What Does A Successful Media Event Look Like?

Part of what we do at MurphyEpson is connect with the media on behalf of our partners and clients. As Senior Media & Content Manager, I’ve supported media relations for ceremonies, technology conferences and – most recently – the expansion of a crucial City of Columbus initiative.

Lead-Safe Columbus is the city’s plan to replace lead and galvanized water service lines all over the city. Recently, our partners, Columbus Water & Power, expanded this construction from a pilot program to a citywide effort.

This was the news we needed to share.

In many ways, this is a fantastic story to tell: the work is free for property owners during planned city construction. But, understandably, people (and journalists) still have questions about how it will work, what will happen on their properties and who is paying for it.

Like any successful project, it started with a plan. Columbus Water & Power and MurphyEpson met months before the event to explore key things:

• What is the why? Like I said, the story Columbus Water & Power and MurphyEpson wanted to tell was that the pilot program was expanding citywide. It seems simple, but the heart of the event can get lost, especially in the last-minute event details, minutia and logistics. The final few days, we find ourselves focused on audio logistics, rainy day backup plans, parking, etc. We need to make sure we come back to the goal.
• What does success look like? In this case, we wanted as many people as possible to know that this work was getting underway, why it’s necessary and what to expect.
• Who should be there to speak? We needed to ensure all possible stakeholders, partners and anyone with skin in the game were at least invited to take part. Large infrastructure projects require numerous consultants, engineers, funding partners and more. Is everyone who should be represented on the list and/or in the know? We don’t want someone who is important to see the news for the first time after the event.
• The media will have questions. We need to answer them! We put together questions and worked to provide the best answers. There are obvious questions. Then there are not-so-obvious ones. Our clients are navigating the day-to-day needs of their work. It’s MurphyEpson’s job to monitor the media and know what else might come up (so we can get journalists their answers then and there).
• What is the plan for media outreach? Timing is everything. Just like you’re less likely to read an email at certain times, journalists are less likely to read a press release at certain times. It’s also our job to monitor the news cycle so we aren’t pitching something when every newsroom is tuned to something else. If we do that, we run the risk of being both ineffective and annoying. We also – delicately and respectfully – follow up one-on-one via phone or conversation with reporters when the event gets closer. This is where relationships are important. It’s about knowing which reporter’s ears will perk up to our pitch (and engaging with them at the right time).

News directors, editors and other newsroom leaders always ask their reporters to talk to everyday people who are not in the press conference. So, Columbus Water & power used an e-blast to connect with residents who benefitted from the pilot program and brought those neighbors to the event. We didn’t ask them to stand up at a podium, but we did have them available (so it felt more authentic). This helped journalists – some who are TV reporters who are busy shooting, interviewing and editing by themselves – get what they need, quickly and easily.

We also knew that – despite our best efforts – reporters can get pulled in other directions. So, we brought our videographer partners to capture the event and interviews just in case. We can distribute that content to newsrooms (or use it on our own social media channels).

Fortunately, every major Columbus TV station – along with WOSU and The Columbus Dispatch – came to our event. We also received coverage on local radio stations.

Despite a little rain, the event went off without a hitch. We had printed copies of our press release and coordinated with Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther’s Office to distribute our final press release (maximizing reach).

The reporters asked great questions and Columbus Water & Power answered them.

When an event like this wraps up, our work is just getting started. We ensure reporters have what they need. We use media monitoring tools to see if our message lands. In this case, it did. Reporters and journalists were fair and accurate. And we pitch follow-up interviews for news outlets to get more in-depth coverage (if they so choose). We also pull analytics so we know how many people the story reached, how social media conversations played out and who might be good reporters to reach out to in the future.

At the end of the day, Columbus Water & Power was able to share news of Lead-Safe Columbus to the Columbus community, which was the goal all along. We thank Columbus Water & Power for their partnership – and we can’t wait to do it again!