PR for Events

PR for events gets conferences, festivals, launches, galas, networking evenings and live experiences written about in the publications your attendees, exhibitors, partners and speakers read, and makes sure that coverage is what they find when they search the event. An events PR agency finds the story beyond the date and the venue, writes it to the publication's standard and places it where it will move people to attend, take part or come back next time.

This page explains what events PR involves, the stories that work, where we place event clients, how to choose an agency and how the process runs.

Why press works for events

An event has a deadline most businesses do not. Tickets must sell, exhibitors must commit and speakers must agree, all before a fixed date. Every one of those people searches the event before they say yes.

A feature in a recognised publication tells them the event is real, organised and worth their time. For a first-year event, it is often the only outside evidence that exists. For an established one, it keeps the event in the conversation between editions, which is when next year's decisions are made.

Press also extends the life of the event. Coverage before it drives attendance. Coverage after it gives partners and speakers something to share, and gives you material for the next pitch to everyone you want in the room.

What an events PR agency does

• Finds the story. Why the event exists, who it brings together and what will happen there that matters to readers who are not attending.
• Writes it to the publication's standard. A feature that reads like the title it appears in, not an agenda.
• Places it. Matching the story to city, business, culture and entertainment publications whose readers fit your audience, and managing the process through to a live link.
• Times it. The announcement, the line-up reveal, the run-up, the event itself and the follow-up.
• Builds your search results. Several features across different titles, so a search for the event or the organiser shows substance rather than a ticket page.

The stories that work for events

• The why. What gap the event fills and who it brings together that would otherwise never meet.
• The people. Founders, organisers, speakers and performers with a view worth reading.
• The theme. The idea or industry question the event is built around, written as an argument rather than a programme.
• The place. How a venue or a city shapes the event, and what the event brings back to it.
• What happened. A considered piece after the event on what was said, decided or launched.

Conferences, trade shows, festivals, brand launches, networking events, fashion shows and influencer events each need a different angle. A professional conference wants business coverage that reaches decision makers. A festival or brand launch wants culture and lifestyle titles that reach the crowd.

Where we place event clients

We work across city, business, culture and entertainment publications whose readers include attendees, partners and the industries events serve, including MSN, Digital Journal, NY Weekly, LA Wire, Miami Wire, Dubai Weekly, Influencer Daily and Entertainment Post.

City titles reach local attendees. Business titles reach exhibitors and partners for trade and industry events. Entertainment and culture titles suit festivals and launches. For events in particular cities, such as London, New York or Dubai, our pages on PR by location explain how regional coverage works. We tell you where we are pitching and why before anything is written.

How to choose an events PR agency

Ask every agency the same questions, and judge the answers:

• Which publications, specifically? You should hear names that reach your attendees, not just famous mastheads.
• Can you work to my event timeline? Placement takes weeks rather than days. A good agency plans backwards from the date.
• Who writes the piece? You want a writer who can make an event sound worth going to without reading like a ticket listing.
• Do I approve everything before it goes live? The answer should be yes, every time.
• What are you promising? Be careful with guarantees at staff-written titles. Our guide on whether guaranteed PR is legit explains what to check.

What events PR costs

It depends on the publications, the number of features and how long the campaign runs around the event. We quote each event individually rather than selling a fixed package. For a clear picture of how agencies charge, see how much a PR agency costs.

How it works

Share your event, the date and the people you need in the room. We develop the angle, write the piece to the publication's standard and manage the placement. You review and revise until it is right, and nothing publishes without your approval.

The event date does not move, so the earlier the work starts the more of the campaign it can shape. Once coverage is live, use it in your ticketing pages, partner decks and speaker invitations.

Frequently asked questions

What does an events PR agency do?

It finds the story in your event, writes it to the standard of the publication, places it where attendees, exhibitors and partners will read it and times coverage around the announcement, the run-up and the follow-up.

When should PR for an event start?

Well before tickets need to sell. Coverage takes weeks rather than days to go live, and the people you want to attend are often deciding long before the date.

What are some good PR ideas for events?

A feature on why the event exists, a profile of the organiser or a headline speaker, a piece on the question the event sets out to answer, and a follow-up on what came out of it. Each gives a publication a story rather than an announcement.