Contact Reporters Who Didn’t Attend the Show

Not every publication can send a reporter to a show. You need to call those non-attending reporters and tell them your story, especially if they’re on your priority list of contacts (see Chapter 4 – Targeting the Media). If you haven’t spoken with your priority reporters before the show, call them now. Your goal is to successfully pitch one or more of these options:

• a news story announcing your new product;
• a review of the product;
• the inclusion of your new product in a roundup of similar products; and/or
• a case history on one of your happy customers.

You now have the advantage of having refined your pitch both at the trade show and during pre-show calls. You know what questions reporters ask, and which features they find most compelling. You should have confidence in your ability to create interest and convince reporters to write about your company and your products.