Knowing how to make the most of it requires a well-planned strategy that translates into success for the brand.
One of the most effective and essential tools for announcing important news is the press conference.
A press conference isn't the only way to give journalists a story, which is why it shouldn't be overused — save it for high-impact announcements.
This format covers a matter of public interest, whether intellectual, political, business, technological, sports, or of any kind. It allows doubts to be cleared up and gives a more thorough, interpretive explanation from the spokesperson.
To pull off a successful event, keep in mind a checklist of basic steps.
Put together an information package with the event's press release, company information, a fact sheet on the product or service being announced, statistics, images and contact information. It's a good idea to hand it out in printed form so journalists can review it when they arrive at the event, and also provide a digital copy to make writing the story and handling supporting photos easier.
To keep control over how the event unfolds, it's essential to have a program or schedule. Include, in order of hierarchy, each spokesperson's appearance, full names, titles and the name of their talk; the Q&A session; and also any recognitions, if there are any.
Make sure to bring a photo camera, a video camera and an audio recorder to the press conference, so you'll have an audiovisual record of the whole event in case a media outlet asks you for a photo, video or audio of your spokesperson's appearance.
It's important to have a form with the full details of the journalists who confirmed their attendance. For those who didn't confirm, it's always necessary to have a blank form so that, before entering the conference room, they can fill in their contact information and which outlet they're with. This gives you better attendance tracking and a much more complete media database for your next event.
Punctuality is synonymous with respect. Nothing is more pleasant than starting on time and sticking to the scheduled time for the talk, both for the spokesperson and for journalists. Remember that journalists have a schedule of assignments to keep, and just as we like punctual attendance, it's also good to show that we run a well-structured program.
At the end of the press conference, it's recommended to give interested journalists a maximum of three to five minutes to ask their questions, to keep the Q&A orderly.
Once the press conference is over, don't forget to send the press release and multimedia material to the media outlets that didn't attend, and to attendees who request it, along with all the necessary documentation of what the spokesperson presented.
A gift always goes over well, and it's also the best way to thank journalists for covering your event. Consider giving out, at the end of your event, some useful item that makes your guest's job easier — it can subtly carry a brand mention.
There are different moments in a press conference that need careful handling to properly communicate the topic. Keeping order for both the spokesperson's work and the press's is essential to succeeding.