Heading Down the Aisle For a Press Conference
By Joe Kelley, Media Relations Manager for CareSource
Joe Kelley, CareSource
My oldest daughter is planning her wedding for next summer to a young man we're pleased to have join the family. Since the engagement, I’ve done my best to stay on the sidelines of the planning process, only chiming in to offer friendly budget reminders. I’ve noticed, however, a striking similarity between what Mrs. Kelley and my daughter are planning and the work I’ve done for the last 30 years in the field of media relations. Particularly, when planning a press conference.
As the media relations manager at CareSource, a nationally recognized nonprofit health plan, I have the immense pleasure of working with a team of rock stars who are experts at planning events and sharing the CareSource story. We recently had the opportunity to announce a $13 million gift to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Dayton to break ground on a new facility that will triple the number of families they serve. It was the perfect opportunity to break the news and celebrate with a press conference. As my team and I approached this task, it felt as though my two worlds were meshing together as the steps of planning and developing both of these big days mirrored one another in more ways than one.
Book the Venue
Arguably one of the most important pieces of a press conference as well as a wedding is choosing the correct setting. Not only will it determine the mood of the event, but it can also visually support the story you plan to tell the cameras. Additional considerations include the distance for key attendees, parking, catering, seating, podiums, AV… even the ability to control the temperature of the room. Thought must be put into every detail in order to build a seamless experience for the speakers, attendees and reporters 𑁋 aka the couple, guests and vendors.
Plan out the Day
One of the best ways to spot holes in your plan for the big day is to create a Run of Show. More detailed than talking points, a Run of Show offers a minute by minute look at the speakers and script. This includes clearly outlining and defining information such as arrival times, the graphics/video that will be shown and any additional equipment like microphones that will be in use. Sharing this plan with your team well in advance also allows the opportunity to collaborate and improve the day while also ensuring you’re all on the same page. A word of caution 𑁋 be sure to practice good version control and assign one individual to be the keeper of the edits. Just as you would work with your planner and bring the whole party together for a rehearsal prior to the wedding, a Run of Show for the press conference helps to provide peace of mind that the big day can go off without a hitch.
Decide Who to Invite
There are three crucial groups of people who need to be at your press conference. The first would be your speakers. While your CEO certainly needs to take the stage at some point, is there someone who is affected by the announcements who could share first-hand experience about its impact? Next, the local leaders and those most influential to your news. Who do you want to give a front row seat to so that they can hear the exciting news in person? Last but not least, your reporters from print, broadcast, radio and maybe even nontraditional sources like social media influencers must be considered. Who has the viewers and readers you’re trying to reach? Who will add to the excitement of the event and make it memorable? All of these questions transfer over to my daughter’s process of building out her guest list. From extended family and childhood friends to college roommates and neighbors, my daughter is carefully crafting her list to ensure that all of our essential loved ones can be there to celebrate this special day.
An extra bit of advice 𑁋 don’t give too much away in the media advisory or when you call reporters to confirm their attendance. Strike a careful balance between enticing details and information that is better suited for the full press release you’ll distribute that day. This will help to make the day of experience well worth it for those who are truly invested in the news.
I would love to say “that’s all the information you need, now go and have a great press conference” but I’ve learned throughout my career that it takes a village. It takes a whole crew of professionals working together at the top of their game to pull off a successful press conference. Be sure to send those thank you cards to the people behind the scenes and celebrate each bit of coverage you earn. Maybe even with a little cake.