After HIMSS – Three PR Tips to Stay Top of Mind with Media after the Show

So you exhibited at the HIMSS Annual Conference this year – great! How many of the 40,000 attendees do you think heard your message?

As I walked the floor this year in Vegas, the HIMSS traffic was pretty good. Exhibitors and attendees were tweeting and companies were handing out all types of booth trinkets. And I’m sure lots of companies were meeting with media to tell their story and (try to) gain some media coverage to promote their brand, products or opinions.

But once a reporter leaves your booth – how many of them do you think actually remember your story?

Here are three quick ways to stay top of mind with media after the show closes.

Credit HIMSS

Tip 1: Keep pushing your story.
Whether you made a news announcement at HIMSS or not, media will be using information they gathered during and after the show for upcoming articles. If you want to be part of the conversation, follow up with media who attended the show and remind them of your expertise. Promote the industry trends you can address – not your products or features. When I manage media briefings for my clients at trade shows I always make note of specific conversations I had with media to use in my follow up. Personalizing your follow up to reference parts of your discussion can improve your opportunity for coverage later on.

Tip 2: Create more than one touchpoint.
If you want to truly connect with someone you need to connect more than once. LinkedIn makes it so easy to connect with anyone you met with at a show. But don’t forget to follow up with an email or information relevant to the topics you discussed at the show. For media, make sure to follow the reporter on Twitter or other social media channels. Over time, you can use the appropriate channel to reach out and continue your conversation. If I met you at HIMSS and you’re reading this, you’re likely to have already gotten a LinkedIn request from me.

Tip 3: Follow up when you said you would.
Everyone has their own “follow up time frame” – follow up within 48 hours… one week…three days, etc. But what’s actually important is to discuss a definitive time frame and then stick to it. As I was meeting with people at HIMSS some follow up opportunities were more pressing then others. A few people actually said “give me a few weeks to dig out and then let’s connect.” So rather than complete a singular wave of generic follow up emails right when you get back, make it personal. This works for media as well as prospects.

By following these three simple rules you can extend the value of your time at HIMSS (or any trade show) and position your brand to take advantage of future media opportunities.

Related Posts: Latest Healthcare Trends from HIMSS 2016 6 Secrets to Expo Success Boost Your Impact at Trade Shows by Thinking Outside the Box Getting the Most Out of Your Media Coverage Beyond the booth: 10 tips for hosting successful media events at trade shows and conferences Three Ways to Maximize your Trade Show Investment, Beyond the Booth