Of the top 10 professions requiring the most walking, I once read somewhere that public relations professionals ranked right up there with postal carriers, police and newspaper delivery people. How did we make the list?
Trade shows.
This week I am logging my miles on a client’s trade show floor. It is great to see attendance break records. Shows, meetings, conferences and conventions are back in full swing as the economy returns.
Of interest at this show, aside from the newest tchotchkes, is our approach. My client is not an exhibitor. Instead, we are doing some sponsorship for visibility and conducting research with show attendees. We started online with a survey prior to the show. We announced the results on the first day and continue to publish new results each day.
The daily publishing cycle makes me feel like we are working on the show daily, but the media is responding to the content. In this case, there are enough publications conducting online reporting that we’re getting multiple placement opportunities throughout the show.
There are a ton of news conferences scheduled throughout the show. Quite frankly, I think they are a waste of everyone’s time and cannot take the place of personal briefings.
I’ve conducted two news conferences at trade shows in 12 years, and that was one more than necessary. The news conference makes sense on the surface—one announcement to every media outlet is an efficient use of everyone’s time at the show. But these announcements typically define news too broadly and assume a level of self-importance.
Schedules may be hectic and change throughout the show, but personal briefings are much more effective. Company news at trade shows is usually not earth shattering. Customized media relations are always more effective and this rule is no different when it comes to trade shows—just more challenging as the entire industry gathers under one roof for a few days.
Regardless, my work schedule will impact posting here. Things should return to normal next week.
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