Comments from K2 Global Communications

The past decade has seen a clear trend toward attenuated press releases. Gone are the days of public relations people writing long screeds, with endless quotes and reams of data. This is partially an outgrowth of the use of email, social media, and chat as the preferred forms of communication between the public relations community and the press (which, for our purposes, includes bloggers and analysts). The explosion of technologies and information, in general, has, in turn, led to journalists’ exploding email boxes. Press releases, though, are still important, perhaps even more important than ever; as AI is perpetually hungry, and your press releases can feed the beast. 

We've been supporting clients at trade shows since DRUPA in 2004 and our first RSA in 2008 and MWC in 2009. That’s all after my many years as a trade show exhibition manager.

Here's how K2 can provide you with the critical assistance you need for a successful trade show:

• Trade show evaluation – Some industries have more than 20 conferences from which to choose. We can help you decide which events will give you the most ROI, from the major show that you need to be at to "be seen" to the smaller events that directly reach your targeted audiences. 

• Speaking opportunity application process – We can work with your team to brainstorm and write a compelling application that will get you in front of the conference decision-makers.

Plan for success.

Trade shows are one of the few places where you can meet many potential buyers personally, putting your solutions center stage and making a great first impression on potential customers.

You need to remember that successful trade shows and getting great ROI from your enormous investment depend not only on having the best exhibit space, attention-grabbing graphics, high-tech demos and free takeaways. It also depends on avoiding common mistakes often made by both new and veteran marketers. Even seasoned professionals could fall into trade-show traps.

Instead, here are our tips about how to be prepared.

These days, you can DIY a lot of things, but PR isn’t necessarily one of them.

You want to get your message out there and generate buzz around your brand or product, but you DON’T want to deal with the costs associated with hiring a PR professional. These days when social media is king, you figure you might as well do it yourself. After all, it just seems faster, cheaper, and more effective to put out the word via LinkedIn. 

 It’s not just a matter of sending your sales team.

You’ve determined your trade show marketing goals, partnered with an experienced PR team, contracted with an exhibit designer, set up your logistics, and picked your giveaways.

Now, it's time for one of the most crucial, yet overlooked, trade show prep tasks: training staff to work your booth. You need sufficient booth staff who handle crowds, restock brochures, walk around, attend meetings, and talk to media and customers.

You need people who are knowledgeable, efficient, motivated, and at ease outside their comfortable zone, all while working seamlessly as a team.

Taking an account-based marketing (ABM) approach pinpoints your focus on a few high-opportunity, high-value accounts who are more likely to pay attention to your communications because they actually need your product and have the budget for it.

Getting ready for a trade show can be overwhelming, even for those of us who are regular exhibitors. Early in my career, I was at a show every fifth week, which made life quite busy for a year or two. To make it simple for all of us, here's a quick and easy calendar of activities you need to keep in mind.

One year in advance
Most importantly, make sure the budget will be there. If you don't know if you'll actually attend, at least make sure you register for the call for papers or apply to speak. That way, you'll be able to make your mark without having to pay thousands for a booth.

If you are attending, sign your contracts and secure your booth space before all the good spots are taken. The back corner isn't necessarily a bad place if it's near the bathrooms and the food court since it’s all about foot traffic.

Based on the size of the show, consider booking your hotel space now. Check into the cancellation policy. If it's flexible, you may want to book more than you think you'll need just in case your team or business has grown by the time the show rolls around.

The rise of AI for content marketing has made it much more difficult to stand out.

Your platforms generate a wealth of data that can be leveraged to create powerful PR and social media campaigns. Data-driven content builds trust and engages your audience. The data not only helps to tell your company’s story but also provides valuable insights that resonate with your audience.

Data-driven content has a distinct advantage: it is grounded in facts and provides value to your audience.

Once upon a time, I covered trade shows as a market analyst for a major consumer publication.  Shortly thereafter I flipped to the other side of the desk and ended up with a press conference on one side of the Consumer Electronics Show and a photo shoot clear across the exhibition hall.  Let’s just say that roller skates were very much on my mind by the time I finished my dash back and forth across the crowded exhibit halls.

I empathize with journalists who have been given the immense task of covering trade shows, scouting for new trends, and trying to maintain relationships with industry leaders. That is why when I have a client exhibiting, I try to be a resource to media covering the show by helping them identify my clients’ product introductions long before the show, setting up interviews or, better still, pre-show interviews to save journalist’s precious time, jet-lagged exhaustion, and, especially, their shoe leather.

Here are some pointers for being a resource to media at your next trade show: