April 22, 2010
Working with media at trade shows is ever-evolving, and I have been struck by the evolution of social media at recent shows. Social aspects are quickly outweighing the traditional methods of working with media.
Here are some ways to use social media during trade shows:
- Tweet early… We have had great success using Twitter and Facebook to schedule several media appointments and generate excitement for new products in the weeks leading up to trade shows. The viral nature of Twitter has led us to establish and build relationships with new social media contacts.
- …and often. These networks proved useful during the show as well, when they offered a real-time venue for us to communicate with media, hunt down new contacts and encourage them to drop by the booth.
- Stay on top of trends. Monitoring trade show hashtags can give insight on what is going on elsewhere at the show, providing great insight for our media, trade guests and clients.
- Expect instant coverage. It is not uncommon for today’s media to tweet your comments on trends during the discussion, or videotape a demonstration of a new product and post it immediately. To accommodate, we are focusing on making products very visually appealing and easily accessible.
- Old-fashioned follow-up is still essential. Gone are the days of waiting two weeks to see a story hit the press – we now see stories the same day we speak with media. However, diligently following up with both social and traditional media continues to open the door to giveaway opportunities, inclusion in additional stories and the creation of ongoing relationships.