The RSA Conference is the Olympics of cybersecurity. The stakes are high, the reach is global, and the displays of innovation show how much progress and collaboration the industry has made.

This May, thousands of cyber experts will descend upon San Francisco to showcase products, seek industry insights and forge valuable connections. This year’s theme, “The Art of Possible,” promises a show of innovation, but it also presents a challenge for cybersecurity companies to stand out on the world’s stage.

RH Strategic has a solid track record of helping cybersecurity innovators surmount this objective, and we’ve outlined some of our key advice below.

The Relay Race: A Multi-Faceted Approach to Getting Ahead

RSAC is a competition. Last year, there were more than 600 exhibiting companies.  Every one of them was vying for media attention, attendee engagement, and ultimately, new clients and sales. How can teams get ahead?

Don’t wait until the conference doors open. Start your race to generate media and stakeholder interest early. Consider your business objectives, company storylines and audiences, and align them to your best distribution channels and assets (earned media, social media, website, email and paid media interviews).

Announce your event participation on social channels, blogs and email lists, and highlight your booth location, speaking engagements or special events. Strategize your news hook to drive media interest and support briefings through embargoed press releases, panel discussions on a key trend or another interesting news theme.

Once again, the key RSAC event theme is sure to focus on generative AI’s security applications and recent news topics, such as increasing critical infrastructure, nation-state attacks, the Change Healthcare breach, and the open-source XZ utility vulnerability that spurred new discussion about the security risks of popular software components.

It’s important to have a bench of spokespeople who can speak with media on timely topics like these. Use these experts for rapid response media outreach to break into news cycles in the weeks before the event and year-round to build thought leadership.

Winning Lasting Impact at RSAC and Beyond

While earning event recognition is important, true PR success goes deeper. Here’s how to translate pre-conference efforts into long-term value:

  • Target the Right Media: Rather than attempt a scattershot approach, identify cybersecurity media that cover your specific niche. Craft compelling content that addresses their audience’s needs and highlights your company’s unique value proposition. Build relationships before the conference by offering insightful commentary beyond self-promotion. Engage on social media and offer interviews with your security experts during RSAC, brief media on product or business news and provide actionable insights to use in conference coverage.
  • Social Media Savvy: Use relevant hashtags (#RSAC2024, #TheArtofPossible) to increase event visibility. Share insightful content and curate a conference feed that highlights your participation and expertise. Consider using paid LinkedIn promotion for your events, speaking sessions or other key appearances.
  • The Power of Storytelling: People connect with stories. Rather than expound on product features, show the outcomes and successes your clients achieved with your solutions. Include testimonials in your case studies and real anecdotes in your demos to demonstrate how your product helps clients realize “The Art of Possible.” Share these success stories through social media, your website, media pitches and interviews.

By implementing a well-rounded PR strategy that starts before the conference and extends beyond the event, you can beat the competition and win mindshare. It’s about making a lasting impression that fuels future success. The conference might be a week long, but the impact of a strategic PR campaign can resonate throughout the year.

RH Strategic works with some of the biggest names in cybersecurity who are challenging the conventions of security and setting a new vision for a safer, more secure world—and we make sure the world knows it. If you’re interested in meeting at RSAC and learning about how strategic PR can benefit your brand, let’s talk.

***

RH Strategic is a Seattle and D.C.-based PR agency with a nationwide presence and additional global reach via membership in the Worldcom Public Relations Group. We provide strategic public relations for innovators in the technology, government, healthcare, and social and environmental impact markets.