As a PR pro, you already know that throwing a press event is a brilliant – and efficient – way to get your brand in front of key press and influencers of all kinds.
We’ve learned a thing or two from our years of hosting Roxhill events, so we’re compiling our top tips here.
We also threw out the question to journalists who are on the other side of the invite – what are the best events they’ve ever attended, and what makes a memorable one?
We know from experience that it’s hard to host the perfect press event, but we hope this advice will get you as close as possible – happy hosting!
1. What are your goals?
Before anything else, decide what you want to get out of running your event.
Are you launching a product? Positioning an expert as a credible source? Or simply generating some positive fuzzy feelings?
Once you establish your goals, you’ll know whether the format should be an old-school press day, an insightful Q&A or a bougie dinner.
Make sure the event fits the brand’s overall purpose and the sector of press you’re going after. Think about what you (and your stakeholders or clients) want to achieve and tailor the format to nail the brief.
RoxStar columnist and health editor Claudia Canavan recalls an event where “the format – arrive, grab a drink and mingle, watch a lively panel discussion then back out for more drinks and canapés as music played – was simple and effective.”
Roxhill tip: Relaxed, informal events where everyone is at ease tend to work best. The art of the perfect press event lies in making work feel like play.
2. The early bird catches the VIPs
This tip might be our most important: get your invites out as early as humanly possible.
3. Location, location, location
Where your event is hosted is more important than you might think.
If you’re in a city, then anywhere central and close to great transport links is the ideal (in London, you’ll be hard-pressed to lure top editors outside of Zone 1).
For a dinner, get your ear to the ground and work out where everyone’s trying to get a table. If you can host in a sought-after, buzzy venue, the yesses will flow.
Roxhill tip: If you can swing the budget, offer cars for your gold-tier guests. This almost guarantees their attendance – as long as you plan their pick-up time around traffic.
4. Timing is everything
The rule of thumb is to keep your events short and sweet, and to host them at a time when most people are likely to be available. The best events last two hours and take place mid-week. Avoid the school holidays. Long lunches are not realistic for desk-bound journalists these days.
If it’s an evening event, make sure you’re not clashing with industry awards ceremonies, or other major happenings.
For a traditional press day, open early and close late. This will help you catch journalists who want to come before or after work.
Roxhill tip: Use the Roxhill Forward Planner to find out what else is going on around the time you want to host your event to avoid any conflicts.
5. Who to invite
Being fluid with the guestlist and inviting interesting, brand-aligned guests makes for an evening of lively conversation and may spark ideas amongst your journalist attendees. Once you cement a reputation for hosting relaxed, fun events where conversation flows, the RSVPs for the next one will be guaranteed.
Roxhill tip: Don’t neglect juniors and well-connected freelancers. They’re easier to pin down than the big-hitting editors and are more likely to convert into coverage.
6. And where to seat them
If you’re doing a sit-down meal, one of the toughest event-planning tasks is the seating plan.
Seat strategically – put your most impressive or most fun RSVP next to your most hard-to-please client or stakeholder. Be aware of any inter-journo fighting and be prepared to swap place cards at the last minute.
Roxhill tip: It pays to have a back-up star guest if you have any sudden dropouts.
7. Everyone loves a name tag
If hosting a networking-style event, unfortunately we must insist on name tags.
We know they can be tricky to tack on to guests but they really do help put faces to names, and start conversations, especially in this email-first world.
Roxhill tip: Get nametags with a clip rather than a pin, so you don’t damage people’s clothes.
8. Aesthetics aren't just for influencers
No matter who’s attending, it’s so important to create snap-worthy moments that will be shared far and wide on socials, so a beautiful tablescape, personalised place settings and shareable décor go a long way.
Don’t forget that even if your press guests don’t have thousands of followers, they likely have the right followers, so make your event something they’re excited to post about.
Roxhill tip: Offer visually pleasing, interactive elements that encourage your guests to get involved, snap, and share.
9. Manage expectations
There will always be drop-outs. Over-invite to offset this and consider having a few team members as seat fillers for more formal events.
It also helps to remind clients that 20 journalists at an event does not equal 20 pieces of coverage. Your goals are to foster good relationships, not just secure an instant press splash. A well-organised event gets the right people in front of the brand and builds reputation.
Roxhill tip: Remind your stakeholders in the lead-up that drop-outs are likely to happen and reassure them that you’ve mitigated all disasters with reminder emails, double confirmations and cars for VIPs.
10. Post-event etiquette
Your planning was spot on, your event went off without a hitch, and you finally got a full eight hours of sleep. Now it’s time for the follow-up.
If there was a key journalist that couldn’t make it, don’t blacklist them forever – send them an email as soon as you can with all the key details. If they’re a really important name, you could send along an extra goody bag to really curry favour.
For any other type of event, follow up with a ‘thank you’ promptly and fire over all the details editors might need to cover your client. Don’t leave them wanting for anything. Include bullet points on most-loved products, any key quotes and clear timelines or embargoes.
Roxhill tip: Don’t forget the most important thing: a link to relevant imagery that doesn’t expire!
Roxhill's exclusive events
As a Roxhill client, you'll get access to our in-person and online events with top journalists, so you can start building rewarding media connections.
Roxhill's exclusive events
As a Roxhill client, you'll get access to our in-person and online events with top journalists so you can start building rewarding connections.