More tips for handling MWC-related PR? We’re too good to you, we really are.

1. Make sure your stand is attention-grabbing

Whether this involves putting people out front, or dressing it up with posters, additional ‘scenery’, etc. But be wary; the organisers will charge you extra to do all of these things.

2. Consider the Show Daily

If you pitch to the ‘Show Daily’ far enough in advance, you’ll stand a reasonable chance of being included. Failing this, wacky stunts or interestingly-dressed people will be sure to catch the eye of the daily’s roving reporters, who are usually keen to add the impression of ‘fun’ to the publication.

3. Consider competitions and gimmicks

Don’t rely on pre-show PR to drag in all your appointments. Make sure you’re doing something eye-catching.

4. Keep your information digital if you can

Yes, we know the MWC VPO seems to cost a lot (often to merely put your company info and press releases up in a central repository, with a few subsidiary services). But you have to ask yourself, isn’t it worth a few hundred pounds to know that your information can be accessed centrally by everyone interested in investigating the presence of certain types of vendors at the show?

The answer, unfortunately, is ‘generally, yes’, so just shut your eyes and add this to your bill. It won’t be the last thing you add, believe me.

You’re also not supposed to give out press releases and bundles of paper on the stand. While you can usually get around this, you’d do well to order a few hundred cheap, tiny-capacity USBs or, at the very least, have QR codes and website addresses on cards. I’d recommend USBs, personally, but be sure to qualify people before giving them one.

5. Don’t be afraid to do a bit of guerilla marketing at the show

There’s nothing wrong with being a little aggressive on the floor. If you see someone you might want to talk to, go after them, and be sure to have a suitable topic ready that you would like to talk to them about (but be sure to respect the fact that they might need to keep to a prearranged schedule and may want to circle back to you, or be contacted after the show).

6. And, of course, pay attention to the everyday fundamentals

Identify your audience, tailor your message to them, make sure you’re talking to the right people, and that whatever message, news, collateral, giveaways or stunts you’re offering them fulfils a need that they want met. It’s amazing how often companies, in all the glitz and glamour, and the sense that they have to be ‘seen’ at MWC, together with decent marketing and PR budgets, can veer off on a tangent and offer something useless.

We’re not saying that every stand has to be riddled with messaging, nor that every encounter has to result in a sale. Usually, warming people up, developing messages and fostering relationships that can be used in future is more than enough for one show. But make sure, after you’ve spent all that money on a stand, that your punters can remember who you were, not just what you did, and that you have some useful leads.

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