A press conference can be a big event for any company and should be taken seriously when it comes to planning a successful one. What is a press conference and what is the purpose of a press conference? We’re glad you asked. It is a meeting where the media makes an official announcement on behalf of a company. It is typically a way to announce a new service, product, business performance or discovery that a company has accomplished. 

How do you plan for a press conference?

1. Set Your Goals and Craft Your Message

First and foremost, you will want to set your goals and decide what you want to get out of this press conference. What do you want to say to the world and who are you speaking to specifically? Quite often, press conferences are in response to a public reaction, so it’s important that you take this opportunity to control the message and say exactly what it is you want to say. We always suggest writing an outline, and then feeling in the details with your thoughts. This will help give you a frame of reference, so you don’t miss any of your key talking points.

2. Choose a Venue

Next, you will want to choose a press conference venue. Make sure you choose a space that is large enough to accommodate the number of guests you want to attend. We recommend looking at indoor event spaces because you will want a venue that is quiet and doesn’t have a lot of foot traffic or outdoor noises. You will also want to ensure there are plenty of outlets and space for cameras, lighting, equipment and so forth, so that everything runs smoothly and according to plan. To be relevant, choose a location that is related to the press conference itself and what it’s about, rather than just searching press conference venues near me.

3. Send Out Invitations

Next you will make your list of media outlets you would like to be present at your press conference. You can do this by emailing out a press release or making it more personal with a phone call and following up with an email afterward. Reaching out to people from TV stations, newspapers, magazines, and digital publications is standard procedure for a press conference event.

4. Coordinate Operations

When the big day arrives, you will want to make sure you arrive early to help orchestrate and coordinate all operations of the event. You will want to have one point of contact who is monitoring people checking in, whether that is through a ticket, a digital sign in or pen and paper. This way you know those who are showing up are from accredited outlets. Make sure you have the proper amount of furniture such as chairs and tables & other venue amenities, and if you will be serving food, make sure there is plenty to go around, and it is all set up upon people arriving. To make your life easier, it may be best to hire event management services to help you coordinate all the moving parts.

5. Follow-Up with Thanks

Finally, you will want to go back over your sign-in sheet and decide who you’re going to send thank-yous to. Make sure you offer to answer and follow-up questions they may have and connect with them to establish new relationships. This is meant to end your event on a positive note. 

At Ovation Square, we have an excellent space perfect for hosting any press conference. We have multiple spaces within our venue depending on the size of the event and have a great team of event planning experts that will ensure your press conference is a success.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can Ovation Square help with crafting our message and what we want to say?
A: While you should already have a goal in mind, we are more than happy to pull our event planning team in to make sure the messaging surrounding your event is well crafted. 

Q: Is it better to hire event management services?
A: With an event like this, we suggest yes for your first time. We think with an event like this that you want to get right the first time around, hiring professionals will only add to your success. 

Q: If the press conference is due to negative attention, should I still follow-up to thank people?
A: We say yes. Regardless of the reason, people showed up for you to address something and try to take control of a situation. It’s important to manage those relationships afterwards.