SECRETS OF A SUCCESSFUL PRESS CONFERENCE
SECRETS OF A SUCCESSFUL PRESS CONFERENCE
Why not? Lots of companies do and, lets face it, we have the most exciting news since well, our last exciting news.
We should push the boat out. Bubbly and Beluga
Why not?
Well, if you really do have some ground breaking news, like you can actually make nuclear fusion work, why not?
But if you havent, why bother!
A few phone calls, an email or two and a punchy press release should do the trick.
After all, contrary to some popular opinion, journalists arent all starving alcoholics. Theyll happily take a story on its merits without bibulous bribery or a memorable meal.
However, if you are determined you have something of considerable import to impart, then a press conference may be the way to go.
But youd better be sure its done to perfection!
And how do you go about that?
First, choose a date that doesnt clash with the inauguration of the US President, the UK Queens Speech or the Second Coming. And let your invited press know early. They do have a life outside your reason for living!
Second, find a venue that all the journalists you want present can get to quickly and easily.
Third, if you have samples of your product, make them available for inspection, evaluation and, hopefully, a bit of fun. Its very boring for press people to be told about something they cant handle or test. And can you blame them? Why should they take your word for anything? They are not in the business of puff promotion. Their argument would be if you want that, book some media space/time and pay for it!
Fourth, make sure that venue has all the communication facilities a media professional would need to file copy (very quickly, if necessary).
Fifth, treat all journalists equally. Dont fawn over the big boys/girls and ignore local or specialist hacks. They could very easily contribute much more effectively to your success than over pressured national and international journalists who might never turn up, or care!
Sixth, if you are going to have an all singing all dancing audio visual orgy, make sure someone puts the plugs in the right sockets!
Many a well intentioned press presentation has left journalists deeply unimpressed when a screen fails to display any information. Or when a microphone makes more noise than the person speaking into it. Or when a sexy piece of music never makes its way past the foreplay!
Embarrassing.
Seventh, make sure youve covered all the bases. The last thing you want is for a journalist to home in on the one weakness your product/service has and it will have and they will do, believe me leaving you wrong footed.
Make sure all your PR staff on the day are on the ball, totally informed, prepared for the worst and ready to sell your product, warts and all, confidently and with no apologies.
Which brings me to the eighth point make sure its the guests who get the goodies and not your PR staff.
Many a well intentioned event has fallen at the last post because the hosts have consumed more bubbly than the guests and, in the worst case scenario, forgotten the name of the product they are promoting!
If your press conference works well, journalists should go away enthused and root for you in their columns or TV/radio slots.
If you get it wrong, just expect a big bill for your ill fated efforts.
Over to you
SECRETS OF A SUCCESSFUL PRESS CONFERENCE - To learn more about this author, visit Gwynne Chipperfield's Website.
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Lets hold a press conference!
Why not? Lots of companies do and, lets face it, we have the most exciting news since well, our last exciting news.
We should push the boat out. Bubbly and Beluga
Why not?
Well, if you really do have some ground breaking news, like you can actually make nuclear fusion work, why not?
But if you havent, why bother!
A few phone calls, an email or two and a punchy press release should do the trick.
After all, contrary to some popular opinion, journalists arent all starving alcoholics. Theyll happily take a story on its merits without bibulous bribery or a memorable meal.
However, if you are determined you have something of considerable import to impart, then a press conference may be the way to go.
But youd better be sure its done to perfection!
And how do you go about that?
First, choose a date that doesnt clash with the inauguration of the US President, the UK Queens Speech or the Second Coming. And let your invited press know early. They do have a life outside your reason for living!
Second, find a venue that all the journalists you want present can get to quickly and easily.
Third, if you have samples of your product, make them available for inspection, evaluation and, hopefully, a bit of fun. Its very boring for press people to be told about something they cant handle or test. And can you blame them? Why should they take your word for anything? They are not in the business of puff promotion. Their argument would be if you want that, book some media space/time and pay for it!
Fourth, make sure that venue has all the communication facilities a media professional would need to file copy (very quickly, if necessary).
Fifth, treat all journalists equally. Dont fawn over the big boys/girls and ignore local or specialist hacks. They could very easily contribute much more effectively to your success than over pressured national and international journalists who might never turn up, or care!
Sixth, if you are going to have an all singing all dancing audio visual orgy, make sure someone puts the plugs in the right sockets!
Many a well intentioned press presentation has left journalists deeply unimpressed when a screen fails to display any information. Or when a microphone makes more noise than the person speaking into it. Or when a sexy piece of music never makes its way past the foreplay!
Embarrassing.
Seventh, make sure youve covered all the bases. The last thing you want is for a journalist to home in on the one weakness your product/service has and it will have and they will do, believe me leaving you wrong footed.
Make sure all your PR staff on the day are on the ball, totally informed, prepared for the worst and ready to sell your product, warts and all, confidently and with no apologies.
Which brings me to the eighth point make sure its the guests who get the goodies and not your PR staff.
Many a well intentioned event has fallen at the last post because the hosts have consumed more bubbly than the guests and, in the worst case scenario, forgotten the name of the product they are promoting!
If your press conference works well, journalists should go away enthused and root for you in their columns or TV/radio slots.
If you get it wrong, just expect a big bill for your ill fated efforts.
Over to you
SECRETS OF A SUCCESSFUL PRESS CONFERENCE - To learn more about this author, visit Gwynne Chipperfield's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals. Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nations Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
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Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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