Parts I and II of this series offer insight into what to expect from and how to maximize your visibility and effectiveness at events in Eastern Europe. In this final installment, Abeceda komunikacije shares useful tips it employs to successfully unlock new media coverage and analyst relations opportunities for clients.

Phone Versus Face-to-face Briefings

On daily basis, we reach out to more than 20 reporters and journalists. Sometimes, one or two phone calls are enough to confirm a meeting or an article. But most of the time, we prefer to schedule face-to-face briefings. We start by sending them a short memo via email to exchange contact information and data, however, before we finalize any deals or events, we meet face-to-face to hash out the details. This way, we minimize any confusion and there’s less of a chance of misunderstanding.

Lunch, Anyone?

Lunch is definitely on the menu. In Croatia, people often like to hold meetings over lunch. Interestingly enough, it’s not just an excuse to get out of the office; rather, it’s an opportunity to discuss business in a less strict environment. With today’s stressful daily routine, these face-to-face business lunches are an important way to build relationships. And we mustn’t forget – when people are relaxed and having a good time, they’re more likely to open up.

Let’s Get Social

Social media is an important tool for events and media relations in general. With platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, we generate cost-efficient, high quality opportunities for online exposure on behalf of our clients both during events and on a day-to-day basis. Social media is a great way to follow what people are saying, and find out what they want or need. It’s also an effective means for monitoring our competitors. Through social media we can:

• Attract more customers
• Build up brands
• Provide a more personal touch
• Create a community and build relationships
• Showcase products and services

Following these strategies will help open the door to maximum exposure for your clients, while developing meaningful, productive relationships with key media, analysts, and others across Eastern Europe.

Want to unlock new #media opportunities for clients at Eastern European events? Then try these tips:
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Part I of this series offered an overview of what to expect of media and analyst relations at events in Eastern Europe. In Part II, we cover practical tips for maximizing your visibility and effectiveness.

One thing to keep in mind about reporters, not only in Bulgaria, but anywhere else in the world, for that matter, is they deal with tight deadlines on a daily basis. What’s more, these reporters will receive about one hundred pitches every day. So, here’s the question: How can we get their attention and ultimately, encourage them to attend the event we are organizing? These useful tips can help when working with Bulgarian reporters:

1. First, think about how you will approach the reporter. Take into consideration whether they would prefer a phone or face-to-face briefing. Of course, this will vary person-to-person and will also depend on the situation, but keep in mind that most Bulgarian reporters spend their days out of office. They will often be found in a meeting or at an event. Our advice here is to make initial contact with a phone call. Keep it short and concise, but with quality content.

2. After initial contact with a reporter, the next step should be a group briefing or press conference. Yes, the reporter will attend a press conference if it is about an important social or political issue. Also, it’s important to take into consideration that when it comes to corporate events, reporters in Bulgaria are tied to budgets that regulate the advertising and sponsorships. Therefore, in the case of a corporate event, the name of your company is very likely to be dismissed if included in an article.

3. We already know that journalists are busy people, but what if you need more time to brief them about your wonderful new campaign and invite them to a lunch meeting? This one is quite simple – if you have personal contact with the journalist, by all means, have lunch with them and guide them through your campaign. If you don’t have personal contact with the reporter, it’s important to think of an angle that relates to topics the reporter is already covering or another topic that might interest that particular journalist. Still, keep in mind that a lunch meeting might not be the best option as they are working on short deadlines.

4. At this point, you have successfully contacted the reporters and they attended your press conference or event. That is all great news, but what happens next? They know you have deadlines as they do and will work to get the coverage out and in the papers as soon as possible. In Bulgaria, when a reporter says it will be out as soon as possible, this normally means it will appear the day after the event. Worst-case scenario, the coverage will be available two or three days after the event.

5. Now that we have gone through how to communicate with reporters, it is time to consider social media. In Bulgaria, Facebook is the most used form of social media. In recent years, online communication might have shifted to Twitter and Instagram, but in Bulgaria, the main source of information surrounding events and other happenings is Facebook. If it is necessary to use LinkedIn, keep the posts to a corporate nature.

Want actionable intelligence on #events #PR management? Then check out @United_Partners’ guest blog:
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Every media and promotion market has its own characteristics. Even those countries that are geographically close, such as Poland and Germany, are characterized by completely different journalist expectations and editorial approaches. To that end, it’s important to know how to communicate and work with journalists in various locations through Eastern Europe. This three-part series from GlobalCom PR Network member, Planet PR, gives you the inside scoop on maximizing your visibility at your event being held in Eastern Europe.

