Radio silence here on the blog is mostly due to a heavy client work load, and trust me, I am not looking a gift horse in the mouth.
I spent the end of last week at the SHOT (Shooting Hunting and Outdoor Trade) Show. My client Spec.-Ops. Brand makes tactical nylon gear for the military and law enforcement, and I was there to staff media appointments. Just like last year, of our scheduled appointments (12 this year), we had only one no-show. We also picked up about six reporters who weren’t on the meeting schedule.
This is VERY different from the usual experience of a smaller company at a big trade show, where it is next to impossible to get meetings in the first place, and if you do, late- and no-shows are common. At SHOT, the reporters apologize if they are a few minutes late.
Why is this so different than the norm? Part of the reason is how we approach the media in the first place. We focus our outreach on the publications and reporters who are truly interested in the new gear. They have a gear guide or new products section and/or regularly do product evaluations. It also helps that the company makes great products and has an excellent reputation in the industry. I can’t tell you how many booth visitors made a point of showing us their Spec.-Ops. Brand wallets while telling us about some of the hardships the wallet had successfully survived!
But that just tells us why we get the appointments. Why does everyone show up? Most of the reporters are former military or law enforcement officers, and some of the freelancers are active-duty cops. I think punctuality and commitment are simply core values for them. You make a commitment, you show up.
Sure makes my job easier, and I am very grateful to be working with such a terrific group of reporters and editors.
Tags: Spec.-Ops. Brand