The biggest mistake companies make after Metstrade

"Launching at Metstrade is just part of the mix,” says Marine Industry News' publisher Mike Shepherd. “There are plenty of other tools which can be leveraged on an ongoing basis to gain traction, increase sales and position companies as authoritative voices in their fields."

Good editorial coverage is an important part of the toolkit, putting companies, people and products in front of an engaged marine industry audience. Its value lasts well beyond the day a story is published, especially as MIN performs so strongly in Google, AI-powered searches and answer platforms. This means MIN’s coverage is discovered when boatbuilders and yards search for a company, product or sector months – or even years – later.

If companies only share news during Metstrade, they're competing with a tsunami of product launches hitting editorial teams' desks. Therefore, they should also be thinking about engaging with MIN throughout the year – whether that's new products, people on the move, partnerships, contracts or a variety of other topics which are the beating heart of the marine industry.

Of course, editorial is only part of the picture. It works particularly well alongside a wider promotional campaign.

“Marine remains a relationship-led industry,” says Shepherd. “Buying decisions are rarely instant. The groundwork design and purchasing teams put in is months or years before a purchase, manufacturers need to influence these decisions wherever they can.”

Marine marketing used to follow a familiar formula: book an advert, exhibit at a show, launch a product and send out a press release. Those things still matter but the formula has expanded. Today's customers might encounter a company through MIN, Google, AI search, LinkedIn, advertising and across a busy exhibition hall at Metstrade. So, it's vitally important that businesses understand how these link together. 

“Editorial and ads work together, alongside social and searches. Promotional campaigns should be in place to remind boatbuilders that you’re there, to keep your name in their minds for when they need your product.”

That said, it all starts with the media release. Marine Industry News has published a set of guidelines on its site to help give companies a leg-up in the MIN inbox. The abridged version is below: 

• Firstly, give MIN the news. The opening paragraph should explain who, what, why, where and when. Keep it accurate, concise and interesting.

• News should be written in the third person – “XYZ has launched…” rather than “we have launched…”.

• Always include quotes – with personality. Rather than repeating the opening paragraph – or telling MIN everyone is “delighted” – explain why the news matters. What problem does the product solve? Why is the contract important? What will a new recruit bring to the business?

• Keep the superlatives under control too. Useful technical facts than are far more useful than being told something is “world-leading”, “revolutionary” and “game-changing”.

• Include a written link to the website and a captioned high-resolution image, preferably landscape, as a separate attachment.

• Finally, put the news release in the body of the email or an attached word document, but never in a PDF. 

"Doing no marketing after Metstrade is the biggest mistake companies make in the comms landscape," says Shepherd. "Good editorial, strong search visibility and a coordinated promotional campaign can work together to keep a business in front of the global marine trade – and help customers find it when they’re ready to buy."

 

Send news to: info@marineindustrynews.co.uk

Build a promotional campaign: mike@maa.agency