Convince Your Boss

Your Guide to Making the Case

As the premier professional development conference of the year for the public relations and communications industry, the PR & Comms Summit is the place to be this August. Designed to expand your perspective and strengthen your strategic edge, the Summit delivers forward-looking insights, real-world strategies and fresh perspectives from marketing and comms leaders across the industry.

Here are resources and ways you can help make the case to your employer about sending you the PR & Comms Summit on August 9 – 12, 2026 at the Omni Resort Orlando at ChampionsGate.

 

Employer ROI Value

 

Employer Letter Template

Five Steps to Convincing Your Boss

Step 1: Let your boss know that now is the best time to register. Prices won’t get any lower than today. Standard prices take effect May 4.

Step 2: Review the 2026 program to find sessions that resonate with the challenges your organization may be facing, the skills you know you want to improve upon or the specific speakers you want to hear from. See how you can align your companies goals to what you’ll learn.

Step 3: Prepare for common objections and be ready to confidently answer questions with facts, numbers and proof. 

Step 4: Once you’ve done your homework and prepared your case, customize the template letter and share it with your manager.

Step 5: Alert your boss of key dates. Our special hotel room rate ($175 per night, plus tax) is available through July 17, 2026 or until the block sells out.

Objections we missed? Need more help? Email State@FPRA.org. We’re happy to help!

Answer Common Objectives with Confidence

Objection #1: “The PR & Comms Summit is too expensive.”
Response:
It’s important to weigh the cost of attending against the cost of falling behind. Consider what could be lost if we’re not keeping up with shifts in the communications industry—whether that’s emerging tools like AI, evolving media landscapes or new audience behaviors [or whatever is most relevant to your organization’s goals].
You can also highlight the significant value of building a professional network. The Summit brings together communicators across industries, creating connections you can lean on when facing future challenges (for example, crisis response, campaign strategy, measurement, etc.).

Objection #2: “It’s just another conference with big ideas and no real application.”
Response:
The PR & Comms Summit is designed specifically for communications professionals across industries, with sessions led by experienced practitioners—not just theorists. These are professionals actively doing the work, sharing what’s working now and how to apply it.
The focus is on providing attendees practical takeaways that can be brought back and implemented, whether it’s improving media outreach strategies, strengthening campaigns or refining how to measure impact [or whatever is most relevant to your organization’s goals].

Objection #3: “It’s too much time away from work.”
Response:
I’ve planned ahead to ensure my responsibilities are covered while I’m away. The PR & Comms Summit is a focused, short-term investment of time and a form of professional development that directly supports my role.
While I’ll be physically away from the office, I can monitor and respond in the event there is an emergency. The PR & Comms Summit has time built in between sessions to check emails and make calls, and there are attendees who do certainly take advantage of that while still managing networking and learning. 
However, stepping away from the office briefly to focus on learning, refocusing and gaining new perspective will allow me to return with more efficient strategies, stronger ideas, and a clearer path forward for our work.

Objection #4: “You can learn the same content from webinars or articles.”
Response:
While webinars and articles are useful, they don’t offer the same level of engagement or depth. The PR & Comms Summit provides direct access to speakers, real-time discussions and the ability to ask specific questions relevant to public relations and communications.
Equally important is the opportunity to connect with other professionals facing similar challenges. Those conversations — both structured and informal — often lead to insights that can’t be replicated in a virtual format. These conversations also help develop relationships that can last years and offer a network of people to call upon should I ever need assistance or advice.