26 Mar Keys to organize press trips
Press trips -the invitation to journalists to learn first-hand about a place, a product, a service or, in general, a brand- are one of the cornerstones of Sergat's day-to-day work as a communications agency specialized in tourism. As an essential part of the public relations strategy, press trips, also known as fam trips, seek to generate positive media coverage and establish lasting relationships (new or existing) with the media. This also applies to influencer trips, which are the order of the day, to amplify social media presence and create authentic, quality content – but we will discuss this in a separate article.
We share some keys to organize a press trip with a good ROI (return of investment) and not die trying:
–Each sheep with its own pair: never put journalists and influencers together on the same trip. The idea may be tempting, a priori, if the objective of the trip is the same, and thus simplify logistics, but the results may leave much to be desired in terms of group dynamics.
–Define objectives: what do you want to achieve with this trip, what messages do you want to convey?
–On the choice of media: it is important to identify media or journalists whose activity is related to the brand and whose readers may be interested in what we want to convey. Of course, their audience must be relevant to the company.
–Individual or group press trips: sometimes companies choose to organize several individual press trips rather than a group one. Each type of trip has its advantages and disadvantages, so it should be assessed according to the needs of the brand and the journalist's preferences and availability.
–Plan ahead: journalists usually have a full agenda with other press trips and events, so the sooner they are contacted, the more likely they are to accept the proposal.
–Agree on the content: once the journalist confirms his or her interest, it is essential that you indicate precisely what content he/she will offer in return. We are not philanthropists, so we will have to gather as much information as possible: in which media will he/she publish, what is the audience, will it be published online, offline, or both, how much space will be dedicated to us, what publication date is envisaged?
–Draft a document: once we have all the information, the agency will create a document with each journalist's background, media information and details about the publication commitment to share with the client.
–Create an agreed-upon program: to enhance the experience, it never hurts to ask participants if they have any special requests, whether it's a site visit or lunch at a specific restaurant. Try to include unique, different activities, specially if the trip takes place in destinations already known to journalists. Also, whenever possible, the program should be shared in advance so that the journalist is clear about what will be done each day.
–Ask if there are allergies or intolerances: when defining the gastronomic part of the trip, it is advisable to know in advance if any of the journalists have any allergies or intolerances. If the trip includes any sporting activity (e.g. kayaking or scuba diving), it is preferable to make sure that everyone, whether for health or other reasons, is comfortable with the plan.
–Allow for free time: sometimes less is more. We tend to think that programs have to take up every minute of the day, but the truth is that journalists appreciate having some free time to explore somewhere on their own.
–Be flexible: on press trips, unforeseen events occur. You have to know how to improvise and try to solve problems quickly and with an open mind. The game of waist is fundamental to serve as a satisfactory bridge between the client and the journalists.
–Obtain feedback: during and after the trip, the agency or brand escort should take note of the journalists' impressions about the destination or product, as well as about the trip itself, in order to pass them on to the appropriate person and polish details, if necessary, in the future.
–Monitor results: once the press trip is over, it is advisable to share with journalists all the information that may be of interest to them in order to prepare articles -brand press dossier, photos and press release(s) related to the trip-. As not everyone will publish immediately after the trip, it is necessary to be clear about the timings that each one has previously specified and monitor it so as not to miss any clipping.
Since its creation almost 40 years ago, Sergat, as the pioneer specialist tourism communication agency in Spain, has successfully organized hundreds of press trips -both individual and group- all over the world for hotels, tourist destinations and airlines. Specifically, to destinations such as Australia, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Japan, Thailand, Puerto Rico, Dubai, Macao, Mauritius, Yemen, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, USA, Cayman Islands, Switzerland, Tyrol, Portugal, Spain, France, Holland, Germany, Italy, Maldives, Seychelles, Iceland, Zanzibar… and the list goes on and on.
If we can help you organize your next press trip, please contact prensa@sergat.com.
