10 tips to guarantee a great press conference

How can you make your press conferences memorable? And how do you guarantee that they get lots of attention (without having to witness shoes flying at your executive’s head)?

Step 1: What’s the news?

Before you schedule a press conference, ask yourself: Do you have anything new to say? This sounds terribly obvious, but hundreds of press conferences are held every year so some corporate CEO can issue empty statements to the press. Don’t do this. You’ll lose credibility. Then, when you actually have news, no one will show up.

Step 2: Call ahead

Journalists are notorious no-shows at press conferences. Don’t be afraid to call reporters before the event to confirm that they’re coming. You can offer a few informational morsels as bait, but save the hard news until the press conference.

Step 3: Timing is crucial

Think about conducting a press conference during the holiday season, typically a slow period for news stories. You should also consider holding them in the morning or late afternoon. Mondays are poor choices as reporters will probably be catching up on weekend events.

Step 4: Prepare and practice