By Kurt Genden And Brian Williams
Driven by dynamic industry growth, today's consumer-electronics news environment is moving forward at a pace unimagined five years ago. U.S. sales growth of consumer
electronics rose more than 11% last year, and industry growth approaching the $126 billion mark is projected for 2005, according to the Consumer Electronics Association
(CEA). This sustained increase presents tremendous opportunities for PR execs to promote new products and emerging technologies to the media and to consumers.
However, such new-product developments have given birth to a fiercely competitive and crowded space, with an influx of consumer-electronics PR outreach. PR teams are,
therefore, forced to become more creative in their attempts to win media mind share.
Yet no matter what the product, there is a proven formula for success when establishing relationships and communicating key product and brand messages to the consumer-
electronics press. Here are some general tips:
Understand the technology:
While maintaining the party line often is a critical element to media discussions on behalf of a client, consumer-electronics media are most responsive to those PR
representatives who also have the reporters' interest in mind when pitching a story.
Be sure to offer products and story angles that are relevant to a reporter's regular beat. Gaining the reputation within the media as being someone who knows what stories are
hot and what will best resonate with readers (and presenting story angles in that regard) will help gain access to the best media opportunities.
Stay on top of the industry:
Editors and reviewers spend countless hours researching leads, testing products, studying specification sheets and writing comprehensive reviews for their publications.
Referencing recent work is an excellent way to engage an editor, to initiate dialogue and to work toward developing a relationship. Continued monitoring of a client's target
media allows PR professionals to better identify emerging trends and to position a client's products with review editors.
Educate the media:
Don't assume an editor or reviewer knows more about the product than your client does. Most editors review hundreds of products each year and, often, they only touch the
surface with regard to what each specific product can do.
The real story is usually below the surface of the product's general appearance or specifications, so take the extra time to demonstrate the product's full range of
capabilities and features. For example, if your client makes a digital camera with an exclusive feature, be sure to showcase that feature to the editor; it may be the missing
piece of the puzzle that turns a brief into a feature story.
If properly and completely informed, an editor or reviewer will appreciate your level of understanding, detail and commitment to presenting the whole story.
At its core, strong PR practices as they pertain to the consumer-electronics media are a balanced combination of strategy, planning, preparation and sound execution.
Understanding the media and creating "stories that sell" will help to build a successful consumer-electronics media-relations campaign and help ensure continued success in
capturing your clients' share of the media spotlight.