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Press conference 101: Ensuring media success

March 13, 2015

In advance of the largest oil and gas trade show in the world, we’ve been busy helping clients prepare for press conferences where they’ll provide industry insights, launch new technologies and speak about industry trends. With a potential audience of more than 75,000 attendees, Paige PR’s goal is to make sure our clients’ press conferences go off without a hitch. Here are a few tips when coordinating a press conference.

  1. Identify your key messages and stick to them. If you’re launching a new product and want to make sure you emphasize that it reduces or eliminates non-productive time, enhances operational safety, etc., then routinely drive home those messages in your presentation. Don’t be afraid to repeat key information. You want the media to remember those key points.
  2. Doing more is less in a presentation. If the company CEO or other executive chooses to speak, let them speak. Presentations and video animations explaining a process are a great support tool; however, no one wants to watch someone read words off of a powerpoint slide. An engaging speaker is far more dynamic than a dull presentation.
  3. Keep speakers to a minimum. The purposes of a press conference is to present news to all media at once, rather than communicate messages individually. Arrange for presentations and speakers to keep it short and simple, talking 15-20 minutes of the press conference. Allow plenty of time for follow up Q&A.
  4. Provide a press kit or key takeaway for media in attendance. Want to guarantee coverage? Be sure and provide all information to media. By leaving information at their fingertips, reporters and journalists will have everything they need to cover your news. That includes logos, videos, press releases, case studies, etc.
  5. Follow up after the press conference. Don’t be afraid to follow up with the reporters in attendance and confirm if/when you’ll be receiving editorial coverage. And if they’re missing information, be sure and follow up to help complete their article.

For further information on facilitating a press conference during OTC, please email us.