WFMJ-TV’s Mike Case (second from left) talked sweets the morning of the show with (from left) Christina Benton of Just Pizzelles, Christine Weatherman of the Mocha House and John Campolito, co-chair of the event. (Click the image to view the news story.)
Getting the word out about a fund-raising event is always a challenge. Mass communication can be expensive, and media exposure is harder to score as news organizations cut staff.
Moreover, leaders of charitable groups are often busy professionals who lack the time and know-how to get the right messages to the right people.
So when the Warren Rotary Club planned communications for its 10th Annual Chocolate and Dessert Festival at Packard Music Hall last month, it supplemented a mix of volunteer marketing efforts with the involvement of a public relations firm.
The results were exceptional, as the Rotary enjoyed its best chocolate festival ever.
“By spurring community awareness for our festival, we had our largest crowd and greatest fundraising results to date,” said Rob Berk, Rotary Club president and president of Warren-based Berk Enterprises.
Effective mix of communications strategies
The Chocolate and Dessert Festival was a sweet event. For an admission of just $15, attendees could enjoy candy and desserts from 14 vendors across the music hall. Proceeds will be used for the important work of the Rotary Club. Among the projects the club supports are YWCA’s “The WINGS” project, Children’s Rehabilitation Center, Warren Amphitheatre and Trumbull County Veterans Memorial.
Rotary volunteers promoted the Oct. 22 event on the club’s website and Facebook page, and leveraged their personal networks. Pecchia Communications pitched the event to local news media and executed an email blast to hundreds of local contacts.
On the day of the festival, WFMJ-TV’s Today Show featured Rotary officials and vendors talking about the event. Other TV morning shows included the festival on their community calendars. The event also drew coverage in local print publications and community calendars.
Keys to securing exposure for an event
Tony Paglia, the Pecchia Communications senior consultant who spearheaded the publicity effort, noted a few key points that applied to this opportunity and many others.
- The message has to be right. There’s a difference between asking busy media people for coverage and crafting an opportunity for them to cover an event that would interest their readers and viewers.
- Timing and follow-up have to be right. Media professionals work in advance, but sometimes things slip through the cracks. Reminders about news opportunities are appropriate if they’re done carefully.
- Collaboration has to be right. Many segments of an event can be executed well by dedicated volunteers, and some can be done very well by professionals.
“Most non-profits and even many small companies can’t afford an outside firm to handle their entire communications programs,” Paglia said. “But getting us involved in key elements where we can add value is often far more cost-effective than many realize.”