Media Coverage of Events Requires a Lot of PR Officers’ Commitment

Press releases and save-the-dates are now a standard that cannot be ignored, but unfortunately, their effectiveness is low. The growing number of outlets, combined with the rising number of events, requires more and more work to attract editors. One way to attract editors is by offering an interview with keynote speakers, but it’s very important to know the specifics of the medium as well as the interests and specialization of the editor.

Journalists in Poland also value how PR specialists take care of them during the event. If they themselves have to look for the interviewees and topics, without support from the press office, they will most likely not come back either immediately or in the future.

Polish Journalists Are Very Sensitive to Advertising Messages

Communication with the Polish media must be free of advertising stigma, therefore it is necessary to avoid phrases such as “XXX, the leader in the industry”, or “YYY, the biggest supplier”. In turn, communiqués with extensive descriptions of products, events or functionality can immediately mean the redirect of the email to the advertising department. The rare exception here is industry press but even then, editors expect moderation.

Press Conferences Are Already a Holdover

Unfortunately, many editorial offices these days have a very limited number of journalists. Therefore, unless the topic is very relevant and important, they avoid long press conferences that are not necessarily highly informative. If organizing a press conference is really necessary, the safest days are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in the morning, and Tuesday and Wednesday in the afternoon. Choosing another day increases the risk of high absenteeism.

Instead of a Press Conference, Arrange an Interview or a Small F2F Meeting

Sometimes, it is worth providing an exclusive, especially if it is a respected and often cited outlet. An important matter to consider for interviews are the questions. Many journalists will agree to define the scope of the conversation in advance, but not everyone may agree to restrictions on questions, and being prohibited from going beyond the original scope. Many experienced journalists will even quit the interview when someone tries to make such a determination.

Journalistic Social Media

In this case, it very much depends on the industry. Tech journalists are present on Facebook, but they also use Twitter or LinkedIn. Political, social, and local journalists are most likely to use Twitter – at present about 1,000 of these journalists have accounts, and the majority of them are active. On the other hand, fashion journalists are often found on Instagram, where they manage their own accounts and engage with other users. It is worth noting that some journalists clearly state that their social profiles are their personal accounts and do not want to receive press releases or topics.

Get more information now on Planet PR at http://www.planetpr.pl/en, the GlobalCom PR Network at https://www.gcpr.net.

International #EventManagement can be tricky, but these tips will help you maximize your impact:
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Hot topics from bandwidth demand, to 100G/400G network design and optimization, to terabit and beyond optical networking, software defined networking (SDN) and wavelength agile access networks were showcased in more than 100 news announcements from exhibiting companies. The pervasive IoT topic, including smart appliances and mobile apps, was also evident at this laser light show in discussion around the show floor.

The buzz on Tuesday centered on the plenary session, live-streamed for the first time to at-home viewers. There, MIT Media Lab presented a much talked about discussion of the many ways that algorithms shape networks and the people who use them, highlighting unique examples of how algorithms affect our lives. Also of interest was the plenary from Juniper Networks CTO Pradeep Sindhu on the future of transport networks as a combination of SDN, network function virtualization, and physical device automation.

Also on Tuesday, Facebook created a stir heard all around the show floor when, during the press luncheon panel, spokesperson Yuval Bachar said in reference to deploying 100 Gigabit Ethernet optical modules in his network, “6-8 optical transceiver vendors were getting close enough to the company’s $1/gigabit goal that he’s at least considering deploying their wares in the foreseeable future…”

Optical communications market research firm, LightCounting, highlighted unfolding plots that kept OFC 2015 interesting in its conference wrap up, saying “demand for optical connectivity inside datacenters puts optics in the spotlight like we have not seen for the last 15 years. Optics for connecting datacenters with each other or the core network is another hot area of the market. Deployments of 4G LTE infrastructure and FTTx connectivity are the other key elements of the big picture.”

During the exhibitor breakfast The Optical Society senior industry advisor Tom Hausken remarked, “There are a lot of big changes going on.”

Hausken spoke about data center trends as well, noting “dramatic growth in data center traffic, about 25 percent per year, has pushed some companies to the top of the food chain. Arguably Facebook and Google are now the largest communications companies in the world.”

From the busy expo floor, exhibitors showed off a wide range of optical networking innovations, including gigabit Ethernet, SDN networks, test and measurement, optical packets and WDM systems, interconnects and switches, 100Gb/s hardware, ROADMs and VCSELs, and FTTx. Educational programming from exhibit floor theaters hosted the popular Market Watch and Service Provider Summit and were active with lively discussions on SDN, integrated photonics and intra-data center interconnects that encompass the complete landscape of optical convergence, and network evolution.

