NAB Show is back – and with it the latest hot industry buzzwords being bandied about on the show floor. But you need to be able to do more than drop terms such as ‘AI’, ‘AR/VR’, ‘virtualization’, ‘next-generation codec’ and ‘data’ to rise above the din at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

You have to be able to get your specific message across. So just how can you ensure your message will be heard by the right people?

Getting your content in front of the right people is a challenge at the best of times. However, during a trade show that attracts over 100,000 attendees and 1,700 exhibitors, the battle to cut through the noise requires the dexterity of a samurai, Elvis Presley-level decibels booming through a megaphone and enormous billboard posters covering every inch of the Strip.

But if you don’t have a multi-million-dollar budget or a samurai trained Elvis impersonator to hand, then your next option is some common sense! Here are a few tips to help you along the way during this year’s show.

One size does not fit all

If you’re distributing news and information at the show, try to avoid doing it all at once. If you’re looking for a steady drum beat with some cadence, don’t take the classic churn and burn method for content creation and distribution. Different stories require different mediums and formats. Sometimes less is more – 28 press releases at the show could have exactly the same impact as three – it all depends on the strategy. The right mix varies from one company to another depending on your objectives – are you there to line up new customers, to sign new partners or to reinforce your branding? Having a clear idea about your objectives is critical in creating communications campaigns that help you meet your business goals.

If you’re behind, don’t despair

Six weeks ahead would be the ideal time to start your communication campaign. However, don’t lose hope if you didn’t make that deadline! In the best of worlds, you would have prepared and issued the right mixture of marketing, insight and hard news ahead of the show. Nevertheless, strong views delivered in a series of blogs supported by social media can often be just as effective as getting all your customers to agree to write a joint press release or using the world’s best hashtag – and often quicker to get out. It’s all about the timing and even getting a good blog out during or after the show can have an impact.

Good storytelling = the passport to success!

To produce resonating content, you must be able to not only demonstrate expert knowledge and effectively communicate your unique message to your target audience but to do it in an engaging way – telling a good story. So, what’s the story? What does resonate with the customer? And can you distil that story for different audiences? Careful planning, message testing and a strong narrative are all fundamental steps to making your story stand out. Once you have decided on your message and found a compelling way to tell it, it’s possible for every one of your releases, articles and social media posts to deliver the maximum impact.

Keywords are just that

This applies regardless of the type of content – from blogs and articles, through to press releases and media alerts, to tweets and mailers. Whether you’re approaching content from an organic or paid-for model, it’s important to find the requisite balance between cramming keywords into the opening paragraph and producing a piece of content that is interesting and even fun to read. Just make sure you provide helpful sign posts that can help guide your reader through each written piece.

Is there something for me?

Readers want to be informed and entertained – preferably both. And if you’ve done that, you are already on your way to effectively connecting with your audience. However, you also want your content to produce tangible results – such as producing leads. Simple methods, such as asking readers to register before downloading white papers and e-books or signing up for a webinar presentation can help ensure you use good content to further the relationship. Shows such as NAB can help you provide a strong database to send targeted mailers post-show – and a strong content and social strategy can help you avoid the pitfall of relying solely on pre-arranged meetings at the show

Take the story beyond NAB Show

As Elvis himself once sang “how I wish that there were more than the 24 hours in the day, ‘cause even if there were 40 more I wouldn’t sleep a minute away”. Luckily, being in Las Vegas doesn’t have to take its toll on your content. Use social media to document all the important goings on around the show floor. Deliver an extensive write up of your NAB Show experiences in a post-show blog. Just keep the conversation going! In other words, ensure you keep your insights fresh and meaningful for the audiences who were unable to make it to Las Vegas.

Producing compelling content that achieves cut through may feel like mission impossible (with a budget to match the franchise film series), but if you follow steps above, then you’ll be able to cultivate a successful communications campaign. And you don’t have to do it alone. That’s what we’re here for – we at Platform are content experts and, more importantly, experienced storytellers. So if you’re looking for help in taking your communications to the next level for the next show, feel free to contact us for all your content needs. You can reach me at: james@platformcomms.com

By James Michael-Holmes, Content Manager