How to Organize a Public Event

How to Organize a Public Event

Getting started.

The ability to organize special events can place you in good standing, not only at work but in other aspects of your life. In fact, if you are good at event planning you will soon need to employ that all important word, No, as you turn down requests.

The first step is to have the answers to the following:

What, what are you organizing; know exactly what the event is.

Why, why are you doing this event, fundraising, workshop, guest lecturer, celebration, why?

Who do you want to attend?

Where will the event be held?

When will it be held? Be sure to include time.

How will you let people know the event is taking place?

Now that you have a clear and complete understanding of the who, what, when, where, why and how of the event you are ready to begin, well almost.

A few tips:

Be sure to allow sufficient lead time: email allows us to share information fast but just because you can spread the word quickly does not mean you can make a real world event happen that fast.

If you want a few people to get together for a beer at your favorite pub, a text message can get the job, but if you want 100 people to show up at a local community centre for a film and discussion night with an out of town speaker, you may want a somewhat longer lead time.

One reason is you need to book space and it is always possible that the night you really want is taken so you may need to find an alternative venue. Get this sorted out first.

Book the room as soon as you have answered the six questions and make it for at least eight weeks from that date. This gives you time to get the word out. Now the bigger and more important the event is the longer lead time you will need.

A potluck with friends can be set up within a week or two, a community meeting about starting a community garden, six weeks minimum, a 100 dollar a plate dinner four months is cutting it close.

Okay now you are ready to rock; you know what you are doing and so on so what resources do you need to make it happen?

Do you need to book a room?

Are you serving food?

Are you serving alcohol?

Will there be live music?

Do you need a master of ceremonies?

How will waste be handled?

What will you do with food that is not eaten?

How are you planning to promote the event?

Are you selling tickets or is admission free?

Child care is that a concern?

What if it rains and the event is outdoors?

The office Christmas party will need little promotion outside the company, your potluck with a few friend no problem but the guest speaker and video night demands more.

If you are planning a major social event, you most likely have a budget and a committee to help the event unfold but if you are doing this voluntarily for your local horticultural society the budget may be thin. So how do you run an effective promotional campaign on a very tiny budget? This brings us back to lead time; a long lead time allows that wonderful free advertising technique to work, word of mouth: people telling other people about the event.

Email can be a big help and if you have an email list put it to work

Promotion

Now that you understand the basics and know what it is you are organizing it is time to give some thought as to how you are going to get an audience.

The Christmas office party is no problem, you have a built in audience who are easy to reach, just be sure to let people know six weeks in advance and all should be fine.

However, if you have a guest speaker coming who will show a short film on climate change, hold a discussion and you want the general public to attend then you need promotion.

You can make some posters, easy enough to do but unless you know a good location to put them up, don't bother. If you have places to hang posters do so, some local businesses will  let you use a window or door space if the event is a community one.

Keep the poster simple; be sure the date, time and place are visible.

One problem you may have is giving out a contact number for those who seek more information.

Do not use your personal phone.

If there is no available phone line, get a free email and use that for contact purposes.

There are two tools that can draw attention to the evening; one is the media or press release, the other is the public service announcement or psa.

The media release is a one pager that informs the local media what is taking place and why it is newsworthy. They may run the release as is; they may send a reporter for a photo op and/or story, they may call or email for more information, or they may ignore the whole thing.

If you want their attention; send the release one week before the event and follow up with a phone call the day before.

The psa  is a free announcement that TV, radio and newspapers offer to community organizations. It is short and gives the basics, date, time, place and what's happening.

If your event is free your odds of having the psa run are higher; it is okay to have a donation box at the door.

Tell everyone you know about the event, after all if your are putting it on, it should be something you are excited about and want to share.

How to Write a Press Release

How to Write a Press Release

Writing a press release is, not too different from writing any other document. We are going to discuss the content of your press release and how it should be formatted. Certain rules must be followed to ensure that you are including all the necessary information.

In addition, it must be laid out in a manner that will not negatively affect the reader's interpretation.

Press Release Topic?

What is my story?

In order to write a press release, you must determine the subject of your story. It can be about an event that affects your industry, or it can be about a change in your company that will affect your customer base. Whatever you choose to be your story, you must remember to cover the basics. Your press release must always tell who, what, where, when, and why.

