With less than six months to go, our construction PR clients are now ramping up their preparations for bauma 2025, the world’s largest construction trade show. This includes planning for the Media Dialog (also known as pre-bauma), which provides the first opportunity for face-to-face engagement with the construction trade media ahead of the main show in April.
What is the bauma Media Dialog?
The Media Dialog is a press event held around six weeks before bauma that connects exhibitors with construction journalists to discuss the themes of their participation and highlight any major product launches. It’s a bit like speed dating. Each exhibitor’s representatives are seated at tables, while journalists move around the room. Some interactions are brief, with journalists introducing themselves and grabbing a press kit, while others may stay longer for a more in-depth conversation.
Why should exhibitors participate?
SE10 has participated alongside various clients in construction equipment marketing over the years and can attest to the value of these face-to-face interactions. The fast-paced pre-bauma format enables us to build and strengthen relationships with a large number of journalists in a short period. This contributes not only to securing immediate media coverage surrounding bauma but also to successful ongoing PR efforts throughout the rest of the year and beyond.
When does the bauma 2025 Media Dialog take place?
The Media Dialog for bauma 2025 is scheduled to take place Tuesday 18th and Wednesday 19th February at the ICM (International Congress Center Messe München). More information regarding registration can be found on the bauma website. The timing of the event is strategic because most media outlets will publish their dedicated bauma show guides or preview issues in March. This early engagement allows exhibitors to clearly communicate their key messages and major announcements in enough time to make sure these are included in special features.
What are some best practices for making the most of the Media Dialog?
Here are some of the tips we’ve gathered over the years from our experiences both on the PR side and in one case as a former construction journalist covering bauma.
- Start the relationship building beforehand: Identify key journalists attending the Media Dialog and reach out to them in advance to schedule meetings or at least to let them know you will be there and would like to catch up. You can even start sharing information already.
- Nail your elevator pitch: What do you want your customers to know, feel and do at bauma? Develop clear messaging that encapsulates your participation at the event and be prepared to communicate them concisely to members of the press in a short conversation.
- Be ready to communicate in both German and English: Pre-bauma attracts journalists from all over the world – not just Germany. You’ll have two seats at your table, so make sure you have representatives who are comfortable in German and English. Any other language capabilities, such as French or Italian, are a bonus.
- Maintain momentum with your announcements: Decide on a balance between announcing important launches during the Media Dialog and saving a few surprises for the main event. That way you can maintain interest throughout the bauma period. When speaking to journalists, you can hint at significant unveilings on your stand at specific dates and times to build anticipation.
- Lay the groundwork for further PR opportunities at bauma 2025: Will you be holding a press conference on your exhibition stand? Will senior leaders be available for interview? Inform journalists about these opportunities early, so they can start planning accordingly.
- Develop a compelling press kit: Create an informative press kit with striking images that highlights your key messages and latest innovations. While USB sticks were common in the past for sharing these with journalists, a QR code linking to an online press kit is now more convenient and secure.
- Bring water and business cards: The Media Dialog is an intense experience. You’ll meet many people over the two days and do a lot of talking so keep a large bottle of water handy. Also, ensure you have business cards, whether traditional paper or digital versions, to share with journalists for easy follow-up.
- Take the details of new contacts: While prioritising known contacts can help you stay focused on your target markets or segments, also remain open to meeting new journalists. Collect business cards and add their details to your media lists for future outreach.
- Follow-up afterwards to solidify relationships: After the event has finished, make sure to follow up with journalists to thank them for their time and offer any additional support or opportunities as needed.
- Don’t forget the journalists who were unable to attend: Naturally, journalists who attend the bauma Media Dialog in person should be given priority access to your press kit materials. However, after a few days, be sure to share any important announcements with the rest of your media list to maximise potential coverage.
How can SE10 help?
Our team at SE10 has a proven track record of helping clients to achieve strong results from their bauma communication over the last 22 years. With our knowledge of the construction industry and deep understanding of media relations, we can act as an extension of your marketing team, supporting you to:
- Develop a tailored media strategy for bauma 2025
- Create compelling press materials for both pre-bauma and the main show
- Facilitate impactful media meetings and interviews throughout the bauma period
- Hold a press conference on your bauma 2025 stand
- Measure and analyse media coverage achieved from bauma 2025
Don’t miss out on this invaluable opportunity to make a splash at bauma. Contact us today to discuss your bauma 2025 PR plan.
By Hannah Kitchener
Associate Director
About the Author
Hannah is an associate director based in the UK, who leverages her strategic, campaign management, and written content creation expertise to support clients in the construction, energy, and materials handling sectors across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). With a professional qualification in Journalism from the National Council of Training for Journalism in the UK, Hannah has strong interviewing and writing skills that enable her to craft compelling content for clients across multiple platforms. Her experience and knowledge of the construction, energy, and materials handling sectors, meanwhile, have helped her build a strong network of trade media contacts across the EMEA region, enabling her to secure meaningful media coverage for clients. In addition to her journalism training, Hannah’s academic qualifications have further honed her ability to communicate across cultures and languages. Having studied French and German at BA level, and with an MA in Translation, Hannah has a passion for inter-cultural communication, which is invaluable to SE10 in executing PR campaigns across multiple markets and in several languages.
