NYC Event PR, what do we look for?
October 4, 2013 8:28 AM Subscribe
We need Event PR. So... where do I start and how do I tell if they're a decent firm?
So my company is holding a Grand Event and my boss wants it huge. His dream is for it to be in all the nyc press, all over the internet and be filled to the brim with influencer-guests.
No one in-house has any experience with making that sort of thing happen. So- PR firm.
What should we be looking for? What can we expect to pay? What should we expect to get for our money? Should they be able to guarantee specifics, like who they'll get to show up or which media outlets they'll get us into?
Heck- anyone have any recommendations?
So my company is holding a Grand Event and my boss wants it huge. His dream is for it to be in all the nyc press, all over the internet and be filled to the brim with influencer-guests.
No one in-house has any experience with making that sort of thing happen. So- PR firm.
What should we be looking for? What can we expect to pay? What should we expect to get for our money? Should they be able to guarantee specifics, like who they'll get to show up or which media outlets they'll get us into?
Heck- anyone have any recommendations?
As with everything having to do with NYC, a lot of your options are going to be driven by the cash available to throw at it. Meaning, a PR budget from the low thousands to $100,000 or more, depending on the scope of the project you are thinking of.
Generally, the best way to do this is to write down a list of all the deliverables you want the PR firm to be responsible for. Make sure your boss reviews this list. Add whatever he thinks is missing.
Then start calling up PR firms and get quotes. That will give you an idea of how realistic your budget is, and whether you need to curtail some of your expectations/deliverables.
Depending on the nature of the event in question, you may need, in addition to traditional PR, social media-savvy people.
posted by dfriedman at 9:11 AM on October 4, 2013
Generally, the best way to do this is to write down a list of all the deliverables you want the PR firm to be responsible for. Make sure your boss reviews this list. Add whatever he thinks is missing.
Then start calling up PR firms and get quotes. That will give you an idea of how realistic your budget is, and whether you need to curtail some of your expectations/deliverables.
Depending on the nature of the event in question, you may need, in addition to traditional PR, social media-savvy people.
posted by dfriedman at 9:11 AM on October 4, 2013
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How much they charge will depend on the event. What the firm will base their rate on will be: How much does the event cost? Is it a $150/plate gala with 100 invited guests or a $20 dance party in a museum which needs to sell 800 tickets to millennials? Guess which one will cost more? That's right, the latter.
How much they charge will also depend on what you want them to do. Just PR is baseline, reaching out to press, creating contests, partnering with cool media folks to create social content. Do you want production assistance? An advertising campaign? Booking help? All those can happen too but cost more. Finally what's the goal? Are you trying to make the event that you're holding anyway seem cooler, generate more buzz? Or are you more worried that nobody will show up and you'll lose a ton of money? For the former, you can probably do it with just a consultant fee and some light involvement. If the latter, give over the keys (and the wallet) and let the professionals drive.
My suggestion to reach out to my good friends and former employer at BrightestYoungThings.com who have an event PR and production department (if that's the kind of audience you're hoping to reach).
posted by Potomac Avenue at 8:50 AM on October 4, 2013