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World of Concrete, The ARA Show, CONEXPO-CON/AGG. If you market construction equipment, the first quarter of the year is trade show season, and it is the one time the industry's editors and your company's executives are in the same city at the same time.
Like any communications activity, your trade show public relations effort needs a plan. Start with the goal, then build the tactics. Three of the most common goals, and what each one calls for:
Plan the show like any campaign: goal first, tactics second.
Build a press kit. Include only new or recently released products and announcements, with a release date and contact information on each. Target the message to your primary audience, keep releases short and avoid anything that reads like an ad, names competitors or overstates a claim.
Include your booth number so editors can find you, quality photography of the products (high-resolution JPGs, delivered electronically) and keep the whole package lightweight. Editors receive kits from dozens of exhibitors and bulky ones get left in the hotel room.
Most shows have a press room where exhibitors can leave kits for editors. Use it. For more detail see our post Key Ingredients of a Trade Show Press Kit.
Consider a press conference. Editors come to shows expecting to learn something new, and a real product introduction, a market expansion or a significant company announcement is worth their time. A traditional format is a brief presentation from one or two key people followed by questions, but choose whatever format fits your news. End by inviting everyone to the booth.
Schedule one-on-one media visits in your booth. Identify the editors you most want to meet, send a personal invitation by email or phone and ask what they would like to see. Then appoint one person on your staff as the media host. Give that person the appointment schedule and make them responsible for greeting each editor, making introductions and keeping the conversation on the topics that editor cares about. Your sales team will be busy selling equipment, and the host keeps media visits from getting lost in the shuffle.
Whether you hosted a press conference, booked booth visits or simply left kits in the press room, follow up. A phone call, an email or a handwritten note thanking editors for their interest, along with any materials you promised, keeps your company top of mind and builds the relationship for next year.
Still not sure which approach fits your next show? Our clients have tried most of them. Visit our ‣ page and we will share what works.