You’re in the midst of preparing a major product launch with a press conference at a big trade show exhibition, and suddenly news comes in. The show is canceled because of a pandemic crisis. This scenario is now unfortunately a global reality with the cancelation of several trade events like drupa, Interpack, FESPA Madrid and many others as a result. With maybe more upcoming exhibitions to follow in the near term.
Create communication opportunities
Since you’ve already invested time and budget preparing for these shows, you obviously still want to get some return on investment. Regardless of whether a trade show is postponed or cancelled, your product launches and announcements are still happening and shouldn’t fade in the shadows.
To counter the loss of visibility for your innovation and prepare your business, we’ve listed some solutions for you to gain the upper hand during these unusual and unfortunate circumstances.
Step 1: Coronavirus – Communication plan
How to tackle a crisis situation?
Make sure that your company has a crisis communication plan up to date with the latest circumstances. With a confusing and chaotic situation such as the current one, it’s important to have clear instructions detailed in a crisis plan. It makes a huge difference when you have a clear communication stating who is responsible and who needs to step up to inform your stakeholders.
Having prepared your messaging (press releases, social media announcements, mailers) in advance will allow your company to move quickly and efficiently and not waste valuable time.
Step 2: Web page dedicated to coronavirus updates
When people need to be informed quickly because actions need to be taken, it’s a good strategy to put up a landing page dedicated to the issue.
All your communication can redirect to this page and make it the centralized location for all updates and the latest information. A pop-up or link on your homepage is a must.
Step 3: The show must go on – online events
If you had planned a big press conference, with a date set and journalists alerted, then it might be worthwhile to keep the date and timing and invite the journalists to a live streaming online press conference. The same look and feel as if journalists would be physically attending is created, but instead they enjoy the event from a safe and comfortable environment, their own homes.
Our team is experienced in creating an event to remember, be it a digital one.
In addition, we provide the same experience to the journalists and keep them informed of the new editorial content available after the event, extra visuals, video footage, podcasts and more. That way the press is fully briefed to report about a successful event.
When it comes to the one-to-one meetings you had lined up at the trade show. No need to panic. You can plan your meetings in a video conference call setup.
Step 4: Multi-channel campaign
Your budget did not go down the drain. You can still leverage your investment. With a communication campaign that combines social media tactics with PR efforts and targeted advertising, you can take advantage of the situation.
Launch a multi-channel communication campaign and be the voice within your market, while your competitors are still silent.
Pardon the pun, but let’s go viral!
