As social media brand campaigns and live streaming continue to evolve into the norm, it may seem as though the traditional press conference is no longer needed, but that is far from the truth. When it comes to crafting a specific message to benefit your credibility, image and brand, there’s nothing like a press conference to help you accurately guide the narrative and highlight your company’s true mission. The question is, when is it appropriate to hold a press conference and what are its risks and potential benefits?

What is a press conference?

A press conference is an organized meeting for the media. It gives brands or individuals the opportunity to share information, make an announcement and answer questions, all in one shot.

When should you hold a press conference?

A public relations press conference is a great way to bring attention to special news that might be of interest to a broad swath of local, regional or national media, including print, broadcast and online outlets. Examples include a new headquarters or plant that creates new local jobs, a lawsuit with a compelling backstory, company, organization, property, government official or agency, an investigation, indictment, land use or business dispute, allegations of criminal activities, responses to controversies involving your company, key executives or products, safety issues, employees or unions and major incidents with injuries or fatalities or crime.

Essentially, a press conference can be appropriate whether your company is celebrating or conducting damage control. If you’re facing bad press, you can use a news conference to help separate fact from fiction to ensure that your message is consistently and accurately communicated to the public. Press conferences help combat gossip and alternative facts that have become increasingly prevalent in the age of social media.

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The “dot com” industry has been very competitive and Boardroom’s media savvy and persistence cut through the clutter and got our company featured in the national media, including the Nightly Business Report. Boardroom really delivers.

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CEO, Setnor Byer Insurance & Risk

We have seen terrific results through our partnership with BoardroomPR and their corporate culture has made it amazingly easy for every member of our team to engage them. BoardroomPR has put the “personal results” back in public relations.

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President & CEO Associated Builders and Contractors

Julie and the BoardroomPR team are very skilled at delivering fabulous Media coverage nationally, locally, and in the fashion blogs and trades. We love their creativity, drive, energy and enthusiasm. We highly recommend them for publicity.

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International Fashion Designer

Boardroom promised us results and they delivered. The Wall Street Journal’s front page, Forbes, CNN, and NBC  are just a few examples. Boardroom’s media experts spoiled us.  They also helped us successfully launch Equilibrix, our email marketing company.

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President, SelectJOBS.com and Equilibrix

We turned to BoardroomPR to help us drive awareness and branding throughout South and Central Florida and the Gulf Coast. Working with them is easy. They know their craft and ask the right questions to develop story lines that generated exposure throughout Florida and the industry.

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Marketing Director, EASTERN FINANCIAL CREDIT UNION

When we looked to partner with a public relations firm more than 15 years ago, we chose BoardroomPR because they understood our business and vision. Their strategic and thoughtful approach to our PR campaign has helped us build our brand, locally and nationally.

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Ruth Cyrus, VP Marketing, Oasis Outsourcing

BoardroomPR did an excellent job of getting our name out into the community. I was very pleased with their services and highly recommend them.

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General Agent, DBS Financial / Mass Mutual

BoardroomPR worked as our strategic marketing department to transform our social media, get us in the news and launch a  influencer campaign that has grown audience and engagement. The team was always on top of the game, coming up with creative ideas to promote PoolCandy and get us results, getting featured on multiple Top 10 lists.

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President, PoolCandy

e-Builder enjoys a successful partnership with the BoardroomPR team. They’ve done an incredible job getting the word out about e-Builder, both locally and nationally, as an innovative, fast-growing technology company in South Florida. What we like most is that they are so responsive to our needs and requests.

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President and CEO, e-Builder

Keyes has partnered with BoardroomPR for over 7 years. We started with them to promote the rebranding of a 93-year-old brokerage that needed publicity as the largest family-owned brokerage in Florida. Don, Eric, and Daniel have been part of our team since then, bringing eyes to our company, leadership, realtors and thought leaders in the industry. Just over a year ago we added their social media management and video creation service, and Veronika has absolutely transformed our platforms.

- Aaron Fisk

Keyes Company

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Who should attend?

Your invitation list depends on the goal of your press conference. If you are looking for news coverage, then you want to alert media such as TV and newspapers. If you are holding an industry-specific event, invite the proper publications. This is where our experienced South Florida public relations team becomes critical. We are able to leverage our extensive contacts and relationships across multiple industries to bring together the audience you need. Our team has the respect of top media outlets, key industry editors and thought leaders and the major wire services and online portals. In addition to these press outlets, you should also consider inviting cultural and political influencers.

How should I promote my press conference?

Leave it to the PR pros, trusted practitioners who have the experience, team, and contacts to make the biggest splash while evaluating and mitigating risks. We know the proper steps to get media attention. We begin by issuing a press release at least a few days before the conference. That’s followed by a media alert the day before and day of; the streamlined advisory answers the who-what-where-when questions and explains why it is important to attend. The professionals may recommend distributing an announcement via a national newswire such as PRNewswire, Business Wire, Access Wire, or PR Web to reach the largest possible local and national audience. This should be used as a supplementary tool. Finally, we employ arguably our most important step, picking up the phone beforehand, the day of and after the press conference to maximize attendance and news coverage.

How should I prepare my press conference participants?

We make sure you are ready for what is about to happen. We will make sure to explain the process and how everything will work, down to what to wear and where to stand. If the you will be taking questions from reporters, you may want to practice and review answers. Always let us know if there is anything negative that could come up, so everyone can be prepared. As a PR professional, we do the research necessary before putting you in front of the media.

How can I minimize risks associated with conducting a press conference?

Planning is key. As Public Relations professionals, we have a checklist to take care of simple but important matters such as checking the audio and video situation beforehand. We review the size of the location to ensure that there is enough room for everyone who is attending. We also make sure participants know how to end the press conference if they feel as though it is going too long or they are not comfortable answering questions. Our experienced staff will make sure everything is ready to go as planned and will intervene if things go south.

What makes a press conference successful?

Organization. Public Relations professionals make sure you are clear on the time, place, and any logistical details that those attending will need to know. We have the answers to all of your questions, from “Where should people park?” to “Will news outlets need to string cable?”. We help you make the point of your press conference clear and expectations manageable. For example, if it is a fundraiser with a famous attendee don’t promise an interview with that A-lister unless you are positive you can deliver.

Should social media be part of the press conference?

Social media can be your friend. Live streaming gives you the ability to share messages nationally and instantly. Years ago, local media had to send video to affiliates once the footage was back in-house. Now, we stream press conferences live on social media, giving national media and publications the opportunity to get your message out there immediately.