Get more mileage from press conference dollars

PR pros explain how they reinvigorated press conferences for their clients

Although they’re an endangered species in the PR world, press conferences have a knack for outliving any predictions of their demise.

But as a vehicle for social networking, the press conference falls down on the job. A bunch of reporters sitting on fold-up chairs pretending to pay attention to the guy at the podium isn’t going to set the Interweb on fire.

Todd Pipitone, marketing coordinator for the Hillside Family of Agencies, a nonprofit serving New York State and headquartered in Rochester, hit this challenge head-on when he staged a March press conference about a large grant from a local bank foundation.

“The news conference was well received, with three of the local TV stations picking it up,” relates Pipitone. “I also pitched the story to the local business press with the hook of a feature story focusing on the kids that will be directly impacted by this announcement. After the successful press conference, and my pitch, I was wondering if there was anything else I could do to give this story legs.”

Extend the reach of the press conference