Event Preparation and Press offices – Lessons in Stupidity
A couple of weeks ago I was supporting one of BCM’s clients at the Motek Show in Stuttgart. Motek is a huge exhibition that covers the industrial automation field and as such attracts many international brands well known within and outside of the manufacturing industry.
Armed with my Presse-Ausweis (Press Pass) I headed for the press office to ensure that our clients press material was well placed. Increasingly press offices are becoming electronic with the Hannover Fair being an excellent example of best practise. However, at Motek and many other shows world-wide, the racked press release stands are still the location browsed by news hungry journalists.
It would make sense therefore, to create a press release that would really attract the attention of those same journalists, at least that was what I was taught at PR kindergarten classes. I was astounded to see how many companies have “forgotten” this basic principle. So many companies assume that journalists are gifted with the power of superheroes, being able to use x-ray vision to see the new releases so well hidden within their company folders.
There was one company that in my opinion got it right, well almost. So well done HNP Mikrosysteme GmbH, but remember I need a contact to speak to and don’t necessarily want to search the email address to find the name of that contact.
So here are the rules for producing a press release that is to be used at an exhibition, especially compiled to help those that have “forgotten” the basics. (BTW that’s a little English sarcasm)!
- Create an attractive headline (if the product or service is new, say so).
- Use a colour mini photo with caption and hyperlink to a hi-res jpg downloadable version.
- Make sure the main news messages of release appear on the front page.
- Include a hyperlink to the press release in “doc” or plain text format (NOT a docx) plus a PDF).
- Use colour to attract attention.
- Include contact details especially email and mobile.
If you represent acompany and are reading this blog, and if your PR agency has not followed the above rules, FIRE them immediately and call us. We are here to help!