timeline
|
Wk of June 19-23 |
- Reserve event venue
- Ensure all key
company personnel have the event on their schedule
- Establish a dress code
for event |
|
Wk of June 26-30 |
- Announce date to all
company personnel
- Develop list of key
stakeholders to invite to event (current clients, hot
prospects, strategic partners, etc.) |
|
Wk of July 3-7 |
- July 4 Holiday
- Finalize list of key
stakeholders |
|
Wk of July 10-14 |
- Mail a "Save the
Date" letter to key stakeholders and company
personnel |
|
Wk of July 17-21 |
- Contact key
stakeholders by phone to ensure that they received the
"Save the Date" letter and have the event on their
schedule |
|
Wk of July 24-28 |
- Complete initial
draft of invitation
- Complete initial
draft of e-mail announcement |
|
Wk of Jul. 31-Aug. 4 |
- Distribute e-mail
announcement to key stakeholders reminding them of the
event
- Finalize invitation
and deliver to printer |
|
Wk of Aug. 7-11 |
- Begin developing
reception menu
- Begin planning
reception decorations |
|
Wk of Aug. 14-18 |
- Finalize reception
menu
- Finalize decorations
- Begin design &
layout of all collateral to be distributed at event
- Begin design &
layout for all signs, banners, etc. required for event |
|
Wk of Aug. 21-25 |
- Mail invitations to
key stakeholders
- Send e-mail reminder
to key company personnel |
|
Wk. of Aug. 28-Sept.1 |
- Follow-up phone
calls to all who received invitations (verify that they
received)
- Final approval of
design & layout for all collateral to be distributed at
event
- Final approval of
design & layout for all signs, banners, etc. required
for event
- Determine event
security needs |
|
Wk. of Sept. 4-8 |
- E-mail reminding
stakeholders of September 14 RSVP deadline
- Send e-mail reminder
to key company personnel |
|
Wk. of Sept. 11-15 |
- Phone calls to
stakeholders who have not RSVP-ed
- RSVP Deadline:
September 14
- Finalize media
advisory
- Notify caterer of
final head count
- Finalize speaking
outlines & prepared remarks for all event speakers
- Finalize
registration / greeting process for day of event |
|
Sept. 18 - Week of Event |
- Distribute media
advisory inviting reporters to cover the event
- Meet with event team
to discuss final details
- Meet with all event
speakers to begin preparations |
|
Sept. 19 |
- Meet with all event
speakers to finalize, practice speeches
- Assemble media kits
- Assemble VIP
information packets
- Distribute detailed
event timeline to entire event team
- Send final e-mail
reminder to key company personnel |
|
Sept. 20 |
- Distribute reminder
media advisory (morning)
- Media follow-up
calls (afternoon)
- Final dry run with
event speakers, planning team
- Print nametags for
all VIPs |
|
Sept. 21 - Day of Event |
- After event, send
press release announcing new product
- Post press release
on company web site |
|
Wk. of Sept. 25-29 |
- Send thank-you
letter to all stakeholders who attended
- Send new product
letter & collateral to stakeholders who did not attend |
| Additional
follow-up |
- Send copies of news
coverage to key stakeholders and company personnel |
This sample timeline is intended to
provide you with insight into the level of detail required to
plan an effective special event. As you can see, effective
events don't come together on their own; they require planning,
forethought, attention to detail, and time.
-FLW-
Pioneer
Strategies announces Fall 2006 Workshop Schedule; new topics
added
Pioneer Strategies has released its Fall
2006 Workshop Schedule:
|
Date |
Topic |
|
Wednesday,
September 20 |
Networking |
|
Wednesday,
October 4 |
Small
Business PR |
|
Wednesday,
October 18 |
Media
Relations |
|
Thursday,
October 26 |
Advanced PR
Planning |
|
Wednesday,
November 15 |
Small
Business PR |
|
Thursday,
November 30 |
Advanced PR
Planning |
Click here for more
information on our workshops
Pioneer Strategies'
president receives
N.C. State
University Communication
Alumni
Circle Outstanding Alumni
Award
RALEIGH
--
Frank Williams, president of Raleigh-based Pioneer Strategies,
has been recognized with an
N.C. State University Communication Alumni
Circle
Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award. Williams, a 1993 graduate of the
NCSU Department of Communication, was recognized in the Public Relations concentration
at an awards banquet on Saturday, May 7, 2006.
Click here for more
Invite
Frank Williams to Speak
If
you wish to invite Pioneer Strategies president Frank Williams to speak to your organization, please send an
e-mail to info@pioneerstrategies.com
or call 919-833-4345.
How to subscribe to
this newsletter
If you are receiving a forwarded copy of
this newsletter and would like to subscribe,
click
here or send an e-mail to:
subscribe-956605774@ezinedirector.net
This
newsletter and all content and information contained herein are the
property of Pioneer Strategies, Inc. and may not be
reproduced in any form without the express written consent of the
publisher.
|
