The media is the surest and fastest way to spread information. The only question is how to attract the attention of all-powerful journalists to the advertised enterprise, product or service. There are various ways, among which such a phenomenon as a press tour is common. This is one of the most effective tricks that brings good results.
Press tour - paid vacation for a journalist
Many businesses and companies arrange various kinds of events for media workers for promotional purposes. A press tour is an organized trip for journalists, during which they get acquainted with the features of production. An important element of such an event is the presence of an informational occasion, something new and unusual that can attract the attention of the media.
Who pays for all this?
Usually this event is fully paid by the organizing company. Sometimes the editors reimburse partexpenses, for example, if he believes that participation in a trip will provide useful information. A press tour for journalists is a good opportunity to expand their professional horizons, get new and interesting information, as well as relax and chat in an informal setting, make new acquaintances.
Why spend money and pay journalists for holidays?
By organizing study tours for press workers, enterprises pursue certain goals. Among the main goals of the press tour are the following:
- Company advertising - to show the general public the work of the enterprise from the inside. This allows not only to promote the company, but also to increase the confidence of potential consumers.
- Demonstration of innovation - familiarize the public with the features of a new product or improved technology.
- Media Response – At the end of the press tour, the organizers are looking forward to the publications of journalists, in which they talk about the new product and describe their impressions of the trip. Of course, these reviews are not always positive. That is why the organization of a press tour for the media should be approached with care.
Promotion types
Press tour can be divided into the following types:
- Open Days - usually arranged by rather closed companies and enterprises. They can be carried out both with a certain frequency (for example, every year at the same time) or be tied to specific innovations (newequipment, staff, improved technology). Open days last one or more days, it all depends on the size of the organization and the number of visitors. Their structure is basically the same: in the first, official part, guests are told about the features of the enterprise. The second part is a guided tour where visitors can see the work and special achievements of the company with their own eyes.
- Field visit - this type of press tour is organized directly for journalists. For new businesses, this is a great opportunity to make themselves known in the press, to inform the public about their existence.
- Traveling is perhaps the most enjoyable type of press tour for journalists. Very often, companies organize one-day or longer walks on water or on land. A relaxed atmosphere and positive emotions establish friendly relations between the organizers and the press, which contributes to positive reviews and reviews.
Who organizes press tours?
Press tour is primarily a promotional event. Here it is very important to take into account all the nuances and the smallest details, because one small oversight can significantly undermine the reputation of an organization. Of course, some companies assign the responsibility for organizing a press tour to their employees. Others hire specialists in this field - employees of PR services. Their task is not only to competently organize a press tour, but also to accompany journalists throughout its duration.
How to dopress tour successful?
Organizing a press tour is a time-consuming process that requires careful preliminary preparation. Every little thing is important here, everything must be clearly thought out in advance, even the most unforeseen situations are foreseen. It is necessary to create such conditions in which journalists will feel comfortable and free, because it depends on their impressions whether a review of a company will be good or bad. That is why the task of the organizers is not only to create a pleasant impression of the enterprise, but also to satisfy the needs and desires of media workers. All this should be taken into account when planning an event.
Stages of organizing a press tour
They are:
- Setting specific tasks to be solved during the press tour.
- Selecting a certain type of press tour.
- Correct wording of newsbreak.
- Competent preparation of a press release - a material that contains all the information about the company and its activities.
- Determination of the venue of the event and its design. If the press tour will take place at the enterprise, you need to take care of the safety and cleanliness of the equipment, as well as compliance with various rules and regulations. The staff should be in a neat working uniform, should be prepared for possible questions from journalists. In the case of a conference, it is necessary to equip the hall with everything necessary for productive communication between organizers and editorial staff.
- Choosing a suitable accommodation for journalists - guests should be in comfortableconditions, so you should pay close attention to booking a hotel.
- Choosing the most favorable time - holding a press tour can be timed to coincide with the release dates of key publications.
- Designing the itinerary - it should not be very long, otherwise the guests will be tired. It is desirable to add more entertainment to interest journalists. It is also necessary to take into account all organizational issues. If it is assumed that guests will move independently, then the stops should be marked with certain signs. If an excursion is organized, then you should think about transport and collection time, as well as choose a professional guide.
- Create a list of invitees - all guests receive official invitations, which must be sent out in advance. Even if the event is open to everyone, media workers should be notified separately. For certain reasons, not all invitees will be able to take part in the press tour, but they may show interest. In this case, you need to send all related documents by mail.
- Preparation of the necessary materials - creative design of the press tour program, various brochures about the company's activities, including a press release, etc.
- Selection of a qualified moderator - his task is to conduct conferences and represent the company. It is he who tells reporters about the innovations that served as an informational occasion for the press tour.
- Preparing themed souvenirs and giftsfor journalists - a kind of additional bonus in the end, raising the mood and loy alty of guests.
A few important rules
During the PR event, guests should be comfortable and carefree. They should feel that at any moment they will be helped and resolve all questions and problems. Journalists - the guests are very fastidious, and pay close attention to even the smallest detail. That is why it is worth observing a number of simple, but very important rules:
- Don't skimp on food, drinks, transportation and hotels. The press tour is aimed at journalists, so they need to be given a decent welcome.
- The accommodation conditions of the organizers should in no case be better than those of the guests - this will be immediately noticed and, quite possibly, reflected in the reviews.
- It's best to have press and company representatives close by. So they will have more opportunities to communicate in an informal, relaxed atmosphere, build trust and get more information.
- It is recommended to divide the guests into small groups if there are too many. Each must be accompanied by an escort who will help its members. This will make it much easier to contact journalists.
From theory to practice
How does the press tour work in practice? How exactly is the main task of the event implemented: dissemination of information about the manufacturer through publications in the media? These questions can be seen clearly inone of the highlights of the press tour.
Great ship with huge sales
In the summer of 1997, a small group of journalists were invited to lunch and tour the Grand Princess cruise ship, which was about to be officially launched. After visiting the ship, reviews and reviews about it appeared in various publications, as well as on television.
The first voyage took place in May 1998, about forty journalists were solemnly invited to it. After that, the media literally screamed about the grandiose ship and a wonderful ride on it. A little later, the liner was visited by many celebrities. Interviews with them were published in the press, in which they shared with the public their impressions of the ship (of course, positive ones). The launching ceremony of the Grand Princess was broadcast over the Internet to a large online audience.
As a result of all these long and elaborate publicity stunts, tickets for the first cruise were completely sold out three months before departure. The company even had to book additional ships as the cruise's popularity skyrocketed.
Grand Princess has become one of the most famous and popular cruise ships in history. All this is a merit not only of the ship's crew, but also of the competent dissemination of information about it.
