You will have a clear idea about what your message and tactics are as you enter the final approach to the exhibition, so now you need to switch your focus onto getting your story into the hands of the right journalists. This week get your press list up to date. Look at the event media sponsors, available on the website, and add all the relevant ones to your press list, if they’re not already there. Then, make sure that you only have current, accurate named press contacts. Some simple research should furnish you with the correct editorial contacts for news and features – usually different people.
Segment your trade press list into priority and secondary. The priority list will normally be no more than two or three titles and will be the most influential titles in your space. Your objective should be to get regular coverage in these titles over the course of the event. Select your stories based on what you can see these magazines cover regularly.
If you’re struggling to identify your news stories – here are some helpful hints. Always evaluate stories from the user perspective; they don’t care if you’ve employed a new sales executive or if you’ve moved offices unless that new sales executive is actually an augmented human and the new office location is actually a virtual reality destination ????. They do care if the new product or service benefits them, makes their life easier or helps them hit their numbers. They also like to know if your customers include well-known brands – it makes them feel better about buying from you, it validates their decision-making.
Most magazines now welcome well written comment as a blog or opinion piece; we write dozens of these for the security press. Identify six key issues your customers currently face “Your company’s Six for UKSEC_Expo” and write 600 words about how customers could/should approach the issue.
How do you write 600 words you ask yourself – easy! Write 100 words answering the following questions:
- What is the issue?
- Why should your customers care about this issue?
- Why is it important?
- What are the common mistakes/misunderstandings around this subject?
- What are the key things to look out for?
- What three things can your customers do right now to highlight/elevate/address the issue (do NOT directly sell your products here)?
Still struggling – call us!
