8.1 COMMUNICATION BEFORE YOUR EVENT
It is important to consider how you will communicate with people in the lead-up to your event. This can be achieved by conducting a stakeholder analysis which identifies:

• who you should speak to
• what you should speak to them about
• when you should speak to them
• how you will speak to them.

Who you need to speak to will depend on the nature of your event but could include:

• people who will be affected by the event e.g. local residents, businesses, motorists, churches, hotels, motels etc.
• approval bodies (see 4. Who should you talk to? and Appendix A)
• people you would like to attend your event
• suppliers and local media.

Developing a communications plan for all stakeholders will promote consistency in the event’s key messages. You should tailor the messages you send to ensure the group you are communicating with receives information that is important to them. Issues could include:

• transport arrangements (also see 10. Traffic and transport issues)
• special event clearways (also see 10. Traffic and transport issues)
• road closures (also see 10. Traffic and transport issues)
• parking facilities (also see 10. Traffic and transport issues)
• special arrangements, e.g. for people with a disability (also see 11. Accessibility)
• times the event will begin and end
• who to contact for more information about the event.

Establish when you need to speak to people—check deadlines for submitting documents, the amount of notice residents need about the event and so on.

You should also carefully consider how to reach the people you want to speak to. Some ways of communicating might include:

• a website
• publicity or advertising in local and other relevant media outlets
• letterbox drops
• posters/flyers/brochures
• letters to key community groups
• meetings with key community groups.

A website is an excellent resource tool for people to find out more about your event. It can also act as a simple call to action message on advertising material.

Be sure to use your local media effectively as this will increase your reach and ultimately your attendance at the event. Find out the most appropriate contact at your local newspaper and radio station to send media releases to. A media release should contain key information such as the event date, time and location, what the event is about and possibly a quote from your event spokesperson or organiser.

You could also approach your local newspaper and radio station to partner with your event by offering them co-branding in exchange for advertising space.

Running promotions in local media or shopping centres will also help spread the word about your event. Sponsors or stallholders might agree to donate a prize for a competition entered via your website, or entry could be by a form dropped in a box upon arrival at your event. 
                                                                                         

8.2 COMMUNICATION DURING YOUR EVENT

It is very important to consider how you will communicate with people at your event. This is particularly so if your event is over a large area or moves from one point to another (such as a parade).

You will need to have a plan for communication:

• between staff/volunteers/contractors/suppliers, etc. It may be preferable to use two-way radios as mobile phone signals can sometimes become blocked in crowded areas
• with emergency services (see 6. Safety and security). Ensure you have a list of who to contact in case of an emergency and establish how you will contact them, e.g. by two-way radio
• with people attending the event. Work out how you will provide essential information such as the location of facilities and where to take and collect lost children.

Some ways of communicating with people at your event could include:

• public address system (PA)
• portable message boards
• electronic variable message signs
• screens near the stage area or around the event
• other forms of signage
• information booths
• printed guides or programs.

If you are using two-way radios at your event it is a good idea to assign someone to keep a radio log of all key communication. A radio log records the messages relayed at your event. This information is vital if an emergency or crisis situation arises (see 6. Safety and security) and it also aids future planning for similar events.

It is also recommended that you brief all staff and volunteers on how to use the radios, change the battery and use correct radio protocols. 
                                                                                                                            

8.3 EVALUATING YOUR COMMUNICATION

It is important to set measurable objectives for all communications activity in order to identify the success or failure of your efforts.

In order to measure the success of your event you could use the following:

• attendance figures
• number of telephone calls received regarding the event
• positive/neutral media coverage
• number of articles across all target media
• number of competition entries
• website visits.

If you do set up a website, ask your web agent to supply traffic reports so you can ascertain when people viewed your site, what pages they visited and for how long they viewed them.

Further evaluation techniques could include comparing your peak visit times on the website against the communications or marketing activities that were conducted at the same time. This will indicate whether a particular element of your campaign was successful or not and will also assist you with future planning strategies (see also 17. Evaluating your event).

Capturing and recording event data is also important when reporting successes back to current and potential stakeholders, such as sponsors.