An editor has to share out the events between staff, so more information about what you are launching allows him or her to assess which person is best for your product.

Always ensure the press call has newsworthy content, otherwise your media guests will lose interest and drift away. Lack of news in your press call will also affect your chances of attracting press to your next show event.

Make your presentation brief and back it up with written information. Never give them a press release and then stand there reading it out. Give them the material, then highlight the USPs.

Never try to keep them on the stand too long: they have a busy day and aren’t there to hear how your company started in your father’s garden shed.

Do provide refreshments but don’t overdo it: they are not as valuable to the journalists as newsworthy information. The days of drunk journalists are long gone and if you find one, he or she is probably not genuine.

Which is another point: make sure you know who’s on your stand – there’s a regular problem with bogus marine journalists blagging a press pass for a nice day at the show to enjoy your hospitality.

We politely ask them to leave our client’s stand and suggest you do the same.

Just make sure it's not me...