← Insights
Trade show season is here, and you're probably buried in details. Don't let public relations fall off the list. Your competitors are already vying for editorial coverage and the attention of industry editors, and if you don't start now you'll be left out.
Amber and I will share tips on hosting editors at your booth and following up after the show in future posts. Today is about getting them there.
A booth visit is a scheduled conversation, not a walk-by.
New products are always a draw. If you don't have one to show, consider other topics worth an editor's time. Can you offer market intelligence? Will you have customers at the show who would talk with editors on your behalf?
If you can't come up with something, don't send the invitation. Editors are busy, and a "stop by and say hello" request won't build the relationship.
Most trade shows have a staff member who maintains a list of registered media. Look for a press or exhibitor-information section on the show's website, find the contact and email them to request the list.
Don't invite everyone on the list. Research the publications and editors and sort them by which titles your customers actually read. If your customers don't engage with a magazine, you don't need to meet its representatives at the show.
Timing depends on the size of the show and the demand on editors' time. For smaller niche shows, three to four weeks out is ideal. For large shows like CONEXPO-CON/AGG, six to eight weeks gets you on their calendars before the flood of invitations arrives.