This seems a good day to break cover and resume posting to the blog – especially since Susan Kirkland has written a post that a number of consultants will likely read and ponder. The energy industry does not come off well, though it’s really not the subject of Susan’s post.As I mentioned in my response to it, though, I have devoted the past 30 days or more to maintaining connections with colleagues, clients and prospects at OTC.08 – this year’s Offshore Technology Conference here in Houston.
It’s the world's largest offshore energy event. This year’s attendance reached 75,092, the highest in 26 years and 11% more than in 2007: With more than one-half million square feet of exhibition area, the show included 2,500 companies from more than 35 countries in an area the size of 13 football fields.
With oil at $128/barrel, it’s not surprising that there is plenty to see (from gigantic hardware to advanced software) and do (visit clients on the show floor, shake and howdy with people from a dozen or more countries).
In no particular order, thanks to my colleagues – Rob Schoenbeck of area51, Philippe Holtzweiler of Hope Communications – who attended breakfasts, luncheons, cocktail events and the exhibition itself; handfuls of clients who welcomed me into their booths and their activities; hundreds of Englishmen, Scots, Germans, French and Belgians who opened up their hands and their hearts to meet one more Houstonian. And the thousands of OTC volunteers who, every year, make a trade exhibition like this possible.
Do you believe that doing better business depends on how effectively you can communicate benefits, advantages and features of your brand one-on-one?
OTC.08 was a massive example of how well you did your job. My clients did great, though I say so myself.
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One of a dozen or more stories from this year’s OTC: Philippe Holtzweiler came from the UK to attend the exhibition with me and visit clients who might have a need for his multi-lingual marcomm skills. I reminded him not above ten or a dozen times that he’d need a “photo ID” to get into the show along with his pre-registration form.
Our first day of attendance, Tuesday, we took Metro Rail from downtown Houston, which dropped us off no more than 200 yards from the Reliant entryway. We made our way to the “Pre-Registered” check-in lanes where we discovered that Philippe did indeed