How to Manage a Successful Press Conference

Despite the ubiquity of new forms of communication technology, press conferences remain a vital way for companies to share news. One size or message does not fit all and the content showcased must be of interest to every member of the audience. This book highlights the importance of understanding the needs of those who will attend; an ever-more critical skill as stretched editorial teams make it increasingly difficult to lure journalists from their desks. In the international press arena, journalists from different countries have particular needs and can react differently to the same situation. The authors show that to ensure success, PR professionals need to take account of the event, speakers, style, content and tone; and follow through to the all-important tasks of obtaining feedback and analysing results. How to Manage a Successful Press Conference is essential reading for PR teams working in a national or, particularly, an international environment and enables you to address the whole range of activities necessary for success, from the basics through to advanced issues such as managing press expectations across borders and cultures.

Dr Ralf Leinemann has more than 15 years’ experience working in international PR, marketing and business development departments in the high-tech industry. He is PR Director for Hewlett-Packard’s Imaging and Printing Group in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Elena Baikaltseva is responsible for business development in Technology practice at Echo Research in the UK. Whilst writing the book, she was Public Relations and Marketing Communications Manager for Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) in Moscow, where she was responsible for communications in Russia, CIS and emerging markets in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa). She has ten years’ experience in communications and PR functions working for AMD, and previously for Hewlett-Packard, and with various PR agencies.