
Get Media Coverage for Your Exhibitors, Part 1Good
media coverage multiplies the marketing efforts of any company, can
give them exposure that only the largest companies can afford and keep
them exhibiting year after year. On 3/4/11, the IAEE Southwest Chapter
held a panel discussion with staff from NAMM (National Association of
Music Merchants, 90,000 attendees in 2011), their communications firm
The Lippin Group, and a veteran videographer / producer. Here are some
of their tips for successfully courting the media and delivering
valuable exposure for exhibitors. Before the Show - Hold a media teleconference a week before the show.
It could be simple - the association president or CEO speaks for 15
minutes about where the industry is going, then open it for Q&A.
It draws on the media’s instinct to get a head start over competing
media outlets. It also provides excellent feedback on what stories
the media is looking for.
- Have a media preview day one day before the exhibit floor opens.
No company executive wants to make a tradeoff between speaking to an
important customer / prospect versus speaking to the press. Neither
may come back. A preview day allows exhibitors to give their full
attention to media and put their best foot forward. Just be sure your
press / media center staff is ready to pitch different ideas when the
media arrives.
- Provide a short, compelling pitch.
Tell the media what is exciting, not the small, incremental
developments. If the pitch is by email, the subject line is the most
important or they won’t open it. The pitch itself needs to fit into a
30 second (or shorter) sound bite by phone or the equivalent length in
the email. Give facts and don’t try to sell hype. Media is still a
fact-based business.
- Try to get exhibitors to release exclusive news at the show.
Companies tend to want to announce news on their own schedule. By
holding news for the show, all but the largest companies can get a lot
more media attention than if they announced something at any other time.
- Give the media simple, solid logistics.
Convention centers are huge and confusing. Before the show, give them
a map of exactly where to go. Have a person there to meet them and
to call if they have questions. To give your media VIP treatment (and
especially if they expect it), arrange for a parking space right near
where they need to go.
- Leverage your PR firm's resources to:
- Bring in media relationships that you not have
- Tell
you what each reporter likes and dislikes writing about, how to reach
them, and any personal information that will help you work with them
- Screen
out fake media. At best, they can be a nuisance. At worst, they can
cause embarrassment or do real damage to exhibitors or the show.
- Know who is coming.
TV, print, and Internet media all have different needs. TV, for
example, needs an exciting location and backdrop, the right lighting,
good audio, and if it's live, much more in logistics. Print may want
in-depth stories, including access to some of the speakers. Ask them
ahead of time what they’ll need, and be ready with it.
We'd like to add two more ideas of our own: - Provide a free media training call for exhibitors a few months before the show.
In most industries, the medium and small companies often have no idea
how to utilize the media. Help all your exhibitors get media ready by
having your communications director and/or PR firm talk about some of
the media they expect at the show. Give examples of some of the stories
they tend to look for. Then open it up for Q&A. Ask your PR
firm if they want to offer exhibitors a “show special”, a low cost,
one-on-one call to talk about their company specifically.
- Preview the exhibitors.
Ask them what they’ll be highlighting if asked by the media. Provide
feedback and suggestions on ways to improve their story. This is a
great way to prepare a “short list” of exhibitors to recommend to media
during the show




Phil Date 5/17/2011 2:20:00 PM
Wow Great!
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Show Planner
Get Media Coverage for Your Exhibitors, Part 2
Get Media Coverage for Your Exhibitors, Part 1
April 2011
March 2011
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