Publicity at trade shows
Trade shows, sometimes also referred to as trade fairs, are exhibitions organized for persons, groups, or companies of a particular industries to showcase and/or demonstrate their products and/or services. Trade shows offer businesses or professionals the opportunity to promote themselves and make valuable contacts with others interested in their products or services. Trade shows occasionally allow the public admission, but the majority of trade shows are for industry professionals.
An important aspect for every professional participating in a trade show is publicity. For many professionals or businesses, a trade show is a debut of their products and/or services. Therefore, it is important that trade show participants take steps to ensure themselves the opportunity for individual publicity.
For professionals and companies, publicity is an important public relations tool. Publicity affords a professional, company, or business with valuable promotion, advertising, and exposure, which can help put their products and/or services in the eyes of those who will benefit from them. In the case of trade shows, publicity exposes professionals and companies to others who will use and pay for their products and/or services, or who will circulate and enhance the professional's or company's name.
Planning for Publicity
Professionals, companies, and businesses attending a trade show will need to prepare a publicity plan for public relations success. The following points are valuable considerations for trade show publicity planning:
- Start early. Professionals and companies should begin their trade show publicity plans several weeks to months in advance of the actual trade show in order to establish goals and make publicity contacts.
- Establish relationships. Public relations departments or publicists should establish relationships with media personnel who normally cover trade shows. Finding out who exactly these media personnel are is the first step to establishing relationships.
- Coordinate new products or announcements with the trade show. Professionals and companies should consider scheduling a new product introduction, update, or other announcement to coincide with the trade show, which makes their booth and company attractive to media.
- Coordinate with the trade show's publicity. If possible, professionals and companies should coordinate their publicity efforts with those of the trade show's organizers. Professionals and companies should ascertain whether or not media materials can be included in a trade show's press kit.
- Send press releases. A professional or company should always distribute press releases in anticipation of an appearance at a trade show. Press releases must be unique, compelling, and newsworthy in order to stand out from competition and encourage the media to report on the professional or company's presence at a trade show. Giving media personnel specific reasons as to why they should attend the trade show are important additions to the press release.
Media Publicity
Media driven publicity provides professionals and companies at trade shows with valuable exposure. Professionals and companies should consider these tips for utilizing media publicity:
- Many trade shows are connected with trade or industry publications which frequently print pre-show editions. Professionals and companies should explore advertising opportunities in trade show editions of industry publications.
- Professionals and companies should promote and advertise their presence at a trade show on their website.
- Trade shows frequently arrange a press room on-site where press conferences and announcements can be scheduled. Professionals and companies should make press kits available to the media in a trade show's press room.
- Professionals and companies should consider local or regional ties to a trade show as a means of distinguishing themselves from the competition. For example, company executives that graduated from a local university, grew up in the vicinity, etc. Local newspapers and news stations are frequently attracted to such local interest stories.
- Professionals and companies should contact weekly newspapers and business magazines to inform them of their participation in a trade show. These publications have business reporters who may be inclined to write about a company's presence at a trade show if they are notified.
- Professionals and companies should contact local television and radio station news editors, who are generally in charge of making assignments for reporters. By contacting these media stations, editors may feel a professional's or company's participation in a trade show is newsworthy, and report on it, particularly if the professional or company is unveiling a new or unique product. Most television stations and many newspapers have websites that allow companies to make contact.
Links:
http://www.101publicrelations.com/sr24.html
http://www.101publicrelations.com/get-free-publicity.html
http://www.publicrelationsideas.com/5_ways_to_use_article_reprints_000043.html
http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/r-article-a-2418-m-6-sc-41-how_to_work_a_trade_show-i
