When Oprah Winfrey took the witness stand in Amarillo, Texas, to defend her beef with the cattle industry, her PR counsel had no choice but to hold a press conference to answer the barrage of media inquiries about the case. In this instance, a well-executed press conference served a critical role in getting a message out quickly and clearly.
But for less, er, pressing announcements, the "one fell swoop" approach to media relations may not be the best strategy in terms of ROI. Same goes for sensitive issues.
"True, in some cases, [a press conference] can make your news appear more important if there are cameras and flashing lights," says David Margulies, president of Margulies Communications Group, the Dallas-based firm that handled Oprah's litigation PR. "But in most cases, if there's a problem you really want to show a reporter that you're a human being," he says. One-on-one meetings with the press tend to be less daunting - particularly for green CEOs or local elected officials who may not be used to life on the firing line.
Press conferences usually don't rank among reporters' preferred sources of dish, either. "A lot of times it's better to [target] a few select reporters and perhaps offer an exclusive. Nobody wants the same story that everybody else gets," says John Maxwell Hamilton, dean at the Louisiana State University Manship School of Mass Communication. Journalists hate asking questions in a fishbowl because it clues the competition into the angle they're taking.
Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. Sometimes the simple act of drawing a crowd can generate excitement around hot news - such as a city's announcement to build a new stadium, or a company's plans to enter a mega-merger. But the keyword is hot. "No amount of publicity-making will make a story newsworthy if it isn't," says George Tamerlani, senior producer for Reuters TV in Washington, DC. "Chances are if it's news, we'll find you."
If you decide to go ahead with your press conference, the experts offer some tips:
- Remember the photographers and camera crews. Attention to logistical details may influence whether or not your story gets ink or reaches the air, Tamerlani says. Common mistakes? Making important announcements "in a room no bigger than a broom closet" or placing the CEO is in front of a sunny window that causes glare.
- Timing is key. "If you're the president of the U.S. and you just decided to bomb Iraq, you can hold a press conference at 9 p.m. and people will come," Maxwell says. Otherwise, shoot for normal business hours, and don't start anything before 10 a.m. to give camera crews time to set up. If your news is slightly soft, release the scoop early in the week. By Thursday, "things have escalated and people are gearing up for the weekend," Margulies says. Weekends are slower news days, but your chances of getting coverage then are slimmer because networks and newspapers only have skeleton crews on the street.
- Look for tie-ins. If your news coincides with a major event or trend, time the announcement accordingly. Last year Margulies' firm issued research findings about compulsive gambling just prior to Superbowl weekend - the busiest gambling season of the year. The announcement was made by the president of a state government agency, "but we also had compulsive gamblers on hand who reporters could also interview," he says.
- Leverage with location. Photographers and cameramen cringe at the thought of shooting grin-and-grabs inside stuffy hotel conference rooms. Margulies recalls a steel company's recent announcement that it won an EPA award. "It was kind of a sleeper, but they invited the media to their plant for a tour. It made great video because there were sparks flying everywhere."
- Brief the press in advance. Reporters can'tjust show up and start asking questions if they know nothing about the issue at hand. If possible, don't wait until the day of the event to share background information.
- Measure outcomes, not numbers. Don't quantify media by the ton, Margulies says. Instead, gauge whether you've met your goals. When Mrs Bairds Bakeries held a news conference in San Antonio because it needed to hire more workers, the question wasn't "how much news coverage did it generate?" It was "Did they get more employees?" he says. "The answer was yes. A lot of people called the Texas Employment Commission in resonse to what they saw. A couple of key reporters showed up and that's really all we needed to get the word out."
The good news about press conferences is they don't have to be expensive. A basic room, microphone and podium at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. goes for around $400. Add on AV equipment for presentations, an in-house camera crew for Webcasting and some complimentary beverages and the price tag maxes out around $3,000.
Of course, prices vary by market. But top dollar won't buy you good media coverage or help you meet your goals. Strategic planning will.
(Margulies, 214/368-0909; Hamilton, 225/388-2002; Reuters, 212/859-1600)