Business, Events, Trade Show
Press releases (also know as, press statement, news release or media release) are a great tool to increase awareness of your event and your brand. Writing a release can seem daunting. I remember writing my first few and agonizing over the wording and formatting.
Your release has the two goals of grabbing attention and giving information in a clear and concise way. This is not a time to over exagerate or use flowery language. You want people to know about and attend your event and to trust you for future events.
Here are the simple steps that I follow for writing an event press release.
Parts of a Press Release
- Headline
- This is one sentence that you use to grab your readers attention. This will also be the subject line of the emails that you send out.
- Dateline
- Lead Paragraph
- What is the event and why does the press care. You need to give them a reason to attend.
- Body
- This is one or two paragraphs that go into greater detail. Who will be attending, why you are hosting the event etc.
- Company Information
- This is a generic about us paragraph that your company will use on press releases.
- Contact Person
- Provide who the press should reach out to for more information.
- Ending
- It is standard practice that you end the press release with “ ### “. The three pound signs let your reader know that the release is finished.
Perfecting the Release
The format of the press release is very formulaic. Use the formula. This allows the press to see what you are about very quickly. So how to you stand out?
Here are some tips.
- Give them a good story (but keep it true).
- Use the third person, active voice.
- Keep it to one page 300- 500 words.
- Don’t make them hunt down vital facts.
The last point is my biggest tip. Some people will tell you to not give everything away – I say the opposite. Give the press everything. Let them know about the amazing event that you are hosting. One caveat to this; if you have a surprise guest, do not put that in the press release. If it is in the release the press can let the public know the details.
Submitting Your Master Piece
Most newspapers and TV stations have an email address or a portal for submissions. You do not want to add your press release as an attachment (in fact don’t add any attachments). The release is the body of your email.
If you are going to be submitting more than once a year, create a list of the TV, Newspaper, and Radio stations in your area and where you need to submit you information. This will keep your submission release down significantly.
I submit my press release twice. Two weeks ahead of the event and then the day before. This gives the press time to put your event on their calendar and then reminds them.
A last note, be ready for the press to not show up. Most of the events a small business will host will fall below the murder and meyham that makes up most of the news. Plan for them to be there but don’t hold up your agenda if they don’t show.
Business, Holiday
Having a side hustle is very common now. I know dozens of people that are working their 40 hours a week job and then they go home to work on their side job. It is a lot to do and while it is fairly easy to take a break from a “normal” job – what about taking a break from your side hustle? How do you take a break when you are the person that does everything?
It is possible and it is needed. Taking time off allows you to recharge and come back refreshed. The plan for taking time off is also a great way to plan for emergencies. Here is how to take the time you need.
Plan it out.
Personally, each “work” day I want to take off, I start planning that many weeks out. So, if i am taking 4 work days off, you plan 4 weeks out. I had planned to take a 3 week international trip that would have been happening now but due to travel restrictions and the COVID-19 crisis the trip was canceled. I had been planning content and other items at least two months in advance with my customers having known for a year.
Front Load All Work
Have all social media, blog posts & other work done and scheduled out. There are dozens of scheduling apps you can use. I like to schedule things at least a month in advance during normal times. I will also schedule at least two weeks after vacation. This allows me to come back, breath and then dive back into everything.
Have a Backup Person
If you are wanting to completely disconnect and not check anything while on vacation – something I highly recommend for at least 3-4 days a year – but are worried about what you will miss you can hire someone to help you. Virtual Assistants (VA’s) are a great hire for this. You can give them a playbook and your emergency contact if things spiral too out of control. They can watch your emails and social media for you. Hiring a VA for the duration of your vacation allows you to relax and be in the moment. Your traveling companions will thank you.
You need to take time to disconnect. The break will help you recharge and come back to attack your business with renewed enthusiasm. Where is your next vacation?
Business, Events, Holiday
Hosting events outside of your cultural norm can be difficult. If you do it wrong, people will drag you through social media and scream about cultural appropriation. But as the world becomes evermore multi-cultural, hosting cultural events is a great way to get your business name into new communities and expand your own horizons.
So how do you host these events? Here are my tips.
Find a cultural expert
Find someone in the cultural community that you are wanting to host and bring them in as a co-host or sponsor. Run your ideas and planning strategy by them. Ask them for food and decoration recommendations. And listen to them. They are your life line, don’t throw it away.
Be Genuine
People see right through a marketing or sales gimmick. Do not throw these events just to get some quick sales. You need to be ready to start and create lasting relationships with the people you are inviting. This is a long term play, not a short term gain.
Share the Experience
Do not invite just one subset of people. Include your entire customer list if possible in these events. Help promote the community you are trying to reach to your current customers. Ask your expert to provide some educational materials or speakers for those who do not know what the Holiday is all about.
These events are a great way to expand your network and your brands reach but they need to be done correctly. Do not pander, do not host these events just to make a quick buck. Host these events to learn and build lasting relationships for your business.
Questions to Ask of your Cultural Expert
- What dates should we plan around or avoid?
- What colors should be used and avoided in the invite and decorations?
- What images should be used in the printed materials?
- What kind of decorations should we have?
- Who should we use for catering?
- Should we make this family friendly or a business mixer?
- Who else should we partner with?
Business, Events, Non-Profit
I have been very lucky in the last six months to enjoy some amazing experiences. It wasn’t the entertainment or the food that made them amazing. It was the service. It was how all the guests were made to feel special and the consistency of that feeling.
You can give your event or trade show attendees the same feeling as an all inclusive resort with these tips.
Ask for and use your attendee names.
People love to hear their name. You can give your event a high end feel with this simple thing. Have your servers ask for people’s names and then write them down. Each time they go to ask if they would like another drink or something else they can glance at the diagram to remember the names. Trade shows you can use people’s name badges as triggers. Personalization will make you and your event stand out.
Eliminate the wait where ever possible.
People do not want to wait in long lines for registration or any other part of your event. Streamline your registration process with technology. Get your guests into the event they are there to enjoy as soon as you can. The bar is the one exception to this but anything more than a 7-10 minute wait is too long.
Be consistent.
You need to put thought into every aspect that your attendees will come in contact with. From the entrance to the exit, have a consistent feel and service. One wrong move at the end of an event can leave attendees with a bad taste in their mouth and an overall bad impressions.
One glaring example I find at events is that the main ballroom is beautifully decorated and the bathrooms are a mess. A simple flower arrangement and some additional lighting can make a huge difference is almost every room.
Remember that service is not what you do for a person but how you make them feel. Great customer service is focused on making your attendees feel like they are the most important people in the room.
Business, Events, Non-Profit
Volunteering for nonprofits is fulfilling and fun. I love helping and seeing the impact that I make. I have helped many nonprofits with their benefit events and over the years (many, many years) have created a way to streamline one of the most tedious parts of the events – the planning meetings.
I have been in many meetings that devolve into gossip, this is how we have always done things, and getting nothing done. Bad meetings waste time and demoralize your volunteers. Here are my tips to run an effective meeting.
Have an agenda.
I know this sounds rudimentary but so many people do not take the time to put together an agenda for their meetings. I also add check boxes next to the topics so people can check off what we have talked about. You are also able to keep people on topic by pointing out that you will cover that idea later in the meeting. If you are on a time crunch, put times next to each topic and move on when you hit your time.
This requires a leader that is willing to keep people in line and volunteers who are willing to subvert themselves for the greater cause. If you have a lot of leaders, rotate who leads the meeting and continuously point out that you have not gathered for you but for the cause. This can help curb hurt feelings and power mongering.
Set a Time Limit
A good meeting time frame is 1.5 hours. First 5 minutes is introducing new members to the group and the last 10-15 minutes is going over the tasks that everyone has been given and ensuring all are on the same page. How you carve up the rest will determine at what stage you are in your event planning.
A trick that an organization used in college was 3 pros and 3 cons. When discussing a motion or vote, the group as a whole was only able to voice 3 pros and 3 cons. People become more thoughtful and recognize that they cannot speak just to have their voice heard. It helped us cut meetings almost in half.
Host meetings at a neutral location
There are plenty of co-work spaces, libraries, and office buildings with open conference rooms that you can book and use for free or a nominal fee. Having your meetings at a neutral location keeps people from stressing over cleaning their homes, allows all parties to leave when needed, and keeps the subtle power plays to a minimum. You can often bring in water and snacks to hold people over as you chat.
If you know of a semi-quite restaurant that is willing to host you, this allows people to order food and drinks as they want. Stay away from the major holidays and most restaurants are very happy to have a low-key group of people come in.
Have a scribe for the meetings
A lot is said and a lot of ideas are thrown around, having someone take notes is a huge help. You can vote on positions or you can rotate them around. The scribe owns the last 10-15 minutes of the meeting to do a quick refresh of what tasks were handed out and when they need to get done. These notes are put into a master calendar that tracks the task, the owner, the due date, and the progress. This helps keep everyone accountable and allows the event to move forward at a good pace.
I know that with these tips you can keep volunteer frustration down, engagement up, and money rolling into your nonprofit event.
Business, Events, Non-Profit, Trade Show
Print media is not dead. It is alive and well and when done correctly it will help push your business and events forward. People love receiving a good piece of mail – especially if it is hand addressed. Print allows you to leave a more lasting impression than a social media post. But who you print with is almost as important as what you print.
Here are the 5 questions to ask to choose the right printer for each job.
Do I need help designing the print product?
Most printers have an in-house design team that will help you create your masterpiece. If I am needing help from start to finish, I will pick a local company because I want someone that I can meet with through the process. Most online companies do have a design service but there is something about a face to face that I prefer. The other thing that I consider is if the designer will charge me for the project or by the hour. I prefer the designers that will work with me through a project price rather than a per hour price.
Can they do the print job?
I love my print department at the local Office Depot but they have some serious in house limitations. If I need a complicated job done, I will pick one of the specialized local print shops. If I need a job fast, I will choose Office Depot. If I need business cards, I will often use one of the popular card printing companies. Each company has a set of skills and expertise that you need to take into your decision.
Do I want someone local?
I prefer to work with local small businesses. I want the relationship with the owner or my rep. Being able to pick up at the last moment is a huge plus as well. The local printer can also become a referral source for your business. 90% of the time I go with the local printer for large jobs. Going local cuts down on shipping costs and if something is wrong, you can go in and talk to them. A fun plus is that they will often give you a tour of their facility.
Do they fit my budget?
Small businesses run on margins, sometimes it is cost effective to go with the big national shops because they can spread their costs out over multiple customers. Make sure you have a budget in mind and you are upfront with the designers and printers. You cannot have gold foil embossing, special cuts and folds, and more on a minimal budget. The right printer will help you to put together the print material that will fit your budget and help you reach your goal.
Do I like who I am dealing with?
You want to have a good relationship with your rep at the print shop – whoever that is. Having someone to call and bounce ideas off of, ask for quick quotes, or call for an emergency can be crucial for your business. You want to trust that if something goes wrong, they are there to help you fix it. This is the most important item for me. I will only do business with those who I trust.
Printing is still a huge part of small business. Know your goal and the outcome you want for the print piece and your print shop will help you to get there.
