Press Conferences

A way to reach as many journalists as possible

If you want to reach a great number of journalists at once, a press conference is the right way to do so. One of the most important requirements is that every journalist gets the same amount of information and attention during the press conference, no media gets “exclusive rights” to the story.

Preparation

Press conferences are live events. If something goes wrong or a statement gets misunderstood there is hardly a way to take it back. To make sure everything goes according to plan we look into all possible scenarios and critical questions about the product or the company that might get asked. We analyse not only the market and the competition but also the current media coverage on the subject being discussed at the press conference. We don’t measure success only by the number of attendees or reach but also by the general tonality of the media coverage.

Realization

In Germany, press conferences are not always the right choice though. German media headquarters and editorial departments are scattered all over the country. Therefore it rarely occurs that all important media houses are operating in the same city and thus can attend your local event.  Beyond that Germany is one of the countries with the biggest news competition – many journalists rarely have the time to personally attend events and press conferences in other cities.

Press conferences as a PR tool should be used wisely and at the right time. They make sense only when there is very important news to drop, within the limits of trade fairs or festivals or when someone famous takes part in the conference.

Alternatives

Well prepared virtual press conference or a video conference can be great alternatives for a classic press conference. Press events or in-house trade fairs where journalists can choose a more convenient time slot are often more reasonable. Furthermore, roadshows (visiting editorial departments) are of great benefit. Especially if you want to establish or maintain a good and long-term relationship to journalists.