How to work the media

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How to work the media

• Wrisney Tan, assistant editor, TTGmice
• Email wrisney.tan_at_ttgasia.com

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Introduction

• About TTGmice
• Published since 1993, TTGmice is the premier
  publication serving the needs of the MICE
  industry in Asia-Pacific. We currently produce 9
  issues a year. TTGmice is also the only
  publication in Asia-Pacific which is complemented
  by its own annual MICE trade exhibition and
  conference - Incentive Travel Conventions
  Meetings Asia.
• About TTG Asia Media Pte Ltd
• TTGmice is published by TTG Asia Media which also
  produces other trade publications such as its
  flagship TTG Asia.
• With offices and news bureaus in 23 cities across
  Asia-Pacific and beyond, TTG Asia Media is Asias
  leading information provider and exhibition
  organiser for the corporate, business and leisure
  travel market.

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Topics of Discussion

• Being featured in trade show dailies can draw
  the crowd to your booth during the event. An
  article in newspapers and various publications
  can mean increased business and awareness.
• Do you have hot news to share but do not know
  where to begin?
• Do you want more publicity for your MICE event or
  organisation and to reach a wider audience but do
  not know what to do?
• Do you want to make the news?

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Trade Shows

• Exhibitors get very busy before a tradeshow
  because they have to schedule appointments with
  the buyers they want to see, they have to prepare
  the marketing materials to bring etc etc.
• But one group that is very often neglected simply
  because you dont have the time, is the press.
• Few organisations recognise the value of making
  the press work for them during the trade show.

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Trade Shows

• Does the trade show you are attending have an
  official show daily?
• - Being featured in a show daily gets you instant
  results because it can draw the crowd to your
  booth during the show itself.
• Other reporters will also pick up the show daily
  and very often, they follow up on whats in
  there, and may come to your booth with interview
  requests.
• And most importantly, you can prove to your
  bosses that you actually worked at the show!

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Trade shows

• The advantage of making an announcement at trade
  shows
• Show organisers will try to ensure their events
  are well attended and covered by the
  international press and therefore making your
  announcement there will not only increase the
  chances that your story is picked up by an
  international audience, but it will also save
  you
• 1. time - because you can address ALL their
  questions on the spot.
• 2. money - because you dont have to send them
  press packs.
• 3. and you get the opportunity to make new press
  contacts.

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Trade Shows

• How to get into a show daily?
• First, understand how publications work!
• Pre-prints the middle portion of the daily.
• Pitch your story to the show daily 1 to 2 months
  before the event to capture the pre-print period.
• Life Pages the outside pages or the first few,
  and last few pages, of the paper.
• If you have a major and important announcement to
  make, the worst thing to do is to make it at the
  end of the day or on the last day of the show.
• 2. But if you really have to do it because of
  time sensitivities, then alert the show daily
  team early so maybe some sort of arrangements can
  be made.

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Pre-prints vs Live

• It is important to note that all stories are
  fighting for space because of the limited number
  of pages per issue.
• The number of live pages in a show daily is only
  one quarter of the paper.
• Unless you are confident your story is strong
  enough to kick other stories off the paper, aim
  for the pre-prints! Let us know 1 to 2 months
  before the show.

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Live photographs

• Again, its all about packaging.
• Make your booth look sexy
• Even if you do not have a huge budget to spend,
  dress it up with lots of props. It will increase
  your chances of being picked to be photographed.

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Trade Shows

• Before the show
• Request a list of media contacts from the show
  organiser and send them a teaser or an invite to
  your press conference or exhibition booth. But
  make sure you keep your promise and actually have
  news to share when they come!
• Press packs and press releases. Most trade shows
  will have press rooms with a dedicated area for
  exhibitors to place their press packs. Prepare
  these with information and announcements you want
  to make. Make your packs look attractive!
• Come with facts and figures, the press loves
  numbers because they lend weight to the story.

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What the press want

• Australia-based Media East executive editor, Mr
  Thomas King
• NTOs should be told their press briefings would
  be more relevant if they highlighted new
  developments and tourism trends and provided
  up-to-date statistics in their presentations.
• I regularly receive announcements from hotels
  regarding staff appointments, menu enhancements
  and room refurbishments. These are not useful
  and not used. Rarely do I receive details about
  emerging cultural circuits or new golf venues -
  information that is relevant and useful.

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What the press wants

• US-based CCC Publishing founder, Mr Brad Olsen
• Be creative, tell us something we dont already
  know.
• The press have a long-standing love affair with
  statistics
• Travel Magazine Belgium staff reporter, Mr Pieter
  Willaert
• Press releases on arrival statistics not only by
  region, but by country. Press releases about new
  products and destinations.
• Malaysia-based Virtual Malaysia journalist, Mr
  Zairolazhar Hj Mohd
• Up-to-date statistics and reports from the NTOs,
  sellers and the event organiser.

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News vs Features

• Dictionary definition of NEWS information about
  a recently changed situation or a recent event.
• When things are not new anymore, they may
  sometimes become FEATURES.
• Eg Taipei 101 is the tallest building in the
  world.
• This may have been news when it was first
  announced, but it is not news anymore because
  people know about it. However it is an
  interesting thing to mention when writing a
  feature story.

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Press Embargo

• A press embargo is usually imposed when you
  release the information early but because of
  sensitivities, it is not supposed to hit the
  market until a specific time.
• If understand how to make use of an embargo, it
  could net you new publicity opportunities.

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Responding to media requestsWhat NOT to do!

• Actual reply from an NTO
• Thank you for your email. We are unable to
  answer your questions because our English is not
  good.
• But please let us know if you have any more
  questions.

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In Summary

• Make the media work for you at trade shows, they
  can help you to reach a wider audience faster
  than you can do it yourself.
• Get a media contact list from the organiser and
  get to know the show daily team
• Take the trouble to understand deadlines so that
  you dont miss any opportunities. Respectable
  and trustworthy publications will respect your
  embargo
• Come as prepared as you can with facts and
  figures. If the press comes knocking and you do
  not have the information they need, its a lost
  opportunity.

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Last word

• On behalf of the press corps of the world, I
  will like to tell everyone in this audience that
  DEADLINES are sacrosanct to reporters, please
  dont bust them!

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• Thank you!