The embedded industry just completed its largest event — embedded world — held in Nuremberg, Germany. With over 1100 exhibitors and most likely more than 32,000 attendees, it stands apart as the single largest show globally covering AI, IoT, Industry 4.0, Automotive, Rail/Automotive and Medical applications.
Over the three-day event, Embedded Computing Design (ECD) received more than 150 new product submissions, Zoom call requests, booth meetings, and requests for executive briefings. So, the question is, now what? Here are a few tips to grab the engineer’s attention while they are engaged and looking for the latest products:
- Take a step back before you move forward. For the upcoming events and new products, plan your editorial, blogs, and new products launches three months out. If you are introducing a new product the day the show opens, it is very difficult to get good press coverage. Start by planning your content 90 days out with a blog, an executive podcast or interview, and lead up to your new product launch. I talked to numerous clients about moving away from a press release every quarter to releasing content on media sites every month.
- Submitting a new product or a press release is not enough. If you just submitted a new product on a press service or emailed to a list of editors, that won’t grab the attention of today’s engineers. You need consistent content to help engineers learn about your company and/or products. The content also needs to be posted quickly by the media outlet to ensure the best exposure.
- New Product launch promotions are key. If you had a new product at embedded world, now is the time to make it stand out from the other hundreds of product launches. Follow up your product with a blog, have your subject matter expert speak on our Embedded Executive Podcast or create YouTube demos you can share. Also, get active on social platforms, such as LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
- Follow up on your press meetings from embedded world. We had over 180 press meetings in three days, so you need to follow up with the editors, ask if your product/release was covered, ask if they have options for your subject matter expert to talk.
- Drive Lead Generation. embedded world was a great event to drive leads in Europe; now is the time to expand those leads through the rest of the continent and into the United States and Asia. Things like ECD’s AI Day Webinar Series, email campaigns, and white papers are great places to start for lead generation.
- Ask your FAEs and salespeople what recurring questions they heard at embedded world. Many times, engineers come to a booth asking the same questions. Create a blog or white paper using those questions as the title, then post on sites and drive traffic using Google Ad Words.
- Meet the engineers where they are viewing content. If you launched a new product, you need to have video content, blogs, podcasts, social posts (LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram), and email coverage.
- Finally, book embedded world North America, in Austin, TX, Oct. 8-10. ECD offers a series of products targeting the US audience, so now is the time to reset your focus. Also, the Call for Papers is now open. Submit your abstract.
Remember, it is key to keep the momentum going on any new product launches or campaigns. Good luck and let me know how I can assist you.
Patrick Hopper
Publisher
Embedded Computing Design
[email protected]