“If someone goes on a journey, he can tell something”, goes an old folk song. There is something true about it, which is why press trips are a classic and popular PR tool. For many journalists, the trip is a welcome change from everyday office life. You can get to know the production facility and employees of a company up close. Companies, for example from the hotel, travel or food industry, get the chance to show themselves and their product from the best side. This allows them to deepen their relationship with the media. But there are three catches: a successful press trip involves a lot of financial and organizational effort, and due to a lack of time, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get editors to join the tour. The following three tips reveal when such a digression is worthwhile and which points have to be considered when planning so that the press trip is a complete success:
“I’m packing my suitcase”: select a topic and suitable journalists for the trip
Hardly any other medium reports on a hotel, the new color scheme of its rooms and the well-equipped fitness area. The occasion of the trip should offer the journalists an exciting incentive, added value. As an organizer, you should therefore always ask yourself in advance: Do the topic and information content justify the trip? The fact is that by taking part in the trip, editors stay away from the office for several days. This results in an immediate loss of work. A successful press trip should be designed so that experiences and encounters are in the foreground. Pure facts can also be conveyed via press releases; nobody has to get on the train or plane for this. In addition, the organizers should think carefully beforehand which media are suitable for the press trip. If the topic does not meet the needs and interests of the readers, the editor’s report will very likely vanish into thin air.
Tip: The cost-benefit ratio should be carefully considered in advance, as well as the messages with which you want to approach the media. What is the purpose of the press trip? A conceivable occasion, for example, would be a factory and laboratory tour. Here, the individual manufacturing steps of a product can be shown live. In addition to the pure information content, company stories provide the wow factor. Who are the people behind the company or the brand? Which motifs can be photographed well? Were there any hurdles that the company had to overcome?
Close-knit communication: How details become the icing on the cake for every trip
Once the topic has been determined, it is time to contact the journalists. The invitations must be sent out early, at least three months before the event. The program sequence must be thought out in the smallest detail. And don’t forget: that’s already the pitch! This gives the agency the chance to convince and stand out from the crowd. In addition, a personal follow-up call to the editor helps. A step to clear up all further ambiguities and at the same time to make the trip palatable to him. Once they have been accepted, those responsible should find suitable flight and train connections and book them in consultation with the journalist. The press representatives should generally be relieved of as many tasks as possible. So you can concentrate on the essentials and associate positive associations with the trip. So that no nasty surprises happen, it is best to ask about your eating habits and allergies before you travel so that you can address them in good time.
Tip: Ideally, every participant receives all program items, W-LAN access data and mobile phone numbers from contact persons at least two weeks before the planned trip. The press kit must be brought up to date, the finances must be clarified beforehand. The organizer bears the costs for joint activities. The journalist has to pay out of pocket expenses incurred on the personal tour of discovery. Does it all sound trite? No, because it also depends on the subtleties for the trip to make an impression. So it pays to be a good host.
Well thought-out program: walking a tightrope between action and balance
Depending on the destination, a successful press trip usually takes between two and six days. The longer the journey, the more difficult it will be to get journalists on board. The organizers should offer a varied program that gives travelers maximum insight into the product or region. However, it is of enormous importance to find the perfect balance between planned activities and breaks. The participants need time to look around on their own or simply to let the impressions sink in. Not every reporter wants to go from A to B from morning to evening and then take part in a three-hour business lunch. So here it is essential to create space for individual design. The press group should by no means be too large so that the trip on site does not become too chaotic and confusing. A small team of a maximum of six editors leaves enough space for individual requests and support.
Tip: A few selected events on the trip should be binding for everyone so that every journalist gets enough insight into the matter. But one or the other action, such as a joint dinner with the PR agency and company representatives, should be rather optional. Each participant can freely decide whether he or she would like to continue exchanging ideas or would rather explore the region on their own.
Conclusion: It’s worth the effort!
The organizing press agency should look after the journalists closely and individually and also look for a personal interview in between. Important: The consultants naturally hope that there will be coverage after the press trip, but ultimately journalistic freedom is crucial. It is a no-go to ask the editors if you can get the post for approval before it is published. However, the supervising agency has the right to approve direct quotations. If the press trip was a success and the host was able to build a good relationship with the journalists, then the editors will keep in touch and also send him the report.