What if we bring everyone into the same room?
PR Coffee Hour already existed as a space where students and early-career professionals could connect with PR and communications professionals, learn from their experiences and ask questions.
But on December 10th, we're taking it a step further. For the first time, we're turning PR Coffee Hour from individual online sessions into a full event day. That's where my part in PR Coffee Hour Day comes in. While my teammate and my mentor are organising two online sessions, I'm taking on the in-person roundtable session in Budapest this December, bringing the conversations into one room.
And while online sessions are a great way to connect with professionals from anywhere, there's something different about being in the same room as someone. The spontaneous conversations, the connections and the small chitchats that happen when a session ends.
From an idea to an actual event
I wanted the roundtable to feel like more than another event where people show up, listen and leave.
So I started by understanding who we wanted to bring together, what they were looking for and how we could make the experience valuable to them.
I worked on the audience research, situational analysis, SWOT, objectives and overall event strategy, before moving into the creative and practical side of things.
From exploring venues and university collaborations to reaching out to speakers, shaping the event's theme and creating visuals and promotional designs.
When things don't go as planned
If there's one thing this experience has taught me, it's that plans can change at any moment.
What started as a November event moved to December. Guest speakers cancelled, schedules didn't always align and just when I thought something was finally sorted, another detail needed attention.
There were plenty of emails, follow-ups and moments of having to rethink things and starting over.
It's been a real lesson in staying flexible, finding alternatives and balancing the creative side of event planning with everything happening behind the scenes.
More than just an event
The roundtable is still in the works, but seeing everything come together, from the first research slides to the creative designs and event planning, has been incredibly rewarding.
Because getting people into a room is one thing. Giving them a reason to connect and come back is another.
And that's exactly what I'm hoping to achieve.
