How to run political events - top tips

CIPR Public Affairs Group Chair David Boot offers advice on how to run effective political events.

We’ve all been involved in political events of some kind. From hosting to attending, they are an important part of public affairs. When part of putting on a good show, what should you be thinking about? Here are my top tips:

Think about your why: Be clear on what your purpose is. Is it to get MPs signed up for a campaign, to educate, increase your network or to provide an outlet for angry MPs? Whatever it is, be clear on your ‘why’ as this will set out what type of event it is.

Start early: Events take time to plan. With limited capacity in parliament and at party conferences, start thinking early, planning as soon as you can and thinking about bagging speakers before others.

Early buy-in: Get buy-in from senior leaders in your organisation for attendance and, crucially, to understand why it is worth spending money on it. Be armed with your why. 

Too many cooks: Holding an event with partners is great when your aims align. However, be aware of when they don’t, and tactfully manage relationships. It might be the thing you don’t want to mention is exactly the thing your partner organisation wants to talk about. Have a defined objective, rooted in your own why. 

Think about comfort: Long speeches at a reception, keeping people standing in one place and unable to get drinks/food, is a no-no. Often this involves careful management within an organisation. For example, do the CEO and chair both need speaking parts? Tact is often required.

Be nimble: Ministers will invariably be late. Be ready to shift speeches in a reception or the running order at a panel event. Be in constant contact with venue catering too - you don’t want canapés coming out when the minister is just getting started!

Same old, same old: The basis of political events - speeches followed by drinks, or a panel debate including an audience Q&A - has been around for a long time. That’s ok. Don’t feel you need to have an innovative format. Remember, the interest is in the content, the speakers and the attendees.

Badgering works: Keep ringing around MPs’ offices and calling individuals invited to speak. Persistence often pays off. Factor in time for this and see each interaction as a positive – after all, it’s still engagement with MPs, peers and ministerial private offices. 

Enough bodies: Remember to have enough team members with allocated roles, such as manning a reception desk, shepherding your CEO and liaising with the venue. Don’t underestimate the number of people you need and be clear on roles. An event WhatsApp for day-to-day interactions is a must.

Man marking: If you have VIPs coming, think about who they should talk to. It might be a VIP with a background in engineering, and you have a director particularly suited to engaging in chit-chat. Past interactions and relationships are also helpful to know about and to build on. 

Ready for the close-ups: If you want MPs to show support - holding up a message, for example - make sure you have great photos. This is especially important for social media. Give clear asks of those attending and encourage them to do more.

Yes, no, maybe: The very act of inviting people to an event is important. The enthusiastic attendees, the ‘Never-in-a-million-years’ types and the surprise pop-in guests all add richness to your stakeholder map. And for those who would have loved to attend but are elsewhere, take them at their word - what other engagement can you suggest? A one-to-one? A constituency visit? Even the act of saying no can be helpful. A follow-up ‘Thank you/ Sorry you couldn’t attend’ is the final action, but potentially a useful one to keep building those relationships.

Events are a useful public affairs engagement tool. Used wisely, these are often part of a successful strategy. Competition can be fierce, but good organisation, clarity of purpose and a great deal of effort can deliver the event you need.