Good Isn’t Good Enough: How Worthington PR & Story Turns Good Events Into Great Ones
At Worthington PR & Story, we know what makes good events different from great ones. Great events don’t just happen, they’re the result of thoughtful planning, clear goals and experienced coordination. We see events as an opportunity to tell our clients’ stories and grow their brand awareness. They’re not a cost – they’re an important investment in building your brand.
With decades of combined experience, our team has managed everything from intimate events for 10 people through to large-scale events hosting more than 2,000 people. Here’s a closer look into how we make every event a moment worth remembering.
Strategic Planning
Before the planning begins, we make it a priority to sit down with the client and discuss things such as the goals of the event, intended audience and budget. These are all important considerations to keep top of mind so that we are all driving towards the same goal. Next is budgeting. A clear and realistic budget is needed to determine how big the event can be as well as helping us to pick a venue that can both accommodate the event’s size and ensure that it aligns with the client’s goals for the event. We always treat our clients’ budgets like our own, and we track every cent along the way.
Next, we consider every detail from signage and communication to food, drinks, dress codes and parking. A site tour can be very helpful, and we always look at the experience through the lens of an attendee. From pre-event communications to the final guest leaving, we ensure no one feels confused or uncertain. Great events reflect a client’s brand identity and leave a lasting impression. To make that happen, we organize brand-aligned activations that keep guests engaged and entertained, all while staying within budget.
Shares Speak Volumes
When it comes to building a guest list, it is important to know the type of event you are hosting. Our Worthington PR & Story team is well-versed in coordinating a multitude of events that range from grand openings to news conferences to community-focused celebrations. For an influencer and media event, WPRS has an amazing roster of influencers and creators who love attending our events, and we’ve built those relationships over the years. Our team knows how to thoughtfully select people who will make the biggest impact for our client’s brand awareness, and who will be a great fit for the event.
Great events should help keep your brand at the forefront of people’s minds, and in many cases, also provide media-worthy and shareworthy social content. Sharing content may seem like something a brand can do on their own, but having attendees share their own content helps develop your brand’s authenticity and a fresh perspective. This can also extend the reach of your audience and increase your brand awareness.
Expect the Unexpected
In any event, it’s not “if” a glitch occurs, it’s when. However, a true PR pro knows how to solve glitches seamlessly.
Weather, pandemics, emergencies – we know the importance of having a ‘Plan B’. It can be as simple as adding more people to the guest list to allow for a possible 10-15% no-show rate, choosing a venue that has an indoor option or even just sending out a reminder email to those attending and vendors scheduled to be at the event.
Element and Bow & Bend Rooftop Grand Opening
Worthington PR & Story had the privilege of supporting the grand opening of the new Element Downtown Calgary hotel, as well as the opening of their rooftop bar and lounge, Bow & Bend Rooftop. When the Element and Bow & Bend Rooftop team came to us asking for help making this event a success, we jumped at the opportunity. The goal of the project was to open these two spaces separately in a different and never-before-seen way. The Element grand opening was expected to have a strong media presence and a unique ribbon-cutting moment. The Bow & Bend Rooftop opening was set to take place a week later, with the aim of hosting more than 120 media personalities and influencers.
After ample preparation, these two spaces successfully opened, both generating high levels of public exposure and brand visibility. The Element ribbon cutting hosted more than 30 reporters and media personalities, as well as many high-profile individuals and professionals from around the city. This opening gained 35 news stories and 21.9 million impressions. The Bow & Bend Rooftop grand opening hosted more than 140 influencers and media personalities. This garnered a large amount of earned media in the form of Instagram stories and in-feed posts, as well as a flurry of earned media in the weeks that followed. Twenty-four hours following the media and influencer event, the Bow & Bend Rooftop Instagram account surpassed 1,000 followers and proceeded to climb from there, now with over 3,000 followers. From coordinating this event, our team helped Element and Bow & Bend Rooftop build an outstanding brand awareness that resulted in a stellar public grand opening and a busy bar and lounge ever since.
At Worthington PR & Story, we are ready and eager to support our clients. No matter the occasion, we are prepared to rise to it. There’s no concept that’s too big or too small; we are here to guide our clients to success and ensure no detail gets lost in the planning.
Are you ready to plan your next big event? Contact our founder and president, Paula Worthington, at paula@worthingtonpr.com to learn how we can support your brand.
