What Most Manufacturers Miss at Trade Shows
The show traffic was heavy. You made many appointments and even a few sales. Months of pre-show planning, training, traffic building promotions and creative booth design seems to have created success. So, what could you possibly have missed? You sponsored the cocktail party, hosted client dinners; you even held a demonstration on the show floor.
What you’re missing is exposure. In most sales calls and even inside your tradeshow booth, you can expect to speak to, at the most, 2-3 people at a time. So, how could you bring more exposure to your company? The answer is media.
Media – the one to 50,000 principle.
At most national and international shows, there can be as many as 20 or more independent trade media publications covering the conference. Not only are they looking for new advertisers, but they are also looking for news. Content is king and if they do not have it, they do not have a publication. When they speak, many, many more listen.
Over the next several posts, we will discuss how to establish, maintain and cultivate relationships with those that buy ink and megabytes, buy the barrel.
The first tip we have is find out if the show you are attending credentials media. If they do, the show organizers will most often maintain an up-to-date media list. Like confirmed attendees, these are media representatives that have requested passes and are attending the conference. The good lists may even indicate what types of stories they are looking to cover while at the show.
Research th
e publications represented, and see if they cover topics that include your products and services. You can review their editorial calendars for detailed information on the subjects they plan to write about all year. If you see a connection, start with a simple get together. The myth is that you always have to offer a story. You don’t. Simply telling them you want to learn about their publication shows you are professional and courteous. Offer to meet at your booth, for coffee or even breakfast. Hey, they have to eat too. Ask a lot of questions on how their publication is different, their editorial direction and what they want to see at the show.
This is the first step to more exposure. Getting to know the media, understanding how they do their job and becoming a trusted resource.
In the next post, we will discuss preparing for interviews.