This document provides an overview of public relations and event planning. It discusses key public relations concepts like defining PR, identifying publics, the history of PR, and the importance of media relations. It also outlines the typical process for planning a PR event, including developing a brief, situation analysis, reaching out to media, and writing a press release. The document uses the example of planning a launch event for a new hotel wing to illustrate how to apply these PR strategies and tactics.

1. Public Relations
Martin Turner
Communications Consultant
Events Specialist

2. Learning Objectives continued…..
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Understand how the media are involved in events.
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Distinguish the difference between external & internal
PR.
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Identify the steps in selecting an external PR resource.
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Understand a PR situation analysis.
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Recognise a journalist’s requirements.
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Appreciate what is needed to write a press release.
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Complete reflection exercises.
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Work on an event brief exercise offline and submit!
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3. What is PR?
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Basic definition of Public Relations is to shape and
maintain the image of a company, organization or
individual in the eyes of the client's various “Publics”.
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Closely monitoring numerous media channels for public
comment about a company and its products.
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Managing crises that threaten company or product
image.
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Building goodwill among an organization’s target market
through community, philanthropic and special programs
and EVENTS.

4. Who are the Publics and what is Relations?

Publics
Anyone who speaks about you and your organisation.
Anyone buys your product.
Anyone who influences others – MEDIA.
Potential new clients.
Your industry peer group – what’s your street cred?!

Relations
Building a favourable image by publicizing the
organization or product through stories in print and
broadcast media or via EVENTS.
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5. Who are the Publics?
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6. Example of your PR – FACEBOOK
Reflection Exercise _ 5 – 10 Minutes
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Do you understand that Facebook is your own PR vehicle?
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Who is your Public? Or Publics? Your audience?
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What does your Facebook page and postings say about you?
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How often do you post messages to your audience?
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How do you think the tone of your messages effect your audience?
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What do you think is bad PR on Facebook?
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What mechanisms on Facebook can you use to stay in touch?
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What function can you use to organise an event, and have you ever
used it?
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How often do you add to or review your database?
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What is your relationship like with your database?

7. How is PR used?
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8. Lets talk about how PR is used!
Reflection Exercise _ 5 – 10 Minutes
Write down how you think all the words in the word map are related to Public
Relations.
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9. History of PR
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Billy Flynn in CHICAGO,
“I don't mean to toot my own horn (Public Relations),
but if Jesus Christ lived in Chicago today, and he had
come to me and he had five thousand dollars, let's just
say things would have turned out differently”
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Lawyer, Spin Doctor, Public Relations guru….through his
relationship with the MEDIA, he got two murderesses out
of jail!
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10. History of PR
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Public relations arrived with the development of mass media. At the turn of
the 20th century, "muckraking" journalists were stirring up public dissent
against the powerful monopolies and wealthy industrialists who ruled the
day. Early public relations firms combated the bad press by placing positive
stories about their clients in newspapers.
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Former journalists, such as Ivy Lee, used the first press releases to feed
newspapers "the facts" about his misunderstood clients, namely the railroad
and tobacco industries, and J.D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil.
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Lee and company became so good at whitewashing even the darkest
corporate sins that PR professionals earned a reputation as "spin doctors.“
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Much time has passed since the days of Ivy Lee, and to label today's PR
professionals as dishonest would be to ignore how pervasive and important
their work has become to people and organizations of all shapes and sizes
-- small businesses, authors and charities not just big business and big
government. In the age of media PR is a POWERFUL tool.
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11. The PR Plan – EXAMPLE
NEW CLIENT:
Le Bristol Hotel, Paris. (Luxury hotel)
QUESTIONS:
Why would they have selected us to represent them?
ANSWERS:
Knowledge, expertise, client base, media contacts,
Creativity, exceptional EVENTS, right image and fit
for their image.
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12. Street PR
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13. Product Placement
Reflection Exercise _ 5 – 10 Minutes
Write down the movie name, then underneath write the products or
destinations that were featured.
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14. Unique Selling Points – What’s the Story?
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15. event journey
1. Strategic Planning
Pitching
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Invitation to pitch
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Receive Brief
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Interpret Brief – Objectives & Mission Statement
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Develop Pitch
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Deliver Pitch 2. Operational Planning
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Win Event Development
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Invitation to pitch
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Receive Brief
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Interpret Brief – Objectives & Mission Statement
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Develop Pitch
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Deliver Pitch
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Win
3. Operational Planning
Delivery & Implementation 4. Operational Planning
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On the Event Day Post Event
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Invitation to pitch
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Receive Brief
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Interpret Brief – Objectives & Mission Statement
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Develop Pitch
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Deliver Pitch
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Win

