A news conference is a great way to connect with the public. It's also a great way to get out information, to receive publicity, to give yourself a good company image, and to promote your company. But if you're going to call a press conference, there are a few things that you need to understand about press conferences if you want it to be as productive as possible.

The first thing to understand is that a press conference is a hassle for journalists. It entails that the journalist change his or her daily schedule and take time to come to the site of the news conference in order to ask questions, or to be able to report on what is expected to be a major announcement. A lot of the time people call news conferences, or press conferences, in order to say something that would be a lot better in a news release, or a press release. News conferences should be reserved for major announcements, refutations of attacks by competitors, and/or explanations that are best done at length and can't be contained in a news release or press release. So before you schedule a room and call all of the news media outlets in your area, make sure that you're going to be holding a press conference for the right reasons.

A news conference is a great way to make a statement. It's important to remember the power of a personal appearance in situations when just issuing a press or news statement would seem like hiding from an issue. So if you want to make a major stand on an issue, counterattack a competitor, or clarify misinformation that gives your company a bad name, consider a news conference.

When considering how to conduct your news conference, remember that everything involved will make an impression on the journalists attending. Journalists can be your best friend, or your worst enemy. Make sure that the room is either heated or air conditioned. Make sure that you provide enough chairs for the journalists who will be attending (though not too many, or they'll notice that the chairs aren't filled). If you're holding a longer news conference that involved questions and answers, you might want to consider providing small refreshments. If you provide cold water, even coffee, and some snacks, the journalists attending your news conference will be much more agreeable and tend to give you more favorable coverage. Remember that the journalists' time is important, and so make sure that your news conference isn't too long. Between twenty and 40 minutes is a great length of time to say everything that you want, let journalists ask questions, and not take up too much of your and their valuable time. And remember that you're in control, so don't let the journalists take over your news conference!

Here are some links to sites that give further information and specific tips on when and how to hold an effective and impressive news conference.

The Press Conference: When to Hold It and How to do It Right
http://101publicrelations.com/sr27.html?s=prideas&c=news_conference

How to Handle Reporters
http://www.publicrelationsideas.com/how_to_handle_reporters_questions_during_news_conf_000089.html

Deciding on a Spokesperson
http://www.publicrelationsideas.com/deciding_who_delivers_the_news_during_your_news_co_000088.html

How to Conduct Crisis News Conferences
http://www.publicrelationsideas.com/bad_news_make_the_news_conference_work_for_you_in_000087.html