Welcome to Part 3 in my series of Surviving Event PR. You made it! If you missed parts 1 and 2, be sure to check them out here: Pre-Game & Game Day.
I know what you’re thinking. The post-game is just a breakdown of what happened during the event and how prepared you were going into the game. (Did you study the other team enough? Did you practice enough? Was your best good enough?)
I’m here to be the bearer of bad news, folks. Don’t sleep in the day after a client event. Not only is it not over, the post game is the most important part. This is the phase where you take all of your hard work and see it through to completion, and then brag about your success to your client who is eagerly waiting to see the results!
Don’t Drop the Ball! (Followups)
Sure, the game is over. That timer is held at zero, but the ball is still flying through the air which means: game on! The hours or days after the event is the time when all of your hard work comes to fruition, and you do not want to fumble!
Make sure you email or call every member of the media that you invited (or showed up unannounced) to confirm they have everything they need. Photos? Check! Names, dates and background info? Check and check!
Then, make sure to check in with any media friends who RSVPed but didn’t make it. They probably had a good reason why, and you may still be able to get a story out of it! Send them the post-event release if you have one (it is done, isn’t it??), along with photos and your regrets on the fantastic event they missed out on.
Finally, don’t forget to check in with reporters who sent their regrets about missing the event in advance or never answered at all. Same as the media members who were no-shows, make sure they have all the information. Check to see if there are any outlets who may cover events after the case without having attended as well. Leave no stone unturned when it comes to these follow ups!
Pass Completion (The Coverage!)
Your clients are eagerly awaiting to see what press has come out of this event, so don’t let them down! Make sure in your follow ups with journalists that you have some idea of when articles will be posted online and in print, and when video/audio features will air on TV or radio. Grab those hits immediately and send them to you client. Touchdown!
The Press Conference (Breakdown with Client)
Finally, don’t skip a meeting with your client following the event. Check in with them ASAP to make sure they don’t have any questions or concerns. They are hungry for an update on how you think it went, and if you received any feedback from press. I’ve mentioned this before, but these events can make or break relationships! Make sure to strengthen yours!
Even after you’ve sent your client all the press, it never hurts to complete a post-event wrap report with all the press. Include media impressions, social media gains and feedback from reporters in your report to showcase just how much effort you and your team put into the the event! Then, treat yo’ self to a big glass of red wine, an ice cream sundae or a day off. You deserve it!
One Final Note…
When I first started this series I titled it Surviving (and Loving) Event PR. I stick by that title. It’s not meant to intimidate, but to encourage! Event PR is hard work. It’s stressful and time consuming, but it’s also exhilarating and rewarding! It’s not for everyone, but it’s definitely something every PR professional should try at some point in their career.
What is the best part of event PR? Share your most exciting event memories with us in the comments!
