The Press Conference: How To Do It Right

By Gloria

Experts become widely known when they make original contributions to their field through ideas, discoveries, mergers and partnerships, and innovative products and services. A major breakthrough may be worthy of announcing at a press conference.

A press conference is one of the best ways to get the word out when you want to provide the same information to all media at the same time. Other methods include setting up a TV satellite tour or sending a news release over the wire. All news releases distributed by PR Newswire , for instance, are delivered directly to newspapers; national news services, such as The Associated Press, Dow Jones, and Reuters; trade publications; broadcast newsrooms; and thousands of Web sites, databases and online services, such as Yahoo!, MSN.com and AOL.com.

The Embargoed Press Release

An embargoed press release is the traditional tactic used by PR professionals to inform the media of upcoming news, while still keeping the announcement confidential to the public until the exact day and time of the press conference.

Date, Time and Place

Choose your date, time and place as much in advance as is feasible.

• Date: Make sure that your press conference does not compete with other major events in your area.


• Time: Mid-mornings are a preferable time slot for press conferences, as it gives media people plenty of time to meet their deadlines.


• Place: Choose a location accessible to satellite vans and a room large enough for multiple television cameras. The room should have tables, chairs and plenty of electrical outlets. If you hold the press conference on your own premises, determine any media tours, off-limit areas, and photo opportunities ahead of time.

Format

• Your list of invitees may include media professionals, bloggers and VIPs.


• Send each a media alert and follow up with a phone call to determine how many will actually attend.


• Coffee, tea, water and light refreshments are always appreciated.


• The format should follow the generally accepted order of a formal statement followed by question-and-answer.


• Consider having industry leaders or political figures give opening remarks, which signals a higher level of importance to the media and the public.


• After the press conference is over, provide a press release and background material to all attendees, as well as those who could not make it.