Every year, I help clients strategize on how to get in front of media at RSAC.
Some are launching products, others are presenting new research, but all want to get the boost in trust, credibility, and visibility that come with top-tier media coverage.
What I tell them is what I’m going to tell you: RSAC is a great opportunity, even if you don’t get coverage at the show or connect with tier-one reporters.
By taking a bigger picture view, you can better position yourself as a helpful expert both now and for the rest of the year.
Here’s what I tell clients:
1. Level set expectations for coverage at the show
Top-tier media coverage at RSAC is often limited to just a few stories, if that. They focus on headliner keynotes from government officials, news from government agencies, or announcements from behemoths like Microsoft and Cisco.
Because major media publish fewer stories and because they focus on higher-level societal or business impact, you’re not likely to be included unless you work for the FBI or a billion-dollar company.
For example, here are the organizations most mentioned in RSAC coverage last year, according to NewsWhip Spike:
If you want coverage out of the show, the security trades are a better bet. Many of them publish dozens of articles over the week around trends, speakers, research, product announcements, and more.
The story needs to be the right fit for the reporter and outlet, but there are opportunities. At the same time, you might be better off aiming not for coverage, but for a chat with reporters (see below).
2. Follow the breadcrumbs
By the time RSAC starts, the media often has a good idea of what they’re covering.
Instead of talking about your product launch or the trend you wish media were covering, a better strategy is to track the breadcrumbs media drop before and during the show.
Reporters telegraph what they care about, often weeks in advance. Look at what they’re writing about now. Look at what they’re posting on LinkedIn.
Sam Sabin of Axios, for example, shared her prediction for the show last week:
“If I was a betting woman, I’d put my money on agentic AI being the buzzword of RSA next month — and security teams are starting to embrace new tools from major vendors, executives tell me.“
If you can’t speak to relevant themes that reporters are already interested in, you’re likely not getting in the story, no matter how exciting your announcement feels internally.
3. Study the keynotes
If you bought a full conference pass, don’t spend all your time in meetings. Go to the keynotes. Understand the trends the big companies and big names are talking about. This is what the media will be covering — how do you fit into that story? Are you aligned with those trends?
If AI agents are the talk of the show this year, what role are you playing in that roll out? Don’t stretch the truth, but find the connections between the headline topics and your own work.
The big companies often set the stage for the rest of the year by planting the seeds of the topics they’re thinking about and working on. The better you understand those trends and can articulate your perspective on them, the better you’ll be able to work your way into the stories media will be reporting.
4. Treat meetings like investments
Some of the best RSAC media wins don’t happen at the show. They happen weeks or months later, the result of a quick catch-up or coffee with a reporter.
Treat it as another touchpoint to build a relationship and see how you can be useful. Introduce a subject matter expert. Share a smart take on what you’re seeing at the show. Flag an underreported trend. Offer to preview what your company plans to release in the coming months.
RSAC is still early in the year. Laying the groundwork at the show can pay off for months to come.
5. Keep an eye on the INNOVATION SANDBOX
This is probably my favorite event during the show. Hundreds of startups compete for 10 spots to give a three-minute pitch. A panel of experts crown the most innovative among them.
This is another area where media might be hunting for new trends or stories, and it offers a glimpse at some of the more unique and original companies at the show.
At the same time, it’s chock full of lessons on messaging and positioning, from how they frame their pitch to how they communicate the problem they’re solving and value they deliver. It’s a window into how other companies are communicating that can help your own message stand out.
If you’re heading to RSAC and thinking about how to make the most of it from a media standpoint, let’s talk. I’m happy to trade notes or talk through your strategy and what’s realistic.
See you in San Francisco.