Is my story news?

A mistake that is often made in the development of a press release is the misunderstanding that a press release is an advertisement. It must be understood that, even though a press release can assist your company in acquiring customers, it should not be your focus. The primary purpose of your press release is to deliver a newsworthy story about your company to the reader.

Writing a Press Release

Once you have answered the important questions, it is time to begin writing. Like any other paper, you should always start off with your thesis. Your thesis is the purpose for why you are writing the press release. Make sure that you express this thought in a manner that is of interest to your prospective reader. Readers are very picky; if they do not see relevance in your press release immediately, they will discard it.

The layout for your press release:

First, open with a strong headline to grab the reader's attention. The headline along with your opening paragraph should tell a gripping story. This is essential to keeping the reader's interest as they read through the detail section of the release that follows.

Second, stick to the facts. Make it interesting, but avoid embellishments. Also, when giving the details of your press release, be sure to illustrate the story to your reader. Use real life examples that they will be able to relate to or visualize.

Next, select an appropriate angle for your press release. By this I mean, try to make it relevant. Keep in mind what's going on with social issues and current events and sculpt your press release accordingly. This will make your story even more attractive and worthwhile to potential readers.

Finally, be concise and grammatically correct. Avoid adding extra fluff words that distract from the true meaning of your press release. Don't include clichés and jargon that may not be understood by the general reader. Make sure that you have permission to use any quotes or inside information. This will prevent there being any conflicts that may result in your press release being pulled. Be sure to check you release for punctuation and grammatical errors. Take a look at some other press releases to make sure that you have followed the proper format.

Press Kit Mantras

Crafting an attractive and informative press kit is a whole new beast in the digital era.

The meaning of the phrase press kit is evolving. As recently as a decade ago, it meant literally a package of information in a folder sent out to reporters to try and generate interest in a company. The kits were an easy way to share a comprehensive look at a business, but were notoriously cumbersome. A reporter attending an industry trade show could walk away with suitcases full of packets of information from a dozen different companies in a mess of envelopes and loose papers. Lots of it, to be honest, ended up in the recycling bin anyway.

Over time, some companies and promoters got savvier. Press kits occasionally morphed into elaborately designed folders of multimedia information – CDs, music samples, and content on flash drives. Often freebies were tucked inside, but all the same, much of that would be overlooked and land in the trash.

These days, a press kit has been shrunken down to digital bytes, making it easier to handle for both reporters and public relations teams. In addition to saving money on printing and mailing costs, the modern press kit gives media instant access to photos and videos featuring your business that they can download and use immediately.

"Reporters who are on deadline, working on way too many things, spread across multiple beats, going nuts, you want to make it easy for them to write about you," says Leyl Master Black, managing director SparkPR, a public relations firm based in San Francisco.

Public relations professionals say creating a good press kit is as important as having a website or customer service hotline these days. But putting one together is often as easy as gathering up some information about your company you already have lying around. But where do you start? Experts offer these tips:

Putting Together a Press Kit: Focus on the Key Elements

You want your press kit to be one-stop shopping for any journalist looking to write about your company. But public relations firms say they also use the kits as marketing tools for potential advertisers or clients. Professionals say every kit should include the following elements:

Company overview: What does your company do? When did it start? Is there something unique about your founding that people might be interested in? The overview is the place to sum up your business so that even someone who hasn't heard of you before will understand what your operation is all about. This can also include a fact sheet listing elements of your business or a timeline of growth and achievements.

Biographies: Use this section to talk about your company's founders, CEO, chairperson, investors or any other key players.

"It's a great opportunity to differentiate and put a human face on the company," says Lauren Selikoff, chief marketing officer for Allison & Partners, a public relations firm based in San Francisco. "Bios are often a lost opportunity for that because really a company's executives are the soul of the company. You can get some insight into how a company's management team thinks, what their vision for the future is."

But keep the descriptions tight and don't try to tell everyone's life story or you risk losing interest fast, warns Lou Hammond, founder of Hammond and Associates, which handles public relations for several resorts and destinations out of its New York, Florida, and South Carolina offices.

"No bio in today's world needs to be more than three paragraphs," she says.

