Affordable Conference Will Talk Business Development, COVID-19 impact, and more. Organized by PRSA’s Independent Practitioners Alliance

Since I am chairing PRSA’s Independent Practitioner’s Alliance this year I thought I’d share this really exciting event with the readers of this blog since for the first time this event is open to non-PRSA members!  We’ve made it affordable enough for anyone interested to be able to participate!    

The impact of COVID-19 has led more public relations professionals to consider the opportunities of going solo. But unless you already have an MBA under your belt, you might not know what it takes to run your own business or how to get started which is why IPA is always developing programming like this to help people find their way.

Registration for the PRSA IPA 2020 VirtuCon – The Future of PR:  Leading and Transforming the Industry – is now open to anyone operating as or interested in becoming a solo public relations practitioner.  Designed specifically for the virtual setting, sessions will run between 20 and 45 minutes with a 10-minute musical intermission break. All registrants, including non PRSA members, will have access to the on-demand recording post-event.   

The half-day, virtual event, sponsored this year by Business Wire, is hosted annually by the Independent Practitioners Alliance (IPA) of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and will run from. Participants will spend the afternoon exploring:

• Impact of COVID-19 on the PR industry, with J.W. Arnold, APR, Fellow PRSA; president, PRDC
• Generating new business, with Jennifer Berson, founder, Jeneration PR
• Artificial intelligence strategies in public relations, with Martin Waxman, president, Martin Waxman Communications

IPA 2020 VirtuCon attendees also will get to hear from Museum of Public Relations founder Shelly Spector.

PRSA IPA Member: Free

PRSA Member: $35

Non-PRSA Member: $65, includes one-year IPA membership if join PRSA

Furloughed and Unemployed/underemployed Individuals: $15

About PRSA IPA

The VirtuCon event was created in 2017 as a way for indies to enjoy the benefits of a conference-like experience without the added burden of travel and lodging fees, as well as the intangible cost of “closing up shop” to attend. 

Established in 2003, the PRSA Independent Practitioners Alliance has almost 300 members, making it one of the fastest-growing sections within the professional organization. IPA offers its members a monthly webinar on a wide range of topics, from how to operate a business and creating client agreements to podcasting, work-life balance, and more.  IPA members also have access to an IPA-developed template library of client contracts, subcontractor agreements, editorial calendars, storytelling balance sheets, and other useful assets to help get started and grow their solo businesses.  To learn more about the value of IPA Membership visit our Section Web Page.