A friend of mine who runs one of the top tech PR firms in the UK asked me today if I thought that trade shows were dying.
A good (and complicated) question.
If you are asking if the "salad days" of sky's-the-limit, over the top trade show blow-out la-la-paloozas are over, then I think the answer is unmistakably yes. I was at CES again this year (about my 15th in a row -- I've kind of lost track), and attendance and extravagance were both greatly diminished.
But this is probably a good thing. It allows us to focus on what we are all there for in the first place: to promote our business (in our case, our clients' business) to those who are most likely to be our customers. To quote the Wikipedia entry:
A trade fair (trade show or expo) is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products, service, study activities of rivals and examine recent trends and opportunities. Some trade fairs are open to the public, while others can only be attended by company representatives (members of the trade) and members of the press.
It's time to re-think the trade show.
Getting more from your trade show requires a strategic approach that will attract prospects and generate interest in your company and your products.
Drop me a line if you want to know how we are successfully doing this for clients in a broad spectrum of industries.
Showing posts with label trade show. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trade show. Show all posts
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
The Case for PR at Trade Shows
Managing media and our clients' overall message at trade shows is one of the most impactful and cost-effective services we provide.
Any way you look at it, trade shows are expensive. But in spending all of that money to develop a booth, ship product, train and send personnel to the show, prepare collateral (etc., etc., etc!) it only makes sense to look at every way to maximize your investment so that it yields the greatest return.
Getting the most from your trade shows requires a strategic approach that will attract prospects and generate interest in your company and your products. And, since trade shows are tremendous magnets for the media that cover your particular industry, it behooves you to work with the journalists in attendance to make sure they know and understand your messages, and have the latest news on your products, so they can carry it all forth for you into the broader marketplace.
Yet, many companies simply send their salespeople to the show, and hope that the media takes notice.
Regina Ragone, food director at Family Circle Magazine hits the nail on the head: "At food trade shows, for example, we'll see sales people at booths and displays — but no PR people will be in sight. I think that's a problem. I think you really should have a media relations presence onsite and it shouldn't be relegated to sales."
R&J Public Relations has designed a three-step program that helps our clients reach both journalists and key prospects – those in attendance as well as those not in attendance - before, during and after the show.
Well in advance of the show, we work with our clients to develop messaging and strategies. We conceive and plan special promotions in and around the show booth. We schedule editorial interviews, and develop press kits and other materials. To bring it all home, we conduct media training for key spokespeople, helping them to be comfortable and to “own” the message.
At the show, we coordinate and supervise meetings with journalists. We not only distribute press kits, we “work” the press room and the show media
(“daily” magazines, television, Internet and radio). We compile competitive intelligence, and see to it that our clients are nominated for show awards. And we are on-site with our clients to assist them in all aspects of their communications efforts at the show.
Following the show, we conduct intense follow-up with the press, and fulfill all editorial requests for information. We engage the press to get our clients featured in post-show editorial coverage. If it is appropriate, we will undertake a post-show media tour.
Not all trade shows require this full-blown effort. But it makes tremendous business sense to prioritize the most important shows, and focus your resources on those. A good rule of thumb is, if the top media that cover your industry are going to be at a trade show, then your PR agency should be there with you as well.
Any way you look at it, trade shows are expensive. But in spending all of that money to develop a booth, ship product, train and send personnel to the show, prepare collateral (etc., etc., etc!) it only makes sense to look at every way to maximize your investment so that it yields the greatest return.
Getting the most from your trade shows requires a strategic approach that will attract prospects and generate interest in your company and your products. And, since trade shows are tremendous magnets for the media that cover your particular industry, it behooves you to work with the journalists in attendance to make sure they know and understand your messages, and have the latest news on your products, so they can carry it all forth for you into the broader marketplace.
Yet, many companies simply send their salespeople to the show, and hope that the media takes notice.
Regina Ragone, food director at Family Circle Magazine hits the nail on the head: "At food trade shows, for example, we'll see sales people at booths and displays — but no PR people will be in sight. I think that's a problem. I think you really should have a media relations presence onsite and it shouldn't be relegated to sales."
R&J Public Relations has designed a three-step program that helps our clients reach both journalists and key prospects – those in attendance as well as those not in attendance - before, during and after the show.
Well in advance of the show, we work with our clients to develop messaging and strategies. We conceive and plan special promotions in and around the show booth. We schedule editorial interviews, and develop press kits and other materials. To bring it all home, we conduct media training for key spokespeople, helping them to be comfortable and to “own” the message.
At the show, we coordinate and supervise meetings with journalists. We not only distribute press kits, we “work” the press room and the show media
(“daily” magazines, television, Internet and radio). We compile competitive intelligence, and see to it that our clients are nominated for show awards. And we are on-site with our clients to assist them in all aspects of their communications efforts at the show.Following the show, we conduct intense follow-up with the press, and fulfill all editorial requests for information. We engage the press to get our clients featured in post-show editorial coverage. If it is appropriate, we will undertake a post-show media tour.
Not all trade shows require this full-blown effort. But it makes tremendous business sense to prioritize the most important shows, and focus your resources on those. A good rule of thumb is, if the top media that cover your industry are going to be at a trade show, then your PR agency should be there with you as well.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Airline rant
As someone who flies commercial airlines quite a bit, it always strikes me as curious why the carriers don't:
- Know from year to year that hundreds of thousands of people will be flying to large trade shows, like the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, every year at the same time. Couldn't they add a flight or two on those days when they know, from past experience, that the airports will be jammed to capacity, and that they will be bumping people off of flights left and right? Perhaps they could think ahead (for once; I know this is not their strong suit), and bring in larger planes for those days?
- Enforce carry-on rules. I see idiots getting on planes with bags that are WAY beyond restrictions. This causes others, who follow the rules but who might board later, to have to wrestle with their bags under their feet for a 5-hour flight. Worse, many of these people obviously think themselves superior to the rest of the flying public, and place these oversized bags in the first few overheads, as they stroll back to their seats in the back of the plane.
- Tell us the truth. Unless you're Jed Clampett, you know that a snow storm in Chicago will cause delays throughout the country. We get it. So tell us the truth (and keep us updated) about when we can expect to see a plane pulling up to our gate. Believe me, the folks in the Budweiser Brew Pub will appreciate the extra business as well!
- Know from year to year that hundreds of thousands of people will be flying to large trade shows, like the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, every year at the same time. Couldn't they add a flight or two on those days when they know, from past experience, that the airports will be jammed to capacity, and that they will be bumping people off of flights left and right? Perhaps they could think ahead (for once; I know this is not their strong suit), and bring in larger planes for those days?
- Enforce carry-on rules. I see idiots getting on planes with bags that are WAY beyond restrictions. This causes others, who follow the rules but who might board later, to have to wrestle with their bags under their feet for a 5-hour flight. Worse, many of these people obviously think themselves superior to the rest of the flying public, and place these oversized bags in the first few overheads, as they stroll back to their seats in the back of the plane.
- Tell us the truth. Unless you're Jed Clampett, you know that a snow storm in Chicago will cause delays throughout the country. We get it. So tell us the truth (and keep us updated) about when we can expect to see a plane pulling up to our gate. Believe me, the folks in the Budweiser Brew Pub will appreciate the extra business as well!
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