FAQs: You can use a frequently asked questions section to help differentiate your company from your competitors, Black says. She recommends talking to your sales team to find out what questions keep popping up. Your answers will help place your company in context of the larger marketplace. You may also want to consider including customer testimonials or product reviews if appropriate.

News coverage: You should always include at least your one or two most recent press releases. But you also should include any coverage or mentions in the press your company has received, such as reprints of magazine stories, clips from a newsreel, or screenshots from online publications. Don't have any coverage yet? Erin Tracy, vice president of Regan Communications, says you should consider hiring a production team to create a demo video. This gives you a chance to show off your company and executives as poised, articulate, TV friendly, and ready for interviews.

Getting rights for reprints of news coverage can sometimes be costly, so Selikoff recommends considering just linking to the coverage instead in your online press release.

Art: In the spirit of one-stop shopping, your press release should provide some photos or B-roll footage of your company that media organizations can easily use. They could be photos of your products, headshots of key employees, video of your operations or a map of your location. The kit should make it clear that journalists are allowed to republish the images or video with any appropriate credits. Including a logo with the images is an easy way to get your brand image out into the public consciousness, experts say.

When creating publicity materials for the "Back Jack" campaign that seeks to turn Jack Daniel's birthday into a national holiday, public-relations firm DVL, which is based in Nashville, included archival photos of the liquor's namesake and high-quality downloadable videos talking about his history.

"He's celebrating what would be his 160th birthday," says Mark Day, senior vice president at DVL. "We want to point out to the media that Jack Daniels actually was a real man. [The kit] becomes a library of all things Jack Daniels for the particular birthday promotion."

If you don't have professional photos to share, Tracy recommends setting up a company Flickr page, YouTube account or Facebook profile and linking to them through the kit. Those services are easy to use and a quick way to share photos from recent events, she says.

Contact information: This seems like a no-brainer, but public relations professionals say some people often overlook including a section telling media whom to contact for more information. You should list phone numbers and e-mail addresses for your company spokesperson, public relations person or a designated staff member who handles media requests.

"The benefit of having a press kit is having all of the information that you want people to know together in one spot," Selikoff says. "A press kit without contact information is useless."

Media Alliance Code of Ethics

Media Alliance Code of Ethics

Respect for truth and the public's right to information are fundamental principles of journalism. Journalists describe society to it. They convey information, ideas and opinions, a privileged role. They search, disclose, record, question, entertain, suggest and remember. They inform citizens and animate democracy. They give a practical form to freedom of expression. Many journalists work in private enterprise, but all have these public responsibilities. They scrutinize power, but also exercise it, and should be accountable. Accountability engenders trust. Without trust, journalists do not fulfill their public responsibilities. Alliance members engaged in journalism commit themselves to

Honesty

Fairness

Independence

Respect for the rights of others

1.  Report and interpret honestly, striving for accuracy, fairness and disclosure of all essential facts.  Do not suppress relevant available facts, or give distorting emphasis.  Do your utmost to give a fair opportunity for reply.

2.  Do not place unnecessary emphasis on personal characteristics, including race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, age, sexual orientation, family relationships, religious belief, or physical or intellectual disability.

3.  Aim to attribute information to its source.  Where a source seeks anonymity, do not agree without first considering the source's motives and any alternative attributable source.  Where confidences are accepted,  respect them in all circumstances.

4.  Do not allow personal interest, or any belief, commitment, payment, gift or benefit, to undermine your accuracy, fairness or independence.

5.  Disclose conflicts of interest that affect, or could be seen to affect, the accuracy, fairness or independence of your journalism.  Do not improperly use a journalistic position for personal gain.

6.  Do not allow advertising or other commercial considerations to undermine accuracy, fairness or independence.

7.  Do your utmost to ensure disclosure of any direct or indirect payment made for interviews, pictures, information or stories.

8.  Use fair, responsible and honest means to obtain material.  Identify yourself and your employer before obtaining any interview for publication or broadcast.  Never exploit a person's vulnerability or ignorance of media practice.

9.  Present pictures and sound which are true and accurate.  Any manipulation likely to mislead should be disclosed.

10.  Do not plagiarize.

11.  Respect private grief and personal privacy.  Journalists have the right to resist compulsion to intrude.

12.  Do your utmost to achieve fair correction of errors.

Guidance Clause

Basic values often need interpretation and sometimes come into conflict. Ethical journalism requires conscientious decision-making in context. Only substantial advancement of the public interest or risk of substantial harm to people allows any standard to be overridden.

