By developing your key messages in advance, you can express a consistent message throughout your conference. Key messages that can be reused in press releases, media alerts, emails, and other communications are:

• Key talking points
• Two-sentence description (known as an elevator pitch)
• Conference summary (one or two paragraphs)
• IEEE boilerplate text
• Expert source sheets

You may prepare several press releases for your conference. Most conferences distribute:

• Press release announcing the call for papers
• Press release about the conference
• Tip sheet to highlight significant papers
• Post-conference press release
• Photographs for placement with press releases

You can make it easier for journalists and editors to publicize your conference by providing well-written press releases, photographs, and tip sheets.

• Start with the key point.
• Write in the active voice.
• Keep sentences short and simple.
• Avoid technical jargon and IEEE acronyms.
• Use facts, not hyperbole.

Journalists and editors are more likely to be interested if your news is relevant and timely. Get to know what kinds of stories they publish, and provide them with your information that would be relevant to their audience. During the conference, you should provide:

• Free conference attendance
• Copies of the proceedings
• A link to the press kit on the conference website
• A press room on site

Social media is an important way to promote your conference. Some popular social media sites are Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia, and LinkedIn. To use social media, you need to:

• Identify the right social media platform for your audience
• Plan your content and frequency of updates
• Build the page, create messages, or develop a following
• Monitor the site for new followers and comments

IEEE is ready to help. If you have questions about using publicity and social media, please contact IEEE MCE at ieee-mce@ieee.org.

Do you have other questions about organizing a conference? Please see IEEE Conference Organizer Contacts.

Do you have feedback on the information on this page?

• Is there missing or incorrect information?
• Do you have a tip to share?

Please send your feedback to ieee-mce@ieee.org.