Today, the events industry is a big business in its own right and not necessarily an integral part of PR, as it has previously been. Though marketing still finds value in events, many brands are cutting back on targeted gatherings in favour of social media, newsletters and ads. But, now and again, an event does pop up in the local area and we think that it’s important to attend….

Last night, the JAM team attended the launch of Bierkeller’s new cocktail menu in The Printworks. The room was full of customers, the canapés were delicious and the drinks were flowing (we’re not turning down a free drink after all!)

Although we were there to show our support and just have a good time, we found ourselves chatting to a mix of people from various businesses across Manchester.

Networking cannot be underestimated! Although interaction largely takes place over the phone or on email nowadays, events give PRs an effective platform to establish better working relationships with business owners, customers and journalists. Relationship marketing is ultimately created from shared experiences.

Live events also give those in attendance a better understanding of the brand’s messaging, so if you do end up talking to a journalist about the business in the future, you’ll have the insider knowledge and know exactly what you’re on about.

There was also a videographer and photographer at the evening, capturing high quality images. Many people think that PR is about press releases, text and words — which, to a certain extent it is. However, the importance of images will always be equally important.

So, next time you decide to go home after a hard day of work (we know how tempting this is) rather than attending an event you have been invited to, remember that you can use events wisely to establish new relationships and build upon existing ones. It makes the job of a PR much easier in the long run.

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Words by Anna Pickard