How Public Relations Can Support Your Trade Show Efforts

You spent the big bucks on your trade show booth. Your team is all booked and ticketed for the big show, the new products have been tested and are ready to go, and the product manuals are being printed as you read this. You even have some great customer stories to tell during your meetings and have lined up a few of your best customers to speak at your booth. But none of these efforts will add up to much if no one knows you’re there!

So, now what?

The best way to generate buzz for your company before, during and even after a major industry trade show is by investing in a strong and effective public relations campaign that will support your efforts at the show and beyond, to help you meet your goals.

In fact, it could make all the difference between having a hugely successful show and having a show where you spend most of your time watching the crowds go by.

Choosing the right agency, one with significant industry experience, strong relationships with key editors and a deep understanding of your target markets, can be exactly what you need to help raise your company’s profile at the show!
A great trade show support campaign can help:

1. Generate buzz for your company leading up to the show.
2. Ensure that your news gets out to the right markets and the right editors/media outlets — many of which produce special pre-show issues, e-newsletters and online coverage.
3. Create press releases about your new products, key new hires, significant company growth, etc.
4. Suggest effective advertising or promotional activities.
5. Coordinate 1:1 meetings with key journalists at leading industry media outlets.
6. Coordinate and manage a press conference or press event.
7. Enter your products into awards programs.
8. Identify appropriate speaking opportunies to position your company’s executives as industry experts.
9. Create case studies to convey customer success stories to booth visitors.
10. Support all of the efforts with a social media campaign.
11. Identify on-camera video interview opportunies and secure your company’s participation.
12. Follow up with editors and ensure your company’s news is included in show wrap-up articles/coverage.

All of these efforts can and will help raise your company’s profile before, during and after the show. Make your presence count!