16. The PR Plan
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Press release.
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Your website & your sales team.
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Press trip – travel journalists.
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Top Executive Assistants lunch EVENT.
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Top agents trip EVENT.
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An evening at Le Bristol EVENT in London.
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Le Bristol brochures, give aways EVENT.
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A win a weekend prize EVENT.
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Social media – BLOG, newsletter, Facebook.
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How to reach HNW club members – Urbanology.
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17. Reaching the MEDIA!
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Radio – special travel segment.
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Paris or France special features coming up.
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Give the journalists “A STORY”.
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Provide usable “copy”.
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A library of high resolution images.
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Special deals, promotions, exciting events MUST be
communicated immediately to journalists.
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What is your target audience and where should you
appear? 5 star luxury hotel…..Time Out? Or How to
Spend it – Financial Times supplement?
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18. Press, Radio & Media Outlets
YOU NEED A DATABASE OF
CONTACTS ACROSS ALL MEDIA – HOW?
PR companies own database, or Cision’s media database includes
more than 1.5 million media contacts, ranging from journalists and
editors to freelancers, bloggers and other influencers, as well as
publications, news desks and editorial opportunities.
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Essential to build a database that is specific to the industry or
product that you do PR for.
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Many PR agencies specialise – WHY?
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Journalists, editors, bloggers and other influencers are the
connectors of the world. They can shine a spotlight on your story
and turn it into global news. And they are all right here: their names
and backgrounds, pet hates, pitching preferences – all the
information you need.
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19. Principles of GOOD PR
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Good PR is telling the client what they need to hear
instead of what they want to hear.
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Good PR recognizes that the best “PR strategy” needs
to be followed-up with the client’s good products/services
or else it’s all a vain and wasted effort that harms
everyone’s reputation.
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Good PR means a GOOD EVENT.
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Good PR helps build and sustains a steady stream of
relevant communication to both “media” and
“consumers.”
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20. Principles of GOOD PR continued
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Good PR is proactive in idea generation and responsive
in a crisis.
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Good PR finds the balance.
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Good PR leverages pre-existing relationships with
influential people — relationships built on trust and
credibility earned over years of service.
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21. END OF FIRST PART OF PR LESSON
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22. THE BRIEF
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Details in your course materials.
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Launch event for the new wing Le Bristol Hotel.
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Takes place in London.
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Budget is unlimited.
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Audience is luxury market.
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Showcasing the hotel but also the destination.
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Guests should feel like they are in Paris.
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Don’t worry if you have not been to Paris…RESEARCH
on the internet. Event Managers have to do this all the
time.
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23. PARIS
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24. Unique Selling Points – What’s the Story?
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25. event journey
1. Winning the business!
Pitching
•
Invitation to pitch
•
Receive Brief
•
Interpret Brief – Objectives & Mission Statement
•
Develop Pitch
•
Deliver Pitch 2. Operational Planning
•
Win Event Development
•
Invitation to pitch
•
Receive Brief
•
Interpret Brief – Objectives & Mission Statement
•
Develop Pitch
•
Deliver Pitch
•
Win
3. Operational Planning
Delivery & Implementation 4. Operational Planning
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On the Event Day Post Event
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Invitation to pitch
•
Receive Brief
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Interpret Brief – Objectives & Mission Statement
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Develop Pitch
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Deliver Pitch
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Win

26. Internal PR vs External PR
INTERNAL
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Company news, new product launch (EVENT), how you
are perceived as a company outside, internal
communications team.
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27. Internal PR vs External PR continued
EXTERNAL example: See [links] below to experience external PR to
potential new employees interested in careers
at Credit Suisse.
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28. Who is the right PR agency?
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Investing in a PR agency to promote and maintain your
image with the various publics, and drive
business….requires careful selection:
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Is the PR agency well known in your field?
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What is their relationship with all media outlets?
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What is their client database like?
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Who else do they represent? Any conflicts?
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What are their team like?
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What are their events like?
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29. Example of questions from a client
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Which adjectives would you use to describe our group of hotels?
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Do you feel you know our brand stands for – and if so, please can
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you describe?
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Which destinations do you associate with our hotels?
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Which specific hotels in our group are you aware of?
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Do you associate our brand with hotels only or are you aware of any
other parts of the group or sub brands – and if so which?
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Do you associate any particular celebrities or well known individuals
with our hotels?and if so, whom?
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Have you stayed at any of our hotels/put business there or written
about them and if so which ones?
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If you have stayed at any of our hotels, what are your over-riding
memories of the experience?
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30. Example of questions from a client
continued
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Are you aware of any unique selling points or benefits that our hotels may
offer over and above other luxury hotel groups – and if so what are these?
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Are you aware of our hotel recognition and awards/loyalty scheme and if so
what do you know about it? And how to you rate it over and above other
luxury hotel groups?
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Do you know the names of any key executives working for our hotel group
and if so which?
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Do you have any opinion regarding our hotel group’s digital/social media
activity and, if so, please kindly share your thoughts.
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Can you name the three London luxury hotel properties and what are your
thoughts regarding these, in particular taking account of the competition in
London.
Can you see WHY as a PR agency you MUST know
your client well?
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31. PR Situation Analysis
WHY DOES THE CLIENT NEED PR?
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Singular Product Launch EVENT?
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Raise awareness of company or product?
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Maintain the image or reputation of company or product?
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A response to a crisis or negative opinion?
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Re-establishing credibility or market presence?
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You need the facts and research to respond effectively
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Will your EVENT address the PR needs accurately and
precisely with long term benefits?
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32. event journey
1. Strategic Planning
Pitching
•
Invitation to pitch
•
Receive Brief
•
Interpret Brief – Objectives & Mission Statement
•
Develop Pitch
•
Deliver Pitch 2. Operational Planning
•
Win Event Development
•
Invitation to pitch
•
Receive Brief
•
Interpret Brief – Objectives & Mission Statement
•
Develop Pitch
•
Deliver Pitch
•
Win
3. Operational Planning
Delivery & Implementation 4. Operational Planning
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On the Event Day Post Event
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Invitation to pitch
•
Receive Brief
•
Interpret Brief – Objectives & Mission Statement
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Develop Pitch
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Deliver Pitch
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Win

33. What does the Journalist want?
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They want information FIRST and BEFORE.
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Give them facts and details they can work with.
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Give them images that tell the story.
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Know how they like to be approached.
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Don’t annoy them!
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Make them feel exclusive.
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Get the EVENT invite to them early!
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Know how they like to received information.
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Email subject title ESSENTIAL!
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34. A good press release
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35. END OF LESSON
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