How to Develop Your Photography Skills

How to Develop Your Photography Skills

Learn the basics, if you haven't already. Basics of photography include composition, which is essentially the placing of a subject within the frame of a photograph, lighting, and the basic workings of your camera. See How to Take Better Photographs for some introductory material.

Be ready. At least half of the time, the difference between a great photograph and a mediocre one is being in the right place at the right time, with a camera in your hand. Carry your camera with you as often as you can. Make sure to use your camera often, too. Just carrying it around does no good.

Be there. Being "ready" is not enough. As Ken Rockwell says of his early experience,

Did you catch the spoiler word in my logic, "anything that presented itself?" I was a spectator. I thought that photography involved taking pictures of things that came along. NO! You have to get out there and find things. Finding and seeing are the hard part... taking a picture of what you find is the trivial part.

So get up, get out there and take photographs. Go out at every time of day, every day, and look for things. Don't wait for the right opportunity to come along (but be prepared if it does!); go out and find them. Look for opportunities everywhere you go (whether you're at the mall or on the other side of the world), and go to places to look for opportunities. If you can see something in your mind, chances are you can set it up and shoot it!

Stop looking for subjects to photograph and learn to see.

Look for colors. Or do the opposite: look for a total absence of color, or shoot in black-and-white.

Look for repetition and rhythm. Or do the opposite, and look for something completely isolated from the things around it.

Look for lighting, and the lack of such. Take photographs of shadows, or of reflections, or of light streaming through something, or of things in total darkness.

Look for emotion and gesture if you're photographing people. Do they show happiness? Mischievousness? Sadness? Do they look thoughtful? Or do they just look like another person mildly annoyed to have a camera pointed at them?

Look for texture, forms, and patterns. Great black-and-white photographs are stunning because black-and-white forces the photographer to look for these things.

Look for contrasts. Look for something that stands out from the rest of the shot. In your composition, use the wide end of your zoom (or a wide-angle lens) and get closer and make it so. Look for contrasts of all the things above: color amid dullness, light among darkness, and so on. If you're photographing people, try putting (or finding) your subject in a context in which they stand out. Look for happiness in unexpected places. Look for a person in a surrounding in which they appear out-of-place. Or ignore this and take them completely away from their context by opening your lens all the way to blur the background.

Look for anything that will hold a viewer's interest which isn't a traditional "subject". As you find your niche, you'll probably find that you end up going back to taking photographs of subjects again. This is fine. Looking for things which aren't subjects will improve your photography no end—you'll soon see a different world altogether.

Keep your photos as simple as possible. Get as close to your subject as you can. Use your feet, and use your zoom lens (if you have one) to fine-tune your composition. Get rid of anything that doesn't give some important context to understand your photo fully.

Shoot film. If you already shoot film, then shoot digital as well. Both film and digital cameras have their place in the learning photographer's arsenal. They both have their advantages and disadvantages, and both will teach you a different set of habits. The worst habits of digital are balanced out by the better habits of film, and vice versa.

Digital cameras give you immediate feedback on what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong. They also reduce the cost of experimentation to zero. Both of these things are invaluable to the new photographer. However, the zero cost of digital makes it far too easy to fall into the habit of "spraying-and-praying" and hoping a good photo comes out at the end of it.

Film cameras force you to be more careful about what you are taking. Even a millionaire would be reluctant to sit around on his yacht taking thirty-six photographs of his bathing towel on film.[1] The economic incentive to make more of the shots you take might lead to less experimentation (which is bad), but it does make you think harder before taking photographs (which can be good, if you have a good idea of what you should do before taking the picture). What's more, film still has a look all its own, and you can pick up professional-quality film gear ludicrously cheap as well.

Show the best of your work to other people. Which is to say, find the best of your work and show only that to other people? Even the greatest photographers don't take superb shots every single time; they're just very selective about what they show to others.

Be brutal about it. If they're not great shots to you, then never show them. Your standards will increase over time, and even the ones you might have once thought were passable will probably look pretty lame to you a few months down the line. If this means that all you had for a day's worth of shooting was one or two photos, then that's okay. In fact, it probably means you're being just harsh enough.

eek out and listen to the critiques of others. Don't fall into the trap of posting in "critique my photos"-type threads on the Internet; these are usually full of the pixel-peepers mentioned above. Still, it's good to seek out constructive criticism, as long as you're careful about who you listen to.

