If you are spending the marketing dollars to exhibit at an event, you might also want to consider trying to get media exposure surrounding your event participation. This might be especially important to you if you are introducing or test marketing a new product, or if you are a successful company trying to create a buzz around entering a new market. Expos and events can be an ideal opportunity to get some great PR. But the process can also be time consuming and frustrating for the layperson.
For instance, do you know the 12 steps for writing a press release? How about the 13 steps to getting the most media coverage? The 10 tactics for pitching your story to the media? Then there is the entire social media network to consider. Or you could save yourself a few gray hairs and time by forming a “strategic marketing partnerships” with the event producer. That’s a PR win-win with the event producer. Marketing partnerships enable you and the event producer to share your strengths for the common goal of making it a great event. Depending on the details of the arrangement, this frequently means that you may get to share your tips, expertise or human interest story in the media spotlight.
As a Mid-America Events and Expos publicist, I help develop the expo press releases that feature our marketing partners. We incorporate the partners’ newsworthy products, service or expertise into our releases then hit the ground running. Our experienced publicist team has a relationship with many journalists and reporters who are waiting for our news tips and experts. Here’s the caveat: We know what is news and what is not. We can’t pitch something that is strictly self-promotion. Our best opportunities for success are talking with reporters about marketing partners who are experts on an interesting topic. Reporters love a variety of resources. It adds credibility to their story.
We are currently working on publicity for the Body Mind Life Expo, coming up March 16 & 17 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The show will feature many wellness experts. Our focus has been on contacting the media with healthy lifestyle tips from marketing partner and Biggest Loser Season 9 celebrity, O’Neal Hampton. He is a featured presenter and will formally launch his O’Neal Hampton Wellness Foundation during the event. We have secured stories for O’Neal in local magazines like Savvy.MN and Sun Current newspaper, with many more hot prospects in the pipeline. And we still have more than before the show.
Something to think about if you are just starting your PR journey.
