September 17, 2014

PR 2.0: Eight steps to help you organize the biggest event for bloggers in your industry

If you aggregate blog visits, they are by far more numerous than visits to the most famous international news outlets. However, there are still very few events dedicated to online influencers, whereas press conferences are extremely frequent.

In recent months, we organized events dedicated to bloggers in various industries. These events enabled us to bring together hundreds of influencers and thus touch their tens of millions of readers and social communities. We decided to share our best practices about PR 2.0.

1. Crawling of mass connectors

Establish an extended list of all online influencers, bloggers, twittos, Instagram users, etc. that can touch your target.

If your target is women aged 30 to 55, this does not mean that the biggest influencers have the same age. You need to look for the conversations with the most views, and analyze what generates them and who shares them most. These people are your mass connectors.

Create a very detailed list. It is important to have a general view of the media landscape, the tone of their articles or posts, as well as their area of influence. There are many useful tools.

2. Choose the location

Your digital influencers usually have a day job. They write out of passion. Pick a location that is easily accessible.

If your target is international but you are aiming at fashion influencers, you very likely host an event in New York. If you want to reach influencers in the technology sector, you may prefer San Francisco. For the launching of I.N.O.X. by Victorinox, the traditional press conference took place in Ibach, Switzerland, while the launching event with bloggers happened in New York City.

Ask yourself the following questions seriously:
– Does the city make sense for my target?
– How far is the event venue from public transportation?
– What is the reputation of the venue? (Check Yelp and previous events)
– What is the Wi-Fi connection?

Don’t forget to give abundant Wi-Fi access to your influencers. Factor in two connections per guest. The issue is not so much speed as the number of IPs.

3. Email Life Cycle

Do not communicate with your influencers without a precise plan. Establish a lifecycle email: email #1, email #2, reminder #1, reminder #2, informational content… Everything must be timed and organized. You have to plan the operation before launching it.

email life cycle TOOL 163105

 

4. Everything must be A/B tested

You will use digital tools that also give a lot of data: you must monitor the opening rate, response rate, and conversation rate of each email you have sent.

The message’s subject line should not generate a debate between 5 or 10 people in a room. Test various subject lines with 10 percent of your mailing list before selecting one for the whole mailing. Do the same with the event description, names, even the buffet’s menu. For the Juvaplus event that launched the , we analyzed which hors-d’oeuvres attracted the most interest. The name of the sender can have an impact on the opening rate, depending if the recipients are men or women.

 5. Storytelling

You must have a story to tell. People who come to meet you want more than just have a good time; they want a story they can tell their audience.

Each detail of your event must include pieces of chunks of information and story bits that you could tell your friends.

For the I.N.O.X. launch, we reworked all the tests for the watch, so that they would be more visual and generate discussion. One of the tests proved that the I.N.O.X was resistant to water and to heat. We staged the watch in a clear glass kettle: the moving clockwork was visible by everybody. See the result.

 

 

Similarly, shock resistance was illustrated at the event with the help of a front-load washing machine: the watch could still be seen through the window, and connected with an object of daily use. A story is easier to tell when it touches us one way or another, of if it is not too technical.

Finally, the most impressive test was done with the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) truck rolling over the watch. The New York City firefighters have a powerful history that could be brought up to generate conversation. Beyond the pressure test, this experiment told the story of the FDNY, the partnership brokered with Victorinox and the values they share (courage, respect, among others).

 

 

For the Teosyal Pen, we decided to host the event at Pershing Hall, an elegant venue with a vegetal wall that invites bloggers to take pictures.

 

 

For the Teosyal Pen, we decided to host the event at Pershing Hall, an elegant venue with a vegetal wall that invites bloggers to take pictures.

 

6. Attitude Eye Level

A blogger event is not a classical PR event. Limit all speeches to 15 minutes total. The goal is to generate conversation, not promotion. For Victorinox, we trained 25 people to speak with influencers so that the guests could speak easily with the brand representatives.

Golden rule: don’t send cryptic messages; work on the PEC (). Speak about personal and real experiences.

 

6. Attitude Eye Level

A blogger event is not a classical PR event. Limit all speeches to 15 minutes total. The goal is to generate conversation, not promotion. For Victorinox, we trained 25 people to speak with influencers so that the guests could speak easily with the brand representatives.

Golden rule: don’t send cryptic messages; work on the PEC (). Speak about personal and real experiences.

 

7. Automate the process

We are in the 21 century. Reminders are not sent with a crew of underpaid interns. Use the tools you have: To register for an event, EventBrite or Amiendo are perfect. To establish a fluid attendance sheet, use their mobile applications on iPads located at the entrance.

For reminders, there are numerous emailing programs: Campaign Monitor or Mailchimp are perfect. To analyze the outcome of your event, use tools that will make your life simpler, such as Talkwalker or Mention.

Finally, don’t forget to aggregate your best content in a .

 8. Integrate your event into a global plan

Your event must be at the heart of a global communications process. The mix of media will generate the most success. Combine your action with amplification methods, for instance. Don’t forget to , and convert interest into action.

Classical media campaigns that take place at the same time are also more efficient.

Read about our case studies: Victorinox and the and Juvaplus with the .

 

7. Automate the process

We are in the 21 century. Reminders are not sent with a crew of underpaid interns. Use the tools you have: To register for an event, EventBrite or Amiendo are perfect. To establish a fluid attendance sheet, use their mobile applications on iPads located at the entrance.

For reminders, there are numerous emailing programs: Campaign Monitor or Mailchimp are perfect. To analyze the outcome of your event, use tools that will make your life simpler, such as Talkwalker or Mention.

Finally, don’t forget to aggregate your best content in a .

 8. Integrate your event into a global plan

Your event must be at the heart of a global communications process. The mix of media will generate the most success. Combine your action with amplification methods, for instance. Don’t forget to , and convert interest into action.

Classical media campaigns that take place at the same time are also more efficient.

Read about our case studies: Victorinox and the and Juvaplus with the .

 

 

Should you wish to organize an event with us, please contact Enigma.

 

Should you wish to organize an event with us, please contact Enigma.

This article has been posted by Olivier Kennedy
on September 17, 2014
in #Other
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