This year’s Offshore Technology Conference – OTC’s 50th Anniversary – is almost here: May 6-9, 2019, in Houston! Whether that statement makes you nervously triple-check your to-do list, excitedly review your calendar of invites or write a reminder to buy comfortable shoes, having a plan of attack is important for such a key oil and gas industry event.
Our experts have shared a few last-minute tips from their personal experiences to help you maximize your time and effort at this year’s #OTC50 event.
How will you make the most of OTC?
See what a few of our team members said … you likely will be playing similar roles while at the show.
A MAN ON A MISSION
George Foster, CEO
George Foster
I have three objectives when attending OTC: first is to make sure our clients are well taken care of; second, to better learn about our clients’ business and gather information on their competitors; and, finally to develop relationships with prospects.
TRADE SHOW QUEEN
Tiffany Harris, President
Tiffany Harris
For me, it is more about the client perspective and emphasizing to them the importance of working the show from beginning to end.
The pre-show promotion at a show the size of OTC is imperative as the majority of visitors know who they plan to see before they arrive.
Effectively working the booth is essential, but walking the floor is just as important. You go to the show to make contacts and work deals, but that is only successful if you do the follow up after the show. And, always to do a post-show survey to ensure the next show is even better.
DIGITAL GURU
Kristy Bonner, Vice President Digital Services
Kristy Bonner
You can meet and reconnect with a lot of people at a well-attended industry event such as OTC. But, how do you make the impression last? Connecting online after an in-person event can help.
Once you gather the flyers, brochures and business cards you’ve collected, make sure you send a connection request on LinkedIn with a personal message reminding them where you met and maybe include something memorable about yourself or your first meeting with them. For example, if they mentioned they planned to attend an event coming up while you were chatting, remind them of the conversation by adding – I hope you were able to make that event and it was as interesting as you hoped.
Going for the sale too quickly is a common mistake on LinkedIn; however, taking a more personal approach can start building a relationship and get you connected to them, which helps you reach everyone they are connected to as well. One new first-level LinkedIn connection is great but a second-level connection to their 1,600 connections, priceless!
Also, look up their company on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc., and follow them to gain insights into their activities and key goals to identify how you could potentially work with them in the future.
SEASONED EVENT MAKE-IT-WORK PRO
Megan Schreckenbach, Vice President of Account Services
Megan Schreckenbach
After walking the floors of OTC for many years, I sometimes feel like I’ve seen it all … yet at each event, I look forward to making that same walk-around to see what new display, giveaway, entertainment or friendly face is going to lure me into their exhibit aura. It could be that industry colleague that I haven’t run into for months or that audio video display that jumps out at me with something I’ve not quite seen before … or maybe it’s a unique VR experience I can jump into or a beautiful piece of machinery that I can touch and feel. A lot of time and talent hours goes into each and every OTC exhibit, and you never know who you’re going to grab.
MEDIA MAVEN
Anna Scordos-Brooke, Director of Public Relations
Anna Scordos-Brooke
OTC always presents a great opportunity to reconnect (or connect for the first time) with media contacts. However, pre-planning is advised. It’s always best to reach out to whomever you hope to meet with in plenty of time before the show to get a feel for their schedule – they may only be planning to be onsite one day – and try and pin down a time when your paths will cross. However, despite your best efforts, be prepared to be flexible and make/change arrangements during the show.
At OTC, it’s very easy to underestimate the sheer size of the ground you need to cover to get from point A to point B and the multitude of meet and greets that can spring up all around you as you travel between them. Although this is what’s great about the show, it’s very easy for anyone to be thrown off course throughout your day.
CHAMPION OF THE CHECKLIST
Kelsey Whitmeyer, Event & Account Associate
Kelsey Whitmeyer
TV presentations and display equipment make a huge difference at OTC. With thousands of exhibitors, they both serve as a reason for people to step into your booth and are good talking points.
Catering also makes all the difference when you want to stand out. A simple popcorn machine or coffee station setup can attract attendees to your booth and help to initiate that conversation with a prospect.
In addition, events centered around OTC show days can make the conference more of a success for your company. OTC is the place where new products are released, deals are made and long-lost industry friends see each other again. It’s always nice to catch up with those fellow industry professionals or hear more about that new product outside of the long exhibit hours. Even a simple “Happy Hour Reception” for a couple of hours at your booth helps you and your team make the most of OTC.
After nearly four decades of working and walking the floors of many OTCs and other industry events across the globe, our team has learned a lot. From make-it-work moments when truckers don’t show or items get stuck in Customs to emergency booth cleanups that happen all too often and setup issues that require a magic fix to including a primer on practical footwear for trade shows as part of our new hire onboarding kit – just to name a few. We hope our tips are helpful; and really, make sure comfortable shoes are part of your plan so you can be ready for anything!
Happy #OTC50!
Foster Marketing is here to help with all your marketing communications needs, including trade show and events. Email us or give us a call at 281-448-3435 to set up a meeting. You know our team will be at OTC, so we could be one of your planned meet-ups.