3 Reasons You Need PR Now

August 11, 2020
11:00 am

Posted by DMA Solutions Team

A key takeaway we can all learn with the conclusion of recent virtual trade shows is that being prepared isn’t as easy as one might think. An easy way to ensure your company is getting plenty of recognition before, during and after the show is investing in public relations.

Public relations has become a powerful strategy that can bolster marketing performance and serve as a direct line of communication between your company and your target audience.

Whether you are a startup or an established B2B or B2C company, here are 3 reasons you should be investing in public relations:

1. PR helps elevate your participation at virtual trade shows.

Here are just a few of our reasons as to why public relations is essential in maximizing your exposure during virtual trade shows, like Fresh Summit:

Have a media plan and prepare to execute – We recommend planning your news stories, tidbits and highlights at least one month in advance of the virtual show so that there are plenty of updates to share leading up to and during the show. Releasing news via a press release to the industry at the beginning of the show is another way to continue to attract visitors to your booth.

Connect with the media ahead of the show – To ensure members of the fresh produce trade media visit your virtual booth, we recommend reaching out to your key contacts to invite them for a visit approximately one month in advance of the show.

Have press materials and assets ready to go – Company fact sheets, recently published news, executive bios and headshots (media kits) are all great examples of materials to have on hand should a writer or editor visit your booth seeking more information and details about the story.

Put Your Best Visuals Forward – When planning your booth assets, make sure your visuals represent the story that you’re telling the media, on social media and on your website.

Keep Going When the Show is Over – Keep the virtual show momentum going by thanking the members of the media that stopped by your virtual booth and use the opportunity to share highlights from the show that you want their readers to know.

2. PR generates new business leads.

One of the easiest ways to get in front of new business leads is through a consistent stream of PR activities. By answering a media request from a trade publication or sending out a company update through a press release, you have the opportunity to expose your business, your progress and your “news” to various audiences.

3. PR controls the message.

Good PR is telling the good of the story while being as transparent as possible. When your brand is given an opportunity to speak on a topic, it’s best to have key messages outlined in a document to ensure that you and your team are speaking the same language relative to your update or news. When you are consistent in telling the story, the message is controlled and more likely to resonate with target audiences as it is repeated.

Navigating the news cycle during these unprecedented times, as well as during a virtual trade show, is more important now than ever before. If you don’t have your company story defined and a media contact to reach out to, we talk to editors at major publications every day and would love to help!

Have we piqued your interest in investing in public relations? Schedule a call with our PR team to brainstorm how we can elevate your brand to trade and national media!