As part of Kleber & Associates’ (K&A) extensive media contact program on behalf of our clients, the K&A Public Relations team travels to the front door of prominent media publications at least four times a year to deliver a unique brand contact experience by showcasing client products and to update the editors on the latest industry trends.  Because the value of PR is reliant upon strong relationships, the K&A Media Tours program is vital to the continued success of our clients’ programs.  
Kicking off 2008, the first K&A Media Tour sent a team of account executives to Chicago, Ill. for roundtable discussions with the leading editors in the home and commercial building marketplace. The K&A team held a ‘show and tell’ with editors by bringing the K&A client’s product to the national offices of numerous residential design and construction and commercial building publications.  Our PR specialists capitalized on the opportunity to campaign for K&A clients to the over 15 editors and writers they met face-to-face with during the tour. In the meetings, the agency team also discussed the industry’s most recent trends and walked away with secured earned media coverage for client products and services.
While in the Windy City, our Account Executives met with the editors of Reed Publications including Professional Builder, Professional Remodeler to name a few of Reed’s prolific industry publications. The team went on to meeting with the editors at BNP Media, home of PM Engineer, Plumbing &Mechanical, and Reeves Journal. The final stop was at the iconic Chicago Tribune, where the K&A team got a personalized tour of the newsroom with one on the Tribune’s true veteran writers in addition to presenting a host of client products to the home editorial team…
In each case, the K&A team found themselves in front of a captive audience, eager to learn more about the products brought to the show and tell.  This engaging, intimate “behind the scenes” collaboration enabled a further solidification of our fervent relationships with the media.  As a token of K&A’s appreciation for each of the journalist’s time, and as a sign of K&A’s ongoing commitment to green initiatives, recycled totes including recycled paper journals, media kits, and a Starbucks gift card were given to each media person in attendance.  
This first media tour of 2008 was a momentous success! The media visited were truly appreciative of the timeliness of the meeting with K/BIS is just around the corner and of the wealth of product information and industry knowledge disseminated by the K&A PR team. We look forward to our second quarter media tour, which will send us to Washington D.C., to meet writers and editors from Hanley Wood.
Look for our next industry report—live from K/BIS, along with much more!
Want more home related news and housing and marketing trends? Check out Steve Kleber’s weekly blog posts. To contact Steve Kleber call 770.518.1000 or email sk@kleberandassociates.com.