A press conference provides an opportunity to get coverage for your products or services on television, radio and in the papers in Nigeria. However, in order to be successful, press conferences must be well-organized and present newsworthy information.
Just to clarify, advertising is the paid promotion of goods and services. Advertising is an outlet for your creative message. Advertising is about reaching consumers. While reaching consumers is important, the message that’s delivered to those consumers is what makes them wish to do business with you instead of your competition. A good press conference will guarantee that with style.
Advertising is reaching consumers. Marketing is communicating with consumers. We shouldn’t be having conversations about just how to reach searchers and serve ads to them. Instead, we should be having conversations about how to connect with consumers once they have seen the advertisements.
A press conference provides that platform for you to be interviewed about your products or services, an avenue for you to share the uniqueness of your product or services. A press conference launches you into the media and limelight in a short because it put a face behind the brand. People tends to trust a brand that has faces behind it.
Here are some factors to consider when planning a Press Conference in Nigeria
Make News:
You will need to provide new and interesting information at your press conference. You should talk about how you intend to impact the community with your product or services. Let it look like you’ve already identified some problems, what do you intend to do about it and what expanding solutions are you adopting.
Location:
Your location should be easy for the media to access. You should think about the backdrop for television cameras—and about potential weather concerns if you are considering using an outside location. The backdrop will also serve as extra publicity for you because it will likely stay for the duration of any speech.
Timing:
Timing is very important for press conferences. Make sure that there are no other events happening at the time of your event. Is the President or Governor giving a big speech? Is there a protest planned that day? The best days of the week for coverage are Tuesday through Thursday. Press conferences work best in the mornings and early afternoons so that reporters can meet their deadlines.
Breaking news:
You can have the best-organized press event in the world – and something major can happen and your story won't get covered as everyone rushes to cover this other "breaking" news. Don't get discouraged if this happens. Try to reschedule your event or reach out to journalists on a one-on-one basis to generate a few stories in the days to come.
Program, Publicity and Logistics you will have to Consider
Inviting an audience:
In order to attract an audience for your press conference, you will need to get your partner organizations (Media Agency in Charge of your Advertising Campaign) to mail or email details about the event to their membership lists and encourage them to attend. You can also consider inviting potential clientele to your press conference.
Inviting policymakers:
If you want to invite local policymakers to attend or speak at your press conference, you should send them an invitation as early as possible. You should follow-up with a phone call.
Inviting media:
To invite media to your press conference, you should contact local journalists who are interested in advertising news, business and political and statehouse reporters. Make sure your media list includes television, radio and print reporters. You should send them a media advisory a few days before the event and then follow-up with a phone call.
Set-up:
The set-up for a press conference should include a podium and a microphone for the speakers to use when delivering their comments. Depending on your venue, you can provide chairs for the audience or they can stand. If your press conference is indoors, remember to leave space for television cameras at the back of the room.
Sign in:
You should have a sign-in table where you can welcome the media and have them fill out a sign-in sheet with their information. This sheet will help you track which media outlets are attending your event.
Visuals:
You should consider the visual impact of your event—especially for television cameras. You may want to display a banner behind the speakers with your organization's name on it, or put a sign on the front of the podium. In addition, you may want your audience to reflect your issue
Press kit:
You should put together a press kit to hand out to media at your press conference. Contents of this press kit could include fact sheets, a press release and other background material on your issue.
Media:
Expect television cameras to arrive up to half an hour early for your press conference to get their equipment set up. In addition, you may want to find a quiet space where outlets can interview individuals separately after the event.
Moderator:
You should select a moderator for your press conference that can introduce the speakers and facilitate Questions & Answers with reporters.
Speakers:
You should select no more than three people to speak at the press conference. Each of these speakers should have a specific topic to cover—and should have prepared talking points before the event. Other people can be present to answer questions after the press conference.
Agenda:
Begin your press conference on time. The moderator should introduce the speakers and then each speaker should talk for no more than 5 minutes. If you invite a policymaker to speak, they should be allowed 5 minutes as well. The moderator should then facilitate a short Question & Answer session with journalists.
Practice:
It is a good idea to have a "dress rehearsal" the day before your press conference to make sure the speakers are ready for the event.
If you need help in Planning an effective press conference in Nigeria. Please contact us for support and all the help you might need. Our contact detail is at the top of this page.
