SCHWARTZ CROSSROADS

Last Minute PR Tips for This Year's International CTIA Wireless Show

As we rapidly approach the start of International CTIA Wireless 2009, here are some tips for securing those last minute media and analyst meetings at the show.

• Aggressively contact press attendees on the pre-registered media list. While a standard operating procedure at any tradeshow, aggressive outreach to media and analyst attendees already registered to attend CTIA is a proven method for securing meetings. Most journalists prefer email pitches so make sure you get your point across quickly and concisely.
• Watch the show daily deadlines. While most people assume that news announced at CTIA will often be covered in the show daily, this is not always the case. The media outlets producing the show daily often prefer (and require) to receive news in advance of the show. For this year’s show, RCR Wireless News has a CTIA news deadline of March 23 and the online show daily, Fierce Wireless, has a deadline of March 25.
• Take advantage of the show’s onsite and online press room. At one point or another, journalists and analysts find their way to the CTIA press room. CTIA lets exhibitors place physical press kits in this room and provides an online press room for posting electronic documents. Another bonus of the onsite press room is that it’s a good place to hang around and grab journalists if you have a compelling reason for them to come by your booth (e.g., raffle prizes, free food, etc.)
• Use video at your booth. Flat screen TVs are perfect for trade show booths and most companies are already using them for product demos.  These TVs should also be utilized to show more than just a company logo. Create a quick video that showcases the benefits of your product, run a flashy demo or re-purpose a slide show from a Webinar or similar event.
• Create a media raffle. Is your product interactive? Do you have a compelling demo? Figure out what you want to show media and analysts, and then determine what type of prize (e.g., iPod, TV, etc.) you want to raffle off. Create a media alert about the raffle, hand it out to media at the show, collect their cards when they come to the booth and at the end of each day, raffle off the prize.
• Schedule a media happy hour. Spread the word that the last hour of every show day, media and analysts can come by your booth for free cocktails and finger food. Simply show a press or analyst badge and they can eat and drink for free. (Please be sure to check with show organizers to ensure that they do not have an issue with this strategy.)
• Attend the CTIA social events and parties. Media and analysts like to unwind after long days on the show floor. Pick some of the larger parties (on occasion, publications will throw their own parties) and plan to attend. While there is no guarantee that there will be high media attendance, it’s often a nice venue to casually converse with a journalist and see what they’re planning to cover.
• Grab the folks with the media badges. Dedicate a PR or marketing person at the show to grab media analysts walking by your booth. Most media badges are easily identified and while some journalists don’t like the added attention, most will politely tell you yes or no if their interested in your business.
• Offer a cool tchochkie. Word about fun give-aways gets around the show floor. People with families like free toys to bring home to their kids. Whether it’s a mini-flashlight or a step counter, a cool tchochkie can always help attract media and analysts to your booth, along with other attendees.
• Make your booth photogenic. Media aren't the only people with an audience. Today everyone has followers on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and even on their own blogs. Camera phones give people instant content to feed to their audiences. So think about your booth not just in terms of getting your message across, but how to include something visually interesting that will attract the snap-happy, camera-phone toting hoards.
• Blog from the show floor. While the show floor is the primary source of information for journalists, they also look online to see what other people are writing. By blogging from the floor, or even sending off Tweets, pictures and Facebook updates, you put your company in a position to be seen by both journalists and those outside CTIA who are looking for more information.

Schwartz Communications has lots of experience getting attention at CTIA. For one client, we started work two weeks before the show and garnered coverage that included the Associated Press, BusinessWeek.com, Forbes.com and the CTIA show daily. If you need a hands-on team at CTIA, contact Carol McGarry for more information.

Posted by Chuck Tanowitz on March 9, 2009 at 3:18 PM