"Making the Tour" Posts from the Pete Dye Classic

Day 1: Sunday

Since early spring, Maple Creative has been working to provide marketing, public relations and sponsorship development assistance to the 2006 National Mining Association Pete Dye Classic. The event is a Nationwide Tour event taking place at the Pete Dye Golf Club in Bridgeport, West Virginia August 21-27.

Today I arrived at the clubhouse to set up the media room -my home (and the home of the media) for the next eight days.

Here are some things to consider when setting up a media room:

• Expect the unexpected! Develop an ‘anticipated questions and appropriate requests.’ In doing so, you will identify possible questions that might be asked – and some that might not – and an appropriate response.
• Location. Location. Location! Choose a location that is accessible and can meet the technical requirements of the media. The site should also be visually attractive and enhancing to your message.
• Give ‘em space! Provide adequate space for interviews.
• Remember show and tell? Determine whether to use visual aids. Is there a good visual, such as a big chart, that may be shown? Have it placed such that television cameras can include it.
• Who’s on ‘the’ list? Decide if credentialing the press is necessary.
• Gear up! Manage all the technical requirements of the press. Arrange for lighting platforms, special power, translation, and mult-boxes audio equipment that has a single input and multiple outputs that go to recording devices). Make certain that anything that will be used works.
• Be a nice host(ess)! If appropriate, provide hospitality to those in attendance (food, refreshments, etc.)
• Know the who’s who. Have the names, phone numbers, and cell phone numbers of key people at the site.
• Get it in writing! Have a sign-in sheet for the press and any visitors so you know who was there.
• Time Management. Provide a daily schedule of events.
• Get the word out! Put copies of your stories on your Web site and out to the media as soon as possible.
  

Hope the above helps you have an above par experience at your next media event.