How Detroit Taught Me to Turn Plant Visits Into High-Value Media Coverage

One thing I learned quickly after moving from Germany to Detroit:

#PlantVisits here are not just tours — they’re #storytelling moments.

In the U.S. #automotive ecosystem, a factory floor is more than machines and processes.

It’s where credibility is built, where innovation becomes tangible and where journalists decide whether your #story is worth telling.

Here’s what I’ve seen work — again and again:

1️⃣ Lead with the #story, not the steel:

Detroit reporters don’t get excited about equipment.

They get excited about why it matters: jobs, technology, community, customer impact. Your narrative sets the tone long before the tour begins.

2️⃣ Translate German strengths into U.S. #relevance:

Precision, quality, process excellence — all powerful.

But Detroit audiences want to know: How does this make life faster, safer, better or more competitive in the U.S.?

3️⃣ Put your senior #leaders front and center:

In Detroit, access signals respect.

When executives show up — open, clear, approachable — the coverage changes completely.

4️⃣ Let the plant speak, but don’t overwhelm:

A great plant visit highlights just a few moments: the breakthrough technology, the customer win, the team story. Those are the pieces journalists remember.

5️⃣ Treat follow-up as part of the story:

Detroit media works fast. Clean facts, strong visuals and a quick recap can turn a good visit into an excellent article. 

Living and working here taught me this:

In the U.S., #visibility is built where stories and operations meet — on the factory floor. And for German companies expanding in North America, plant visits are one of the most powerful tools to make that story impossible to ignore.

#Detroit #GermanAmerican #MediaRelations #USMarket #Automotive #Manufacturing #PR #Communications #Leadership #PilonPR