need to maintain the research effort continuously, to detect chang-
ing attitudes and to remain current in meeting and fulfilling them.
You need not be a public relations professional to practice ef-
fective public relations. A media release, feature article, or simple
phone call to the editor of a trade publication can result in in-
valuable publicity for your event. Most industry publications and
newspapers welcome these materials, which they use as “fillers,”
but which appear as news articles. That insert will build the cred-
ibility of not only your event, but also your organization. And
it’s free!
The information you provide to a news source must be
“slanted,” however, to reflect a news style rather than an adver-
tising tone. For example, if you approach a publication with the
fact that you are holding an industry conference, you will proba-
bly be told to “buy an ad.” But if your message is that major new
economic and legislative initiatives will be developed during your
general session, the results of which may change the direction of
the industry, your chances of getting “ink” are much greater. You
may be asked to submit an article or provide more details.
You may also find a reporter in the general session to write a
follow-up article or editorial covering the proceedings.
There is an old—somewhat cynical—saying: “I don’t care what
you say about me; just spell my name right.” This urges caution.
You must care what people say, and your message to the public
must be carefully crafted to reflect the character and strategy of
your event.
The effective event marketer will seize on every opportunity to
plant the seeds of credibility and positive response. For example,
the American Society of Association Executives stages a commu-
nity project as an ancillary activity during its convention. Wher-
ever the association convenes, volunteer attendees are enlisted to
go into the community; grab paint cans, hammers and nails, rakes
and brooms; and rehabilitate a playground or a building. Not only
is this attractive to local newspapers and television and radio sta-
tions, pictures and stories of this goodwill effort appear through-
out professional journals. The positive results are priceless. There-
fore, the convention itself becomes a platform for expanded
credibility, goodwill, publicity, and far-reaching recognition of the
association.
Can one put a dollar value on public relations? Perhaps one
can, although placing a definitive value on the results may be
The Five Ps of Event Marketing 17