In public relations, you create products like opeds and statements -- and you also craft events like press conferences and speaking tours.
Here are a series of articles about how to good organize media events.
What's a successful event? It's not necessarily one that attracts hordes of cameras and reporters. A good media event is one that gives something of value to reporters and their audience.
When To Hold A Press Conference - And When Not To
Press conferences shouldn't be over-used. The press appreciates a press conference when they all need to cover a big story and they don't appreciate people hosting press conferences at the drop of a hat. So when should you hold one and when should you do something else?
How To Organize A Media Availability
A media availability (also called "media avail") is less formal than a press conference. Many politicians have traditionally hosted weekly media avails in their offices, with coffee or stronger stuff, for talks with reporters either on -- or off -- the record. A media avail is a good option for keeping reporters informed about complicated issues without having the bright lights of a TV camera recording every word.
A photo shoot isn't like regular media events. News photographers have entirely different needs than reporters.
Debates can be intimidating. A press conference is almost always hosted by allies who'll sing from the same page. With a debate, you have no idea what people might say. However, that's a large part of the appeal of debates. It's unscripted and dynamic and features two opposite points of view, and that's attractive to reporters and their audiences. This article gives you tips on how to organize different types of debates.
A panel is a bit of a hybrid event. It's not a press conference an not quite a debate, either. However, it's a nice option for examining issues in depth.
How To Organize A Speaking Tour
Almost every type of public figure -- authors, professional atheletes, movie actors or politicians -- will sometimes go on a speaking tour. Maybe it's to promote a charity, a a new book or a new movie. Whatever the purpose, a speaking tour is a good way to reach audiences in different cities.
How To Organize An Editorial Board Tour
Editorial boards at newspapers are the folks who choose which opeds to run, write editorials and pick causes -- and candidates -- to endorse. If you're trying to persuade people, it's useful to do an editorial board tour.
How To Organize A Listening Tour
A listening tour is the opposite of a speaking tour. You're traveling not to speak, but to hear from everyday people.
The Purpose And History of Town Hall Meetings
Town hall meetings are an American tradition and a great way to have a dialogue with a room full of people.
There are different types of town hall meetings. Technology is creating new options, including telephone town halls, which are becoming quite popular.
Setting Up A Town Hall Meeting
While town hall meetings are quite informative and useful, they're also a lot of work. This post explains what it takes to set up town halls.
Following Up After A Town Hall Meeting
To make a town hall truly successful, don't stop after the event is over. Follow up with the people and stakeholders who showed up to the town hall and continue working on the issue.
