During our time attending IBC, the leading broadcast media technology show in Europe, we’ve learned a thing or two. While the broadcast media industry has evolved, so has the landscape for PR and comms. It’s no longer about just trying to make a huge splash with demos on the show floor. You need to support your physical show comms by finding the right platform with which you can connect with your prospects and potential customers.
Because we’ve got this well of knowledge, we wanted to share a few tips that will help you get ahead for IBC2024.
WHAT’S YOUR STORY?
Ahead of the show, don’t think of your trade show presence simply as a series of demos. Decide what element of your brand story you’re trying to tell. Think about how you want to position your products to the potential customers that might be walking by.
Outlining what your story is for a show like IBC can be really effective. It should be visible in your signage and press communications, be a part of how you speak about your company in sales meetings or as part of your social media activity around the show.
And make sure to brief what that positioning is to your teams so they can integrate it into their conversations with customers for joined-up and thought-out show comms.
DON’T JUST DO IT BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS HAVE
‘If it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ is the worst approach you can have in any communications. This is especially true for a trade show which is always a big investment, regardless of how you approach it.
And what the last few years have shown us is that trade shows have needed to evolve to address an industry that’s experienced many changes since pre-2020. Whether it’s speaking to people who have a bigger focus on remote working and managing a distributed workforce or integrating more digital platforms into your comms, the Einstein adage of the definition of insanity has never been more true than it is in 2024.
Think objectively about what you’re planning on doing. And don’t just plan in activity because it’s always been the way you’ve done things. Because you might be missing something key that’s going to have a huge impact.
THINK ABOUT WHAT WILL DELIVER THE MOST VALUE
This last point is somewhat linked to all of the other tips we’ve shared above. And it’s all about value. As an agency, our primary goal is to provide value to our clients and our partners. We should be delivering results for them that are actually impacting the business.
And the same needs to be said for all your show plans. If the activity you were planning on doing isn’t a value-add then you ask if it’s really necessary. And if it isn’t, then is that what you need to be spending your time on?
AND STICK TO IT
When you’ve made those decisions, it’s really easy to be drawn back to doing something because someone has spotted that a competitor is doing something else. But if you’ve made your plans on sound logic; stick to your guns.
Your story, your press activity and your value-add activity is what will deliver a successful comms campaign around a show like IBC2024.
If you’re exhibiting at the show and you need support with any or all of the above, give us a call. In our 20 years at the show, not only do we know our way around the show itself but also around the opportunities available to exhibitors.
The lorries can help you define your story, build out a plan of activity, set up meetings with key industry journalists and support you on the show floor. Just get in touch, we’d love to talk to you about how we can help.
