Tech Image posed these questions and more to some of the computer and video industry's most respected reporters. Follow this simple formula and your company's trade show PR efforts will reap huge rewards. However, if you opt for a slipshod, last minute effort, then you're most likely wasting your time, money, and effort. Reporters cover trade shows to spot product trends, obtain quotes for feature stories, see what's new and making news in the industry, and rekindle old relationships. Videography's Craig Birkmaier, for example, believes most companies do a poor job of telling their story when he visits their booth.
Companies are very inconsistent at trade shows.
However, once you arrive at their booth for an appointment, I'm surprised how often the person I am scheduled to meet with isn't there. Or, instead of meeting with senior management, I'm paired with a PR person who can only pull out bullet points from a press release. If I am going to take the time to meet with a company, I want to speak with a product manager or engineer to receive a comprehensive demo of a product. If a product sounds interesting, I'll make a point of stopping by the booth to learn more about it. Some editors, like New Media Editor Becky Waring use trade shows to spot trends and uncover hot new products.