4 tips to get new PR clients at trade shows

Networking for prospective new clients comes with the territory when growing your PR agency.

Are trade shows worth your time?

Trade shows and industry conferences seem like great feeding grounds for prospects. After all, where else are you going to find so many relevant organizations all in one place? Plus, you know they at least have some budget to attend; perhaps they’ll have some for a PR campaign, too.

However, trade shows can also be overwhelming and chaotic. Everyone has a different agenda, operates on different schedules and tries to meet different people. Can your agency’s representatives really break through the noise of it all?

Here are four tips for making trade shows work for PR prospecting and business development:

1. Plan and pitch in advance.

Do your research!

Looking at the list of companies exhibiting on the conference website is the first step. Find companies in your sweet spot (industry, revenue, geography, etc.) so you can narrow your efforts in advance and on site. Otherwise, it can feel like you’re searching for a needle in a haystack.