OFC was an important show for Interprose clients ADVA Optical Networking and the Ethernet Alliance. ADVA showed off its Access Link Monitoring tool and new NFV strategy while the Ethernet Alliance launched its 2015 Ethernet Roadmap looking at the future of Ethernet all the way out to Terabit speeds. Ethernet Alliance member company representatives also participated in two standing-room-only panels in Expo Theater II on Next Generation Tunable Technology & Application and Ethernet Roadmaps.

As the optical networking industry evolves, OFC will remain an important event to follow. It continues to be an ideal stage for showcasing the industry’s latest advancements and changes, but more importantly, OFC brings together the engineers and innovators who best understand and track this important market segment.

Another warm and sunny locale is on tap for next year’s OFC which will be held in Anaheim, California, USA, 20 – 24 March 2016, at the Anaheim Convention Center. Looking forward to seeing you next year!

Tweet.Me – Byte-sized bits for your tweeting pleasure:

OFC you next year! @MelissaTechPR bids #OFC2015 a fond farewell.
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So long, L.A.! Check out a few final thoughts on #OFC2015 from @MelissaTechPR.
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As we draw closer to kickoff, we can expect to see the volume of announcements increase around hot topics on tap for #OFC2015 (official live tweets are available by following @ofcconference on Twitter). According to show organizers, the buzz this year is crystallizing around several important themes including the monetization of optical networks; SDN and virtualization; 100G/200G/400G network design; interoperability and optimization; terabit and beyond optical networking; integrated photonics; and cloud and data center networking/interconnect.

For the first-time ever, Tuesday’s Plenary Session will be offered as a free live-stream, online event. Featured speakers include Juniper Networks’ Pradeep Sindhu, TE Connectivity SubCom’s Neal S. Bergano, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Kevin Slavin. Expect speakers to offer interesting and important discussions focused on the latest developments in optical networking, including the future of transport networks, a very cool talk on undersea fiber optic cables enabling a connected world (did you know the first successful transatlantic telegraph cable connected North America to Europe in 1866?), and an equally cool discussion of algorithms’ impact on networking and the ‘physics of culture at-large’. At home viewers will need to pre-register to receive the live-stream link.

It’s no surprise that SDN is a hot topic at OFC 2015. A quick Google search shows that just about everyone is talking about it…new alliances are being formed, SDN conferences are coming online, and a slew of vendors are making SDN-related announcements. At OFC, SDN will be featured in the Service Provider Summit, a half-day event from the show floor on Wednesday, March 25 in Expo Theater I. Specifically designed for the service provider and carrier sector, the Summit includes panel discussions, a keynote presentation, exhibit time, and networking opportunities.

SDN will also be featured in a track of sessions in the Expo Theaters II and III, also located on the show floor. These sessions, and a dozen or so others focused on business, networks and FTTX, and datacom, enable attendees to take advantage of a host of educational programs without having to leave the exhibition.

Market Watch, yet another feature open to attendees from Expo Theater I on the exhibit floor, is an exhibition-long series of panel discussions exploring the latest application topics and business issues in optical communications. Speakers from industry, research, and the investment community will cover a range of topics like the state of the industry, network convergence verses equipment divergence, monetization of optical networks, and integrated photonics technologies, among others.

OFC 2015 is an important show for Interprose clients ADVA Optical Networking, booth #1449, and the Ethernet Alliance, booth #2531. ADVA will highlight its new NFV strategy, while the Ethernet Alliance hosts a multi-vendor interoperability demonstration showcasing the latest in 10, 40, and 100 Gigabit Ethernet technology from an array of its member companies. In addition to the great things happening in their booths, both organizations will participate in several speaking panels. Be sure to stop by and check them out!

Presented by The Optical Society (OSA) and co-sponsored by IEEE Communications Society (IEEE ComSoc), and IEEE Photonics Society, the OFC 2015 technical conference is March 22-26, with the exhibition taking place March 24-26 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, California.

The full list of programming and special events happening throughout the conference and exhibition is available on the OFC 2015 website. Check it out and let us know what you’re most looking forward to at this year’s OFC.

Stay hydrated, my friends.

