HOW TO MAKE NEWS AT THE INTERNATIONAL CES 2015 TRADESHOW

[Source: ScanMyPhotos.com Media Department].  Here are eleven tips for breaking

ScanMyPhotos.com digitized one-quarter billion pictures

through the mountainous media clutter at the 2015 International CES in Las Vegas. Having attended all prior Consumer Electronics Shows since 1990, ScanMyPhotos.com  has dozens of additional tested recommendations that worked for us, but those are secret to keep us light years ahead of others attempting to score media coverage. Hey, we need to keep some cards face down. CES is the world’s largest consumer trade show, held each January in Las Vegas and attended by hundreds of thousands of tech innovators and an ocean of media contacts.

1) Have a compelling story. You have less than the standard 30-second elevator pitch time to grab attention. Two sentences max to attract interest. Have your story 10-times better and create urgency. Solve a problem: ScanMyPhotos.com solved the biggest problem in photography: we pioneered an easy and affordable – with a game-changing crazy low price to scan the nations and overseas pictures. ScanMyPhotos.com digitized one-quarter billion photos.  People are sharing these decades of nostalgic memories on all the photo sharing Apps and new photo gadgets introduced at CES.

2) Download and memorize every tech reporters’ and bloggers’ headshots. Print up like baseball cards and study their backgrounds. Reporters at CES hide their name badges or use others so they aren’t recognized.

3) Focus. This is like a safari hunt to locate and capture media attention. Don’t be looking down at your mobile phone when walking, instead look forward at everyone you pass for the media in the crowd.

4) Position yourself. Stand near media events and news conferences and chat with reporters as they enter, leave. Start with a friendly intro, vs. heavy pitch.

5) Be visible, but silent. Don’t use social media to alert competitors to the media contacts you met.

6) Be ready with background information. Have an OMG “news peg” ready. Explain why it is it news, timely and have a sizzling appeal. Be relevant and honest. Your detailed pitch and links should be available on your phone in notes to immediately send to those you meet. Today, reporters are on lightening-fast deadlines and can file stories and publish live on the spot. That’s how I scored this HuffPost CES story: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2013/01/10/scan-my-photos-com-digitized-photography-scanning_n_2442816.html post

7) Be prepared to fulfill an onslaught of orders. Work with your customer service team (at ScanMyPhotos.com they are called “personal customer service concierges”) to prepare them for pending media coverage. The most important process in making media is to then dazzle every new customer. We even send flowers to customers with compelling stories. From needing pictures scanned for a memorial service to raving fans who used our live support or called to comment on how impressed they were with ScanMyPhotos.com.  Surprizing customers with flowers are our only marketing budget item; people take pictures of the flowers, post with a lengthy narrative about their ScanMyPhotos.com experience and we reach dozens or hundreds of new raving fans.

8) Wear comfortable shoes. Start early, stay late and network. Be bold. Ask everyone you meet what their best, most successful marketing and media pitch was and who profiled them.

9) Only connect with reporters who cover your beat. There are many at CES who don’t write about your specific industry, product.

10) Take advantage of other companies held captive in the booths. Most attendees are stuck at their booths, immobile all day. Use that as your advantage to walk the show and gain valuable visibility. Never rest. Stand near company sponsored events to track down media guests.

11) Smile and buy drinks. All day and night, use this strategy to invest in scoring 15 minutes of Face time and fame. When you encounter influential media contacts on line or eating, surprise them by buying their food and have the server simply hand them your card; write a brief ” your lunch was on me” message on the back.   Continue reading →