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Enhancing Export Promotion through Trade Fairs: the PR Perspective

Enhancing Export Promotion through Trade Fairs: the PR Perspective. By Joe ITAH Head, Public Relations Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC). A Presentation @ NIPR Professional Platform. September 26, 2012.

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Enhancing Export Promotion through Trade Fairs: the PR Perspective

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  1. Enhancing Export Promotion through Trade Fairs: the PR Perspective By Joe ITAH Head, Public Relations Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) A Presentation @ NIPR Professional Platform September 26, 2012

  2. ‘PR IS A WONDERFUL WAY OF AMPLIFYING THE BRAND MESSAGE AND GAINING MARKET REACH IN A CREDIBLE WAY’. Lorna Charlish, Head Marketing i2i Events Group, US ‘A GOOD START MEANS HALF THE SUCCESS’ Joanne Marshall, SMM, UBM

  3. NEPC: The Organization; Its Setting Getting Started: The Essentials Export Readiness Trade Fairs, the World Over Trade Fairs in Nigeria Preparing to Participate in ITF What to do at the Fair Rounding Off Post Fair Activities Conclusions References Content Layout

  4. NEPC: The Organization; Its Setting • Fed. Govt. Agency under FMTI established by Decree No. 26 of 1976, for development & promotion of non-oil exports • Functions within the activities of its core departments: Product, Market, Trade Information & Export Incentives • Headquarters & 15 Zonal Offices (Directors & Zonal Controllers)

  5. Getting Started: The Essentials • Grow the interest, confirm it, passion? • Pick a product, or line of products • Get a feasibility study • Choose country of destination • Do a budget: (Beware of cost) • Build a library • Read everything you need to know • Attend relevant fora

  6. Export Readiness • Establish an Export Office: Needs? • Confirm your products: identification, sources etc. • Be IT compliance: Internet, E-mails … • Price regimes: Costing, Pricing … • A Packing, Packaging, Labeling Plan • Test the market • Export Consultants (If in doubt)

  7. Trade Fairs, the World Over • How they are used • Why they are organized • International Best Practices • Examples of World Renowned Fairs • Related Events: Trade Missions, Trade Exhibitions, Solo Exhibitions, Buyer – Seller Meetings, Bi & Multi Lateral Commissions

  8. Trade Fairs in Nigeria • International: Lagos, Kaduna & Enugu • Local: Abuja Motor Fair, Herbfest, Nigerian Machine & Equipment Fair, Lagos Fashion Fair, Nigerian Real Estate Fair • Regional: ECOWAS, Medic West Africa • Types: Generalize Fairs Specialize Fairs Consumers Fair

  9. Preparing to Participate in ITF • Prepare well ahead: Set Objs, Get Information • Budgeting & Staff Planning • Reach-out to Prospective Business contacts & facilitators • Map-out strategies, be guided by budget • Packing list • Strategic Stand Location/Design/Construction • Travelling Plans/Transportation • Sundry marketing tools

  10. What to do at the Fair • Promotion, PR, Marketing & Advertizing • Trade Show Trends: Bubbles, Photo Booths, QR Codes, I Pad/Tablet Devices • Celebrity Interviews/Print & Electronics • Creative PR: Moderate CPP Sessions, Arrange Facility Visits/Media Tours • Generate Newsworthy Contents: Press Releases & Good PR Stories

  11. What to do at the Fair (Cont) • Multi media (traffic command, gifts) • Advertize in local media • Commit your organ to a Special Day: maybe a Nigerian Day • Maintain a Register: Visitors, Prospective Buyers, Buyers, Sales, Press, Technocrats

  12. Rounding Off • Throw a dinner (if budget permits) • Use Packing List to know items remaining • Decide what to do with the Products • Sign-off properly with host Authorities • Retrace travel arrangements

  13. Post Fair Activities • Evaluation: Was promotion campaign sufficient? Were objectives worth the cost? Minimum visitors? Were orders realistic? • Follow – up • Consolidate Casual Contacts • Deliver on Time

  14. Conclusions • A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing. Plan ahead …it was not raining when Noah built the Ark. • The role of PR has fundamentally changed, no longer simply a means to amplify a campaign, now plays a more integral role - with PR activity often forming the real basis of a trade event such as this. PR easily captures the industry’s imagination, as results are communicated from the buzz created by PR.

  15. References • ‘Successful Event Management – A Handbook’ by Anton Shone with Bryn Parry, Biddles Ltd., London, 2001. • ‘The Right PR Effect: PR at Exhibitions’ by Joanne Marshall • ‘The PR Manager: A Handbook of Best Practices’ by Ndubueze Okeke, By-line Communications Ltd., 2011 • ‘How Current Trade Show Trends Can Impact PR Initiatives’ by Linda Musgrove, Florida, US. • www.techimage.com • www.PRnewsonline.com

  16. Thank You for listening • Merci • ¡gracias • obrigado • ‘Na go de’ • ‘Imela’ • ‘Ese gan!’ • ‘So-song o!’

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