Don't Let Last Minute Changes Set You Up For Mistakes

Preparing for a press conference takes planning. If you're scripting everything that will be said, it also takes cooperation.

PR pros know it's best to get the details first and then script remarks. But what if your client is unsure of the details of what he wants to say? What if he's nailing down his details as you move closer to your drop-dead deadline?

Write the remarks, press release and fact sheets with blanks. Ask the client to fill in the blanks as you get closer to the press event.

Constant changes set you up for mistakes, misspellings or worse. The more you look at documents, the less you see. So tap someone outside the loop of writing to proof all documents.

If you prepare and proof as much as you can on your end, you'll be a little ahead of the game. But what if you have to stay flexible until the very last minute?

Ever seen the sign that says,”failure to be organized on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part?”

Don't let a client throw you into emergency mode. When you're prepared with everything except the small details the client can't seem decide on, you can always insert those details at the very last minute. It then boils down to a few fill-in-the-blanks.

That's another reason it's a good idea to do your press conference materials as word documents. It's easier to facilitate those last minute changes.

If you intend to have your press materials printed, failure of your client to plan, can constitute an emergency on your end.