6 reasons why communication professionals love trade media

It is a typical belief that being featured in the mass media publications (say The New York Times) would give a great boost to the company’s image.

Although national publications have a wide readership, do they communicate to your target audience about your company’s new products and innovations the way it should be?

Do they provide enough visibility to support your sales team with quality leads?

Especially nowadays during the COVID pandemic, industrial companies struggle more than ever to reach their clients due to worldwide lockdowns, social distancing, and cancellation of trade shows and industrial seminars.

Those are the reasons why trade media still thrives and remains the absolute favorite choice of PR professionals over the years.

Thanks to its targeted nature, trade media reaches the precise target audience and captures even more attention of readers when they are seeking answers to their challenges or looking for specific trade information.

Trade media publicity can play an essential part in an overall PR program since it not only provides companies with growth opportunities, strategies but also with new, innovative ideas and positive reactions towards the company’s products from its target audience.

Here are the top 5 reasons why communication professionals should love trade media.

It reaches the specific audience who is ready to pull the trigger

A feature in niche trade media offers more sales benefit to a business that launches a new innovative autonomous mobile robot in warehouse management than in mass media publications (say Kauppalehti).

Despite having millions of visitors daily, not many readers will be interested in buying the item or even reading about it.

An article in Material Handling Network publication, with a smaller yet more precise audience, will reach avid logistics readers. Even if they might not need the product, they would probably know someone who does.

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An example of a Finnish automotive innovation in logistics management featured on Material Handling Network publication

Reaching the right target audience is vital because it increases the likelihood of generating new leads or inquiries. The main readers of trade media are often middle to senior management with purchasing and influential power.

With the right published article at the right trade publications, companies can skip the gatekeepers and speak straight to the decision-makers because trade media can capture the attention of readers exactly when they are seeking solutions to their problems or looking for specific information.

It builds your credentials in a niche community

“In B2B selling, credibility equals trust, and trust equals sales. Since anyone can pay for ad space or launch a social media campaign to promote their own content, there’s no level of authority to the news.

The messages are visible but don’t carry any power of influence. Credible coverage makes people take action; they discuss it with colleagues, it opens the dialogue B2B companies need to get their ideal customers coming directly to them” shared Gopal RajGuru – an expert who knows B2B sales inside out.

That is the reason why industry insiders treat trade media as valuable sources of decision making and respect the credibility of it.

Often time when laws and regulations that affect the industry are passed or debated, relative trade publications usually analyze the issue and implications for the industry.

Trade journals and specialized consumer publications often discuss industry matters objectively and analytically, which gains trustworthiness and credibility from their audience.

A consistent presence in the right trade outlet can announce the arrival of a new company as a legit player, or help establish a founder or as a thought leader

It explains a technical story

While top-tier publications usually cover information in broad and generic terms, trade media get down to the nitty-gritty technical details of the matter.

Companies can quickly get into the specifics of their product features and benefits because both the companies and their readers already have the in-depth related background knowledge.

It saves a great deal of time and effort in educating the audience about your product.

It develops a competitive edge for your business

Yes, you read it right. Being present in the right trade publications, which is widely read by decision-makers working in the sector, puts your company and its expertise front and center.

Having such right visibility at the right people can also provide new leads and conversion opportunities to your business.

Trade publications are always hunting for new content about products and innovations. If you are not there to be seen first, your competitors might be and prospects will look into them.

The bottom line is great products need the right visibility,…..

Although trade media’s readerships may be small, their PR effects and benefits are enormous.

The backbone of trade media is built on the targeted niche audiences and sometimes drill down to target a very specific group of readers.

It is the bridge between your company’s expertise and the target audience who are already passionate and educated about the topics with strong buying power.

You would be missing out not to include trade media in your communication plan.

…… and your company can earn it too!

At INS Trade Media Service, we specialize in helping clients speak to the right audience, putting your company’s brand and expertise in the front and center of your industry.

Contact us today for a free trade media consultation: https://ins.fi/pricing/

Discover our work and see how we have helped our clients achieve success in earning worldwide visibility within their industry niche.