What to bring:

• Comfortable walking shoes are an absolute necessity. Don’t leave home without a pair! The SXSW crowds are easy-going and certainly not formal, so be relaxed and most important…be comfortable.
• Charging your many devices (cell phones, tablets, etc.) isn’t as easy as it seems. Of course, don’t forget to bring your chargers! In addition, you might want to consider investing in a mobile charging device, in case all the power outlets in a three-mile radius are unavailable. I recommend the following products: anything from Mophie (best for Apple devices), Goal Zero’s solar kits, and the PowerMonkey and PowerGorilla products from PowerTraveller.
• A person with a power strip is a god!
• Energy for your core. And lots of it. The lines at the Austin coffee houses and eateries are dauntingly long and inconvenient. So, bring your own form of caffeine and nourishment. Daily, I packed a couple CLIF bars, a bottle of “5-Hour Energy,” a water bottle, and a couple packages of GU Energy Chomps. Om nom nom…
• It’s imperative that you keep hydrated and prepared for early mornings and long evenings.
• Business cards. Lots of ‘em.
• A comfortable daypack, satchel, or something similar.  Pack it in and pack it out. You’re at the most unique event in the world, so get ready to be connected and be constantly on the go.

Be a party goer:

• RSVP for everything. Don’t let anyone tell you different.
• Register for all your forums, panels, and parties through Eventbrite.com, which is used and endorsed by SXSW.
• Always, always RSVP with a +1. You never know who will want to go with you—colleagues and otherwise.
• For additional useful SXSW party planning tools, visit www.do512.com and www.rsvpster.com (you can register for the advance alerts on 2014 SXSW parties).
• Pace yourself. Hydrate. There’s always a party to attend the next day.

Let’s compare notes! Follow me on Twitter: @InterprosePR and @PRAlford. I’ll be in Austin for the 2014, SXSWi, March 6-9. Hope to see you there!

Enjoy this Interprose video production from the 2013 SXSWi:

Before making the Austin leap, keep a few provisions on-hand and your collective wits about you. Nothing is more defeating to your SXSW encounter than a “whoops” or “I should have remembered….”

Nonetheless, it’s time to prepare for SXSW 2014. Here are a few points on how to plan and what to pack:

Before you go:

–Try  to reserve a hotel in the downtown Austin area. Get as close to ground zero as possible! Everything is pretty much within walking distance.

–If you can’t book a room in the downtown area and instead find one in the outskirts, keep the following points in mind:

• Don’t rent a car, unless you have a large carpool and/or you are transporting gear, baggage, and such. Traffic and lack of parking will slow you down and increase your blood pressure. It’s better to concentrate your brainpower on SXSW, not Austin driving logistics.
• Austin’s public transportation system, Capital Metro, is certainly top-notch, but it can be overwhelmed during SXSW festivities. If using the rail and/or bus systems, plan your trip and leave plenty of time for traffic and crowds. Go to www.capmetro.org for more information.
• SXSW has its own shuttle service that hits several of the outskirt hotels and runs steadily throughout each day. As SXSW draws near, visit www.sxsw.com for more information on shuttle routes and times. And keep in mind that you can purchase a shuttle pass in advance.
• If you’re forced to hire cabs to get to and from downtown, it would be wise to bring enough cash to pay (and tip!) your friendly driver. However, don’t just dial 333-3333 and hope it all works out on its own; use independent taxi drivers for scheduled commutes. I worked with Beardo’s Taxi in Austin: 512-964-9114. Beardo can provide you with transportation services or he can recommend several independent cab drivers that are just as reputable and reliable.
• Rent a bike (and a lock). Get some exercise. Austin is very bike-friendly, so you’ll have several areas to park and lock up your rental. Here’s everything you’ll need to know about biking in Austin: http://www.downtownaustin.com/experience/bike-downtown.
• When downtown and you need to get around quickly, hire a friendly pedicab. You can’t miss them!

–If all else fails for your housing plans, go to VRBO.com or Craigslist.org and rent something spectacular. SXSW house party!

–Got an old friend or family member you want to visit? SXSW is always a great time to reserve their guest bedroom or living room sofa. Nothing says “I care!” more than a desperate call for a place to stay.

–Arrive a day early. When you arrive, it’s imperative that you first get your name badge. And then go get a beer.

Ryan Alford sitting on the “Throne of Swords” at the 2013 SXSWi.

–Spend your extra day strategizing and visiting important meeting places. Study your downtown Austin geography and get to know all the SXSW venues. Map it out!

–Bring some antacids. The Texas BBQ and food trucks are hard to resist!

–WiFi is sometimes challenging to find and is often overwhelmed, so be sure to have a reliable cell phone plan that includes data.

–Get out of your shell and be outgoing. Talk to people. Share. That’s what SXSW is all about. Make some new friends.

Stay tuned for part two of my “How to Survive SXSW” blog: What to bring and how to party. This is essential to your Austin plans!

Have I missed anything? If so, share your own suggestions on how to survive SXSW in our comment section. See you in Austin!