S*@#$ is Not a Dirty Word
Rarely do I hear public relations colleagues talk about sales (yes, that S-word). They’ll debate PR’s role in building brand awareness, corporate reputation and consumer engagement all day long, but hardly ever talk about PR’s ability to move the proverbial metal.
You’re so Vain (Please Don’t Be a John Carter)
Ishtar. Heaven’s Gate. Howard the Duck. John Carter. What do these big-budget flops have in common? John Barnes of the New York Times reports that vanity (or pride, if you want to accurately cite it as one of the seven deadly sins) is to blame. Spending boatloads of cash to assuage someone’s ego – in John Carter’s case, star director Andrew Stanton, isn’t just a Hollywood vanity – it frequently happens in the public relations arena. Continue reading →
Hounded by Haters? Keep Calm and Carry On.
The Susan G. Komen organization’s response to public anger over its Planned Parenthood funding decision and the current Starbucks response to boycotters who resent its stance on open carry laws represent two very different styles of corporate crisis management.
Snappy or Snarky, Memorable Sound Bites Require Practice
Distilling your message down to a 3 to 6 second or 140-or-less character sound bite is a basic exercise in any media training session. It’s also one of the toughest to master.
Seven Tips for Getting More Media Value from your Trade Show Dollars
The New York Times recently published a piece opining that the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is no longer relevant as the place for launching new technology. One blogger responded by pointing out that trade shows are for wholesaling, not entertaining media. As my 14-year old niece would say: “True dat.” Frankly – good riddance to any so-called reporter who is attending a trade show to be ‘entertained.’
Most media we work with continue to see trade shows as an excellent one-stop venue for assessing the state of an industry, securing multiple expert points of view, uncovering trends and reporting on the future of a category. Why not make sure they hear what you have to say? That’s called establishing thought leadership.
I’ve been to well over a hundred trade shows on behalf of automotive, powersports, consumer electronics, outdoor sports and other clients over the years, from CES, SEMA, DealerExpo and NADA to most recently the 1600+ exhibitor strong SHOT Show. Here are a few simple things I recommend to anyone who wants to earn media coverage in addition to new business:
1. Don’t cheap out. You’ve already spent tens of thousands (or millions) on your exhibit. Spend a few extra bucks and bring a public relations professional. Your sales team is there to meet buyers, partners and to sell, not handle media walk-bys, demos, interviews, social media posts and press room activities.
2. Stick to your schedule. Reporters hate it when you decide to cancel or reschedule an interview at the last minute. They’ve already booked other appointments and you’ll risk losing the story. Don’t throw a hand grenade into a schedule that your PR team has spent weeks finalizing. Having a PR pro on-site will solve the inevitable sales meeting or customer drop-by conflicts that pop up.
3. BYO. Don’t rely on the show’s registered media list; qualify and build your own. Show media lists are notoriously out of date and often incomplete because many Tier 1 media simply don’t pre-register. They decide to attend last-minute. Advance media calls, confirmations the week of the show and reconfirmations during the show will ensure you connect with the right reporters.
4. Help media cut through the clutter. We’ve landed major national news stories by offering producers and reporters the opportunity to walk the show floor with a client who really ‘gets’ the category and can offer sound data, insights and opinions on what’s hot – and what’s not. Most trade shows are overwhelming, and the 24/7 news cycle makes them even more unmanageable for skinnied up editorial staffs.
5. Brand the press room. If you’re spending a small fortune on an exhibit, why neglect the place where most media gather even if they skip your booth? There are 1001 smart and not always costly ideas for establishing a branded presence in a press room – from supplying a masseur to massage tired feet to sponsoring coffee breaks, note pads or back packs.
6. Stock the press room. Don’t count on media to find you. Even if it’s just a a humble jump drive, make sure your latest product info is available in the press room. No matter how old-fashioned it sounds – media still congregate in ‘their’ area to talk, post stories and get re-caffeinated, and they will scout out available materials. Even if they missed you on the show floor, there’s a good chance you can get your message in front of them.
7. Connect the dots. I found a great example of a smart (and fun) product placement integration at the Gerber Gear exhibit at this year’s Shot Show. My current favorite TV show, The Walking Dead, featured some of Gerber’s survival gear in an episode. The Gerber folks created a show-stopper in their exhibit by featuring running footage of the show, and offering a zombie photo-opp. Participants were invited to grab the resulting image off a special microsite and share it via Facebook or Twitter, effectively distributing the Gerber brand and product messages many miles beyond the show floor.
Want more tips on maximizing your trade show investment? Let us have a look at your current plan and we’ll give you ideas for putting some PR muscle behind it.
Photo Courtesy of Images of Money
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