CES is the by far the largest Consumer Electronics Show in the world with more than 150,000 visitors last year. Over 3,000 companies exhibit and more than 2,000 journalists come to see what’s new.
If you are an exhibiting company at CES and want to get noticed – here are a few tips that can help.
- Shape your product message
Your product is most likely not what will stand out. Unless you have something that is truly new, chances are there will be several other companies with similar products—and they all want to be covered. According to advice from OnBlast, you should conduct research research to find current trends and look at the ‘buzz words’ of the moment. You’ll have to pick very specific attributes of your product and connect those to current trends in order to be news worthy.
- Research your publications
What are the publications that make the most sense for you to be covered in? Who of those publications was at CES last year? Find out who will be there so that you can target them effectively.
- Start Outreach early
You’ll want to start reaching out to journalists and editors early; you should make contact with all of your media prospects before Christmas. Make sure to use all channels from email, Twitter, Linkedin – whatever it takes to get on someone’s radar. Of course by the time you start you outreach, you must make sure that your presentation (website, images, attachments) is perfect and matches the message you want to deliver.
- You will have to (cold) call
It is probably the thing that both salespeople and PR people dread most – the cold call. After sending your emails and tweets to garner some attention – your agenda for the show will most likely still have room. That’s when it is time to get over your shyness, take a breath, pick up the phone, and call the journalists that you’d like to meet at the show.
Remember you have a very specific ask: you want to setup a date/time for an interview during CES.
- During the show – be on top of it!
Be there early. Have you ever seen the lines for badge pick up at the first day of CES? You’ll want to be there early and get your badge way before everyone else does. That way you will have time to reach out and confirm your appointments. Be in touch with everyone on your list. Make sure to text / call / email. Things change, priorities change – be flexible.
If you have ‘spare time’ – you might consider going over to the media center corner, where all the big stations have their media booth. If you have a portable product, something tangible that you can easily demo, you might be lucky simply showing it to the producers.
After CES obviously make sure to keep in touch with everyone you met and those you didn’t meet. Some of the best coverage might happen after the rushed CES days!
Take a pro with you! Check out our CES 2015 Spotlight Package to see how you can take on CES with a Write2Marketeer by your side.
LinkedIn: Jean-Luc Vanhulst | Write2Market Twitter: @jlvanhulst | @write2market