Calling all event planners, and Publicity Hounds who are charged with generating publicity for a special event. Start paying attention to the TV news shows in your community that are sometimes desperate for guests
It can mean the difference between no pre-event coverage and tons of it. One of the best places to look is the weekend news shows at your local TV stations.
On Sunday morning, I caught the tail-end of an interview on a Milwaukee TV news show with somebody who was promoting the Kettle Moraine Jazz Festival in West Bend, Wisconsin, about a half hour from where I live.
The in-studio guest was talking up the event, and I immediately paid attention because the jazz festival is the highlight of our summer. We’ve attended the last several years and we’ll be there again this weekend.
Last week, I noticed several email messages from the festival organizers, which gave me the impression they were still trying to get rid of tickets for what’s usually a sold-out event. I wouldn’t be surprised if the PR people called the TV station and asked for an interview. Smart. (See “How to Get on the Local TV News Tomorrow.”)
Saturday and Sunday mornings are perfect times for this kind of publicity. People like me, who seldom have time to catch the 10 o’clock TV news during the week, often tune in on the weekends, when life is just a little bit slower. If you have video from last year’s event, offer it. That makes the story more enticing. (See “How to Make a Fortune Using Video Even if You Don’t Have a Computer.”)
If you want other ideas on how to generate publicity before, during and after an event, see “How to Plan & Promote Sizzling Special Events.”