Event planning is an integral part to Public Relations. It is a powerful tool but can sometimes be overlooked. As a PR professional it is your job to plan events to promote your organization and complete any objectives your company may have. But don’t take the task lightly.
When your company decides to hold an event you need to get on the ball early. There is a lot that goes into the process. You need to set dates, decide on a location, determine the objectives, figure who the target audience, coordinate personnel, develop a contingency plan and lay out a budget, among other things.
Any event that hopes to complete a worthy objective need to start being planned at least 12-6 months in advance. Any less time than that could prove to be disastrous. It also need to follow a set theme. You don’t want to have a invitations that look as if the event will be a Hawaiian luau but is actually a black tie event. Even something as minuscule as how many toilets you will need to have should to be thought of.
All of these ideas may seem like they should be common sense but they truly are not. With all of the aspects the PR practitioner has to consider, it can be easy to overlook small but essential components.
The best idea a Public Relations professional can implement is the use of a planning grid. With a planning grid it is easy to outline what objectives and goals you are trying to reach with the event. It is easier to layout all of the components of the event and is simple to quickly read. The planning grid will also help the Public Relations practitioner to explain to the people on their team what their responsibilities and duties are.
So the next time your organization decides to host an event make sure to give yourself plenty of time and to consider every aspect, no matter how large or minuscule it may be.