Not every show has the time or resources to invest in a full-time public relations expert or create an intricate press strategy. But even if you don’t have someone devoted to the press full time, you shouldn’t relegate the media to second- or third-priority status when it comes to prepping for your next show. Even if “media coordinator” just happens to be one of the many, many hats you wear, you can still get effective media coverage — and create more buzz for your show — by keeping a few simple things in mind.

Think case studies. Editors like stories that do more than tout your event; if they’re covering your show, it’s likely they’ll be more interested in showing their readers how they can get results from attending the event. If the publication accepts pre-written material, you can prep a case study or two for them; if not, prepare a pitch that highlights the basics, plus the relevant contact information for all parties involved. “We go to past attendees, interview them about their experience and write up what we call case studies that are part of a story package we would send out to trade press,” says Matt Croson, Vice President of Member Services and Communications of the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute. “We’re developing stories that resonate with our desired attendee. It moves from ‘Hey, that trade show’s going to be big,’ to ‘Here’s the ROI you can expect from attending the show.’”

Don’t forget local press. Even if your show and organization typically only deals with trade press, think about how the local/regional consumer press can cover a show in a way that highlights your industry. “We reach out to the local TV and radio outlets who might want to come down and see what’s going on,” Croson says. “Since our show isn’t open to the general public, it’s not about inviting people out to see what’s new.We simply talk about packaging trends and how the industry is responding to it.” The consumer angle will give your attendees and exhibitors another opportunity to see the show being buzzed about, and position your show as an industry voice in the press.

Make it cozy. Many shows don’t have the budget to create a luxurious press room on-site; but even if you don’t have a room filled with fresh fruit and all the extras for press, you need to create a space sufficient for on-site press to do their jobs remotely. “We try to create an office away from their office,” Croson says. “We have telephones for them to use, computer kiosks and wireless Internet connection.” Even if your show can’t pony up for all of those things, as a baseline you need a quiet space away from the show floor for the press to work, a couple of computer stations for anyone who doesn’t have a laptop and an Internet connection for anyone who does.

Assign roles. In addition to having a dedicated press area, you should have a full on-site strategy in place before the press hit the show floor. Part of that strategy includes dedicating one person on staff to act as a point person. “Our PR coordinator becomes the contact person on site,” says Keith Vincent, Director of Marketing for the Promotional Products Association International. “When a press member arrives, the staff office contacts her and she introduces herself. If it’s someone outside of the industry, she gives them a full tour. If it’s someone within the industry who’s already familiar with the show setup, she just shows them any new features of the show.”

Use social media. One of the most inexpensive and easiest ways of getting the word out to press throughout the year is by leveraging social media.Margaret Core, Director of Sales and Marketing, Conventions and Conferences, for the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), touted the power of social media as a press-getting tool when she spoke on a panel at the recent EXPOTECH Virtual Show. One example: The BIO International Convention made an announcement via Twitter at 9 a.m. one day, and then released a full press release later in the afternoon. Before the release went live, one media outlet had already written a full online story using the announcement.

Follow up. Once the show is over, you should have some downtime in terms of fielding press inquiries. But just because things have slowed down, don’t forget to check in with key press members to see if they need any additional information and to alert them to results of the show. “We always follow up right away,”Vincent says. “Of course, they’ll get a release on attendance within a couple of weeks after the show as soon as it’s verified, but we also want to touch base to make sure all questions got answered.”