As a PR, MWC is a great opportunity but a challenging one. Hot on the heels of the 2017 show, here are my top do’s and don’ts for PRs at MWC.
- DO: be the most flexible and adaptable that you have ever been. Understand that anything is possible but not everything is possible – these are two very different concepts! Plans will change, change and change again, but in the heat of the moment remember why you are there and what your main objectives are. Go with the flow and BREATHE.
- DON’T: miss the opportunity to really get under the skin of your client or team. It’s often rare that you get to spend this much time with them so open your eyes and ears and take in as much as you can. You should reap the benefits long after you return to the office.
- DO: your research. It’s easy to be blinkered by what you are doing at the show but make sure you know what the big news is and what the general trends are as well. This will be beneficial when navigating your planned activities around other press events, or even just for conversation topics when networking.
- DO: wear comfy shoes – no, seriously.
- DON’T: set unrealistic expectations for yourself or your team. For instance, if you don’t have news to push, don’t promise/expect the earth, but focus on what you CAN achieve. Set goals accordingly to avoid disappointment and stress for all concerned.
- DO: make sure you are on top of what announcements you have made at the show, and what your key messages are. It might sound obvious, but you don’t have the comfort of hiding behind email or Google when a journalist comes up to you and asks an on-the-spot question you should know the answer to.
- DON’T: underestimate the social side of things, and how valuable this part of the job is. You won’t be able to move for drinks, dinner and party invitations, and you should try and host as many as you can (you weren’t expecting to get any sleep anyway were you?!). It’s not every day that so many industry contacts and journos are in the same city, so you dust off your best networking skills and get to know the people behind the email addresses.
- DO: absorb as much insight from journalists as you can. A lot of them are seasoned MWC pros and can serve as a font of all knowledge; from shortcuts around the conference hall to who holds the best press parties (and therefore who you need to compete with!).
- DO: know when to STOP. Pitching, I mean. A journalist told me at the end of the second day of the conference that he was still being pitched by PRs for briefings at the show. Needless to say he wasn’t happy about it. Unless you know the journalist and their schedule really well, or you really have a once in a lifetime opportunity for them, it’s just not worth the aggravation or damaging your hard-earned relationships.
- DO: try and be 2,3…10 steps ahead of, well everyone. Have press releases, briefing attendee numbers, printouts and contact details to hand at all times, as you often don’t have time to think about the nitty-gritty once there. Have a positive attitude – no job is either too big or too small, and you’ll soon go down in history as the ultimate MWC PR superstar.