White-glove experiences: The secret to fostering trust and connection with media
The media landscape has shifted, and it’s time to adjust your strategy accordingly. Curating white-glove experiences, like media dinners, is a game-changer for capturing media attention, establishing trust and credibility, and fostering valuable relationships.
Let’s face it—there’s no replacement for the magic of in-person engagement. White-glove events provide the opportunity to have candid conversations with top-tier journalists and position yourself as a reliable source for future stories in a way that virtual meetings just can’t replicate. And reporters get exclusive access to both on and off-the-record discussions, helping them gain a deeper understanding of your company and the industry trends shaping their coverage. It’s a win-win.
When it comes to planning and executing these events, the Offleash team has it down to a science—with amazing results to show for it. Recently, we helped a client host a dinner at Acquerello in San Francisco, with an investor and reporters from Bloomberg, CNBC, Reuters, and other key publications. Cory Johnson from The Futurum Group also joined and ended up on Yahoo!Finance the next day mentioning our client and the dinner experience specifically.
Here are our top tips for ensuring your white-glove events offer maximum value and go off without a hitch.
Set an intention
It’s important to set a clear intention for your white-glove event or experience. Are you looking to create relationships with top-tier press? Share an early look at upcoming corporate news? Make the most of travel to media hot spots like San Francisco or NYC? Setting an intention and a goal for the event will inform your strategy regarding who needs to be there from both the client and the reporter side. It will also help determine the logistics of what makes the most sense for the audience—whether that’s a white-glove media dinner, a media panel, a wine tasting experience, exclusive tickets to a show or sporting event, etc.
Focus on what matters most
Remember that your white-glove experience itself likely won’t result in coverage—and that’s not the point anyways. Instead, use this opportunity to get to know reporters as people and as journalists: Learn where their interests lie both personally and professionally. Prioritizing genuine relationship-building can potentially lead to follow-on opportunities, like working with a journalist on a panel-moderating opportunity or meeting for an on-the-record discussion about something discussed at the event (that could eventually turn into coverage). These events aren’t just a one-and-done touchpoint: By focusing on relationship-building, your event could become a gift that keeps on giving.
Location, location, location
Reporters are busier than ever, and asking them to take time out of their packed schedules and lives to attend your event is no small request. Ensure your event is held in a location that’s easily accessible by rideshare services, and be sure to cover any transportation costs. For a truly white-glove experience, make attending as easy as possible for journalists—it should not only be a light lift, but also the most compelling choice for how they spend their evening.
Lean in to your network
Tap your network when creating your guest list. Whether it’s investors, customers, partners, or a combination of all of the above, creating an atmosphere that encourages discussion and thought requires more than just a single company spokesperson. Reporters are joining not only to speak with your company, but to gain insights that can support future stories or segments. Bringing together a collection of great minds leads to a more valuable and impactful experience for all.
Think like a wedding planner
It’s critical to carefully think through the logistics of the day, similar to how a wedding planner makes sure everything goes smoothly (this is where having a great PR partner is invaluable). Having someone on-site whose sole role is to keep the event on track and ensure that both your company and reporters get the most value from the event is essential. From start to finish, executing this well is key: This can range from reaching out to reporters that haven’t arrived yet, to confirming that dietary restrictions are incorporated in the menu, to making sure everyone makes it to their Uber or other transportation at the end of the event.
White-glove experiences are a powerful way to cut through the noise and build meaningful connections with media in an increasingly challenging landscape. By focusing on relationship-building, thoughtful planning, and creating memorable in-person moments, these events can position you as a trusted resource while providing reporters with valuable insights.
Reach out to info@offleashpr.com to learn how we can help your company host white-glove events that create a lasting impression and generate exciting opportunities for your business.