The tried-and-true press conference as we know has changed due to COVID-19, making way for virtual news conferences and the opportunity to expand your reach – if you do it right. Zoom and other tools offer a great way to get the media to pay attention to an important announcement.
The Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) Lake County Chapter welcomes Scott Westcott, Corporate Practice Leader of Turn Two Communications, who will present on best practices in hosting a virtual news conference. The virtual program will be held at noon on Dec. 16 via Zoom and is free for FPRA members and $10 for prospective members. Tickets can be obtained at the following link: http://bit.ly/FPRALakeVirtualNewser
Westcott has worked in a full range of editorial, communications and PR roles from his days as an award-winning journalist to serving as lead speechwriter for a Fortune 500 CEO. As principal of Westcott Writing & Communications, Westcott has provided content, strategy and PR services to a wide range of clients in the banking, insurance, high-tech, pharmaceutical, health-care, retail, employment services and publishing industries.
“On-site press conferences have always been labor-intensive, with the need to find the right location and proper supporting visuals, as well as making sure key players and the media get there in time. Then, of course, there are always weather considerations if the event is scheduled outside,” Westcott says. “Conversely, the logistics for a Zoom news conference are simple. We simply set up the meeting through our Zoom account, and sent the log-on link and call-in info as part of the press alert. We also did a quick run-of-show beforehand to make sure all participants knew the plan, looked good on-screen, and were comfortable with the technology.”