Do the show organizers really understand the difference between ‘marketing and public relations? From my own experience, I often think that this is not the case. Exhibition promotion always seems to have focused on telesales, direct mail and advertising, and the issuance of some standard, dry and unimaginative press releases. As a consequence, the importance of public relations has been underestimated.

 

Public relations must be developed as a strong element within the promotional mix; After all, the public relations dictionary definition is “To form a favorable public opinion of an organization.” Surely this is what all organizers strive to do, and without the basis of a general opinion, the success of the fair will be much more difficult to achieve.

The traditional monthly press release, announcing increased space sales or wider media coverage, can only hit show dates and space sales so many times before the press stops reading the press releases. Public relations is about understanding the target market, exhibitors and visitors, target media and their areas of interest, and knowing how to use exhibitors’ products or services to “sell” a story to the press.

 

Strategy

 

To use public relations effectively, organizers must plan their integrated strategy well in advance. Public relations can be the responsibility of a dedicated internal department or, more commonly, an external consultancy specializing in the relevant field or the exhibition industry as a whole.

 

Using a consultancy that knows the exhibits on both sides of the fence definitely has a positive advantage, as they can advise the organizer on the best way to extract contributions from exhibitors (and trust me, this can be like pulling teeth!) the organizers the time it takes to chase all their exhibitors for information, but creates a wellness factor with the exhibitors that the organizers are making the effort to promote with professional support.

 

Therefore, the public relations activity should be planned at least 10 months in advance, to allow the consulting or internal team to develop a relationship with key exhibitors and editors. In this way, organizers are more likely to see appropriate articles written in the relevant press, rather than simple duplicates of press releases. The whole PR exercise is about keeping potential exhibitors and visitors informed, so why not produce a regular newsletter before the show? This can bring news about the exhibitors who have booked at the exhibitions; On many occasions, the presence of competitors encourages other companies to consider booking themselves.

 

Credibility

 

As an effective method of reaching the widest possible market of potential exhibitors and visitors, sponsorship from a leading body, key industry magazine or national newspaper is paramount. The association with such a body or magazine not only generates a greater number of readers of the event, but also a certain degree of caliber and greater credibility. This can also be seen as a focal point in future public relations activities, especially with joint resource surveys and promotions. Many magazines are also happy to run special functions within their pages and point to their own databases.

 

Once a good relationship with the person pressing the key has been established, they are more likely to preview the show, attend, and then check out what’s new about the show. In some cases, a special press day can be arranged, where editors stay in the aisles and are made to feel part of the event.

 

Characteristics

 

For exhibitions of an international nature, where foreign visitors are expected, an internal press mission can be considered vital to expand news coverage around the world prior to the event. A select group of editors from key foreign journals may be invited to the UK at the organizer’s expense (often with DTI support), to study the industry in question and assess the position of the program. This often generates excellent features in the foreign press and very often includes an extensive preview of the fair and exhibiting companies.

 

During the exhibition, especially those of greater size and nature of consumption, daily press releases should be issued to the national press from the press office. The press officer should also have been in contact with radio and television stations, and should have established opportunities for national or regional media coverage.

A daily news sheet will also update visitors and exhibitors on how the show is going, key products to see, and special events taking place during the show.

 

Lacking

 

These elements appear to be lacking in many shows, where a broader understanding of the potential of the show and the stories surrounding it is needed. I appreciate that some exhibits are there simply to showcase products on a low-key level, but I’m sure most organizers want their exhibits to grow and become “the event of the industry.”

Once the doors are closed and the fault is complete, PR should not cease. It is important to keep diaries up to date on how the event unfolded, visitor attendance, and success stories. In this way, you are already starting to sell the next event.

So back to my original question and my disappointing findings: “Do the exhibition organizers really understand the difference between ‘marketing’ and ‘public relations’? I’m sure many know what I’ve been talking about, but do you get? in practice?

 

What I’ve described here comes naturally to a public relations professional, and it seems clear that public relations and marketing are not the same thing. Public relations is just one element of marketing. It is therefore frustrating for me to see exhibition organizers miss so many opportunities; all you need is thought, imagination, extensive planning, and the right PR team. So go out there and make the most of it; Don’t underestimate the power of public relations!