PR tips for fast growing companies

Exhibitions are an opportunity for clients to meet current and prospective customers, journalists and analysts all in one place.  However, it is also easy to be overlooked amongst the many exhibitors.  This can be rectified simply by having a PR strategy around the event.

The most important time for PR surrounding an exhibition is utilising the buzz beforehand, rather than waiting until the actual event.  Exhibitors need to create some excitement about what they are announcing or demonstrating at the exhibition in order to drive traffic to the stand.

Below are a couple of points which will help you get the most out of exhibitions. 

Meet the media
Too many companies focus on securing interviews at an exhibition and build their PR strategy around this.  Interviews at the exhibition are always hard work as journalists often speak to between 10 and 15 companies over the course of the day.

A better idea is to conduct a media tour two or three weeks ahead of the exhibition.  Journalists will have more time to speak to you, and your messages are less likely to be forgotten.

In most publications, online and print, you’ll often find an article based on the results of a survey.  Whether it’s something as obvious as “fifty per cent of people surveyed would rather eat chocolate than fruit”, or a statistic that is genuinely surprising, surveys are very popular with the media.  For many brands, a survey can be an effective way to secure coverage.

That said, a survey will only get coverage if it is done properly.  Journalists will be much less likely to use a survey if it is simply stating the obvious or comes across as too self-serving, for example “according to research, sleeping in a bed is much better for your health than the floor, claims leading bed manufacturer.”  The media is also very reluctant to use a story of a survey if it is clear that the sample size isn’t a fair representation of its audience.  The responses of a handful of your employees aren’t enough for the media.

There is much more to interacting with the media than simply pushing out press releases on product news and corporate announcements.  In most publications, both print and online, you’ll see interviews and articles discussing the key issues in that industry, but without anyone overtly selling their own products or services.

Some people might see this as being counterproductive.  After all, it is coverage in the press that isn’t directly referring to what the company actually does or sells.  But, this isn’t the point.  Thought leadership campaigns position a spokesperson as an authority on that topic, which in turn demonstrates that the brand understands these issues and their impact.  Potential customers will be more likely to buy from a company which it perceives as credible and knowledgeable.

For owners of fast growth businesses, speaking to the media is something that they will have to face sooner or later.  Although many entrepreneurs will have no problem with this, there is a world of difference between just talking to the media and actually getting across everything you want to say.  For a real life example, just compare Gordon Brown with Barack Obama in an interview situation.   

Even though business owners know and understand all aspects of their company, this is not enough to be able to talk to the media effectively.  How you say something is just as important as what you are saying.  Ultimately, a good spokesperson is able to clearly and concisely get across the company’s key messages without sounding forced or artificial.

To illustrate this point, here are a couple of tips to ensure you get the most out of any media interviews:

The founder of Amazon.com, Jeff Bezos famously said: “A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person”.  All businesses need a personality, from small start-ups to large corporations.  However, having a personality is especially important for those fast growth companies looking to make a name for themselves.

So, what is the personality of your company? Is it entrepreneurial? Is it safe and sure? Is it creative? Is it dynamic? How do you find out? And, more importantly, how do you convey this to the outside world?

One of the best ways to do this is to ask your management team to each write down the one brand in the world they admire the most. Next to that, get them to write down the one word that sums that brand up.  Now delete the names of the chosen brands and see what you’re left with. The chances are that your list will fit perfectly with your company’s personality.