{"id":9508,"date":"2018-10-26T08:30:36","date_gmt":"2018-10-26T12:30:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/?p=9508"},"modified":"2018-10-24T23:40:13","modified_gmt":"2018-10-25T03:40:13","slug":"strategic-event-planning-national-conference-2018-session-recap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/2018\/10\/26\/strategic-event-planning-national-conference-2018-session-recap\/","title":{"rendered":"Strategic Event Planning [National Conference 2018 Session Recap]"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Courtesy of Joe Dunay, Ohio Northern University<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Session:<\/strong> Strategic Event Planning<\/p>\n

Presenter:\u00a0<\/strong>Gary McCormick, Founder and Principle, GMc Communications, LLC<\/p>\n

Recap:\u00a0<\/strong>Event planning is no easy feat<\/p>\n

but some, according to Gary McCormick, can consider it an understated part of public relations. When thinking about planning events, the first general thoughts are birthdays, holidays and the big \u201cI do.\u201d McCormick shared his successes and journeys to creating an event with impact.<\/p>\n

Events can deliver results to the client through strategic alignment, training opportunities, business goals, product and company promotions, branding or consumer engagement. For a successful event that fills the needs of the client, the event planner must ask \u201cwhy?\u201d According to McCormick, the most important part of event planning is understanding the expected outcome of the event.<\/p>\n

Once the outcome is understood between the client and the planner, a plan can be created. This identifies and aligns the five W\u2019s, SMART goals and the budget. Recognizing the need for the event and creating a program that supports the client\u2019s need, is crucial to the contribution of company success.<\/p>\n

McCormick touched on notable events throughout his career such as partnering with Disney and working for HGTV. With every Dream Home and Smart Home giveaway, comes an opportunity to show the products and advertise both the business and all of the partners that helped create the final product. However, each house poses its own challenges. For example, the house in Martha\u2019s Vineyard was filmed in January, which means the planning crew had to account for weather and businesses closed for the winter.<\/p>\n

As for working with Disney, McCormick shared his experience working with a company that has strictly defined brand standards. While working on the Disney Gardens, it was essential to make sure that both Disney and HGTV were being represented in a real garden, through the branded signage and in the presentations given by the HGTV stars. The events and partnership were successful enough that it grew into a cross-promotional series called \u201cMy Yard Goes Disney.\u201d<\/p>\n

Event planning is not a simple task but can have a significant influence on the success of the company. \u00a0McCormick encourages future PR practitioners to look at the advantages of strategic event planning for a powerful impact.<\/p>\n

Takeaways: <\/strong><\/p>\n