How do you catch the attention of national media when you’re a small family-owned business? Try taking your product on the road.
That’s what Lathem, Inc., of Atlanta, Ga., did recently when they wanted to introduce their futuristic time clock to businesses and dealers throughout the country. When Lathem told us about their 8-city product tour for FaceIN, a new time clock that uses face recognition to punch employees in for work, we thought “bingo”: Invite local print, TV and radio outlets to check it out. On construction sites, mobile apps using construction time tracking technology is becoming the way of clocking in and out of work simply from a worker’s personal device.
As it turned out, the media loved the idea. One San Francisco TV reporter had fun with the whole thing, opening his piece with a scene from Office Space. Others interviewed customers and dealers who testified to the product’s success. The Miami Herald even sent a reporter to videotape the event and posted the clip online, alongside the story.
All in all, the campaign garnered over 2 million media impressions from Atlanta to Los Angeles.
So why all the excitement? How did Alpine Communications cut through the bad news clutter to garner top-notch placements for Lathem?
- Cool, futuristic product – FaceIN uses face recognition to clock employees in for work. Employees just look and go. Bye, bye paper time cards, PIN numbers and badges.
- Product was tangible, touchable – Reporters who came to the event could see how it worked and touch and feel the clock. It was real!
- New trend – FaceIN is the latest advancement in time and attendance; no more paper time cards! It’s fun and futuristic. Beam me up, Scottie!
- Grassroots marketing – By traveling to each city, Lathem gave each media outlet a local angle. We also conducted interviews with dealers and customers and offered those to the reporter.
- Great spokesperson – Lathem used a knowledgeable marketing professional who could explain the product’s value, both in terms of the technical nature, as well as the business application.
When seeking media attention for your company or product, consider these questions:
1. Is it new or part of a trend?
2. Does it have applications for many people or a wide cross-section of businesses?
3. Has the product been tested and vetted by customers? In short, does it do what it’s supposed to do?
4. Do you have a customer who can attest to the product’s functionality and provide a local angle and testimonial?
Alpine Communications developed a strategic plan to help make Lathem’s Catch the Wave Tour a huge success. Through strategic media relations and targeted media outreach, we created media buzz in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Miami Herald, NBC Bay Area (San Francisco), CBS News Radio, Montreal Gazette, and many other outlets. More businesses know about FaceIN now than ever before, and hopefully will reach for a FaceIN clock instead of a standard punch clock the next time they upgrade their timekeeping system.