Most planners who call to tell me about events know the deal. We come in at the beginning of the event, we look at the venue, the décor and the centerpieces, check out the lighting, listen to the music, watch the entertainment and so on. We snap photos throughout the event, capturing those must-see style moments to share with the entire Florida event community. At BiZBashFla, we don't concern ourselves with who was there; we care about who planned and executed the event and what it was that made it great. But in order to do that, there are certain things we need from you, so that we can do our jobs properly. In return, we will provide accurate and exciting coverage of your event. So, with that said, help us help you. Here's what it takes:
• Tell us about upcoming events. If you don't tell us about your event, we can't cover it. We don't know everything and we look to you to inform us. The people who receive coverage are good at letting us know. Pick up the phone, shoot us an email or fax us. We want to cover everyone—just clue us in.
• Tell us about your event in a timely fashion. Yes, we live to cover events—that's what we do. But please give us as much advance notice as possible. If you call us at 4 PM on Friday and tell us about this killer event you're doing-and it starts at 7 PM on that same Friday—don't be surprised or upset if we already have plans. Chances are good we'll be covering other events.
• Be sure no one will be upset if the media is attending. Prior to the event, let your co-planners, committee members and whom ever else may need to know that you have invited us. Tell them what we do and how we do it. We want to see what you do—but if everyone isn't on the same page it can be stressful.
• Let us in and let us stay. There have been events that we were invited to and when we get there, no one's ever heard of us, our names aren't at the door, we can't find you and we can't get in. If we do get in, it's too late or it's for a short period of time before we're asked to leave. If we cannot absorb the true spirit of the event, as Seinfeld's soup Nazi might say, "No coverage for you."
• If you know we'll only be able to stay for a little while, tell us in advance. We understand that some events are exclusive and that media is only invited for a finite period of time. That's fine—just let us know beforehand.
• Let us dress our best. If you know that the event is black-tie or a certain theme and you'd like us to dress the part, let us know. We like to show up attire-appropriate. It enables us to blend into the crowd and allows us to do our job without interruption.
• Provide accurate information. This is a big one. We can only report on what we see and what we're told. So, when we send an event coverage form or ask about which vendors were responsible for what, please answer as completely and accurately as possible. We need your assistance in properly documenting the event.
• Expect objective and truthful coverage. When we report on an event, we go, we observe and we write it up the way we see it. We never mean to offend, but we will be truthful at all times. We do not give preferential treatment to advertisers. Editorial integrity is very important to the staff at BiZBashFla. Without it, our credibility is lost.
—Shari Lynn Rothstein
KEEP THOSE EVENTS COMING
We're always on a quest to find and report the best industry information, event style, trends and ideas. Call us at 305.893.8771 or send your email submissions to [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected]
