TGPR, California Poison Control press briefing; June 2012
Tellem Grody PR did a rattlesnake awareness press conference briefing with our client California Poison Control recently and virtually every TV station showed up. Thinking about doing one of these yourself? Here’s what you need to know:
TV trucks roll to LA Zoo and begin to set up their equipment
- TV cameras need visuals not just talking heads. We coordinated with the zoo to make sure live rattlesnakes were available to shoot in addition to the experts.
- Make sure your expert has key message points i.e.: Should you suck a rattlesnake bite? No!!! Should you go right to the hospital? Yes!!!
- Location. Location. Location. It works in real estate and it works in getting media out to your briefing. Do not hold a press event two hours from the nearest TV station unless you have just captured someone from “America’s Most Wanted.”
- Have handouts ready for media with names, titles and other pertinent information about the event. Sometimes there is no reporter, just a camera guy. He’ll need to bring this back to the station.
- Keep it short - with cutbacks in media, there is little time for chit chat.
- Call it a briefing not a press conference. Almost nothing is that important. You are really just briefing the press on a subject.
- Mondays and Fridays are generally bad for briefings unless your news just cannot wait. Mornings are better unless you want to shoot for a live shot at noon news for example.
Do you think we are missing any tips for our readers? Add yours in the comment section below!
-Susan, TGPR