Listen to artists. If someone has some great artistic work to show— photos, paintings, music or anything else—then this is reason to take them seriously, since other artists instinctively understand visceral impact, whether it's in their field or not (and if your photo doesn't make an impact, it's probably better deleted). Most non-artists do, as well, although they aren't as well positioned to tell you what you're doing right (and they're more likely to be nice to you to avoid hurting your feelings).

Ignore anyone who critiques your photos harshly and has no stunning photography to show. Their opinions are simply not worth listening to.

Figure out what you're doing right and what you're doing wrong. If someone liked a photograph, what made them like it? If they didn't, what did you do wrong? As said above, other artists will probably be able to tell you these things.

Don't be modest if someone likes your work. It's okay, photographers love being complimented on their masterpieces as much as anyone else does. Try not to be cocky, though.

Look for work that inspires you. This doesn't mean merely technically impeccable; any (very rich) clown can stick a 400mm f/2.8 lens onto a $3000 digital SLR, get a well-exposed, super-sharp photograph of a bird, and that still won't make them Steve Crone. Rather, look for work that makes you smile, laugh, cry, or feel anything, and not work that makes you think "well exposed and focused". If you're into people photos, look at the work of Steve McCurry (photographer of the Afghan Girl), or the studio work of Annie Leibowitz.

If you're on Flicker or any other photo-sharing website, then keep an eye on the people who inspire you (though don't end up spending so much time at your computer that you're not out taking photos).

Learn some technical trivia. No, this is not the most important part about taking photographs. In fact, it's one of the least important, which is why it's all the way down here; a great photo taken by a point-and-shooter ignorant of these things, is far more interesting than a boring photo perfectly focused and exposed. It's also infinitely better than the one that wasn't taken at all because someone was too busy worrying about this sort of trivia.

Still, it's handy to have a working knowledge of shutter speed, aperture, focal length, etc., and what effects they will have on your picture. None of this will make a bad photo into a good one, but it can sometimes keep you from losing a good photo to a technical problem and can make great photos even better.

Find your niche. You may find that you're a good enough communicator to photograph people. You may find that you enjoy being out in all weathers enough that you can do landscape photography. You might have huge telephoto lenses and enjoy motor racing enough that you find yourself having fun photographing them. Try all these things! Find something that you enjoy, and that you're good at, but don't limit yourself to it.

Fashion Photographer: Career Guide

Fashion Photographer: Career Guide

Fashion photographers use cameras, lights and other equipment to capture photos that highlight clothing design. In addition to taking pictures, fashion photographers must study photography, learn how to edit photos and build a portfolio. Many work as freelance photographers or are self-employed.

Step 1: Study Photography

While fashion photographers are not required to have a degree, they can gain a greater understanding of their craft by studying photography at a college, university or trade school. Many schools offer a bachelor's degree in photography. Coursework includes photography history, light studies, digital photography and fine arts. Fashion photographers may also choose to advance their education by attending graduate school or enrolling in programs that focus on fashion photography specifically.

Step 2: Develop Editing Skills

Fashion photographers must be able to edit their work to meet the needs of their clients. Using Adobe Photoshop and other computer software, photographers crop photos, correct flaws and alter the images they have taken. Photographers may take courses in photo editing or develop skills on their own.

Step 3: Build a Portfolio

Fashion photographers showcase their best work in a portfolio. They may upload their work to a website or digital portfolio. Prospective clients choose a photographer based on the style and the skills exhibited. Fashion photographers must keep their portfolio up-to-date and ensure that their abilities are well represented in the work they include.

Step 4: Manage Responsibilities

In addition to taking and editing photos, fashion photographers must handle business and marketing matters, since many individuals in this field are self-employed or work as freelancers. They must schedule shoots, manage finances and keep up with clients by answering e-mails and phone calls. They benefit from networking and meeting contacts in the industry. Some photographers may also print and frame their work. Some professional photographers may hire assistants to help them manage business matters. Fashion photographers must also study and enforce copyright laws to ensure that their work is protected.

Step 5: Book Shoots

Fashion photographers book shoots for clients. These duties may include arranging travel, reserving a space or working with publishers to make sure all needs are met. They must be flexible and able to work in a variety of climates. While they may suggest certain styles, fashion photographers must follow the direction of their client to ensure that photos meet their needs.

Online Crisis Tips

Following my post on preparing for a brewing media crisis I was asked how I felt about scripted responses, specifically, prepared Twitter posts that can be shared across multiple satellite offices. Since you rarely know what form an online crisis will take, I prefer to follow a set procedure and then tailor each response to the specific issue.

Think of several crises that may befall your organization: a leaked YouTube video of an off the cuff comment made by your CEO, a racist comment made by a member of your staff to a client or customer, a product defect that injured or poisoned a consumer, or an ill advised post that went viral (see KitchenAid post). In any of these cases the response would be different based on the specific issue, the seriousness of the claim, or the staff members involved.

Here are 10 tips to help you through an online crisis when time counts and coordination of your message is key:

Smooth Approval Process

In a social media crisis you must have a smooth approval process for posting information. Depending on the structure of your organization you may have a multi-tiered process. Organizations with multiple locations and duplicate sub-departments may either choose to empower local staff members to make final decisions or await a strategy from headquarters. A lengthy system of checks and balances may make you feel safe however the minutes that turn to hours reviewing a single post can make your organization appear confused or in the midst of a cover up.

Raise a Flag

At the first hint of an online issue the designated crisis coordinator should be alerted. This staff member will then decide the severity of the issue and alert key staff members if need be. Be sure to cast a wide net to those who interact with the media or may encounter questions regarding this news. You never want your senior management to be caught unaware. I am frequently the crisis coordinator, since I oversee internal and external communications, allowing my organizations to feel comfortable with a process centralized by a trained spokesperson that underwent crisis training.

The Manual

To prevent an internal crisis within your process you need to have a manual dictating various scenarios. Who do you contact if the crisis coordinator was “hit by a bus”? What happens if the CEO is unavailable for a statement? How does your call center coordinate responses with your social media team? These inevitable questions need to be considered and planned for as far in advance as possible.

Move Quickly

Once a crisis coordinator has been alerted he or she can ensure that all key members of your staff as well as outside consultants are aware of the situation and begin to formulate a strategy and response. As a crisis coordinator I frequently use email only for consensus data at this point and begin having office discussions or call a quick meeting/teleconference. This helps the process move quickly and keeps everyone in the loop.

Strategy

The staff member who originally raised the issue may be eager to post a response. In some cases you may decide that a response is necessary to let the public know that you are aware of the issue and to thank all involved for bringing it to your attention. In other cases you may wish to wait until you know a few more facts and post a response. In my experience I have found that an initial response thanking the poster works well. If you wait too long before your first post you may appear uncaring or out of touch.

Stay Positive

Many crises are elevated when an organization becomes defensive. Even if a person is attacking you I find that it is best to treat that person, publicly at least, as if they are being helpful in bringing a concern to your attention. Keep the dialogue positive. The crisis coordinator should have the authority to post an immediate response requesting further information before jumping in too early with a coordinated statement.

Stay Nimble

As additional information comes to light, draft appropriate responses and decide if you should spread your response to other media. Is a press conference necessary? Do you notify the board of directors? Depending of the crisis you may need to elevate the scope of the discussion to offer clarity to the general public before rumors begin to spread.

Statements

Operating multiple locations, your coordinated effort should require each location to post similar alerts tailored to their local audiences. However, as you coordinate your responses you should not use form statements that have been kept on file. All it takes is one investigative post to highlight that you responded the same way a few months ago when a separate crisis occurred. Remember that this is a social interaction and personalization can mean the difference between appearing caring or unconcerned. Need I say it: Appearances are everything in a crisis.

Review

It is vital to review the events of each crisis. What worked and what broke down? Was there an event that was not accounted for in your manual? When was the issue solved and when did it get away from the response team? This is when accountability takes center stage and every staff member involved needs to be debriefed.

Update

Now that you know what went well and where you failed, you need to update your manual. In fact you may need to remove a strategy rather than just adding to your response procedures. Once you have a new finalized version be sure to circulate it among your crisis response team and ask them to disregard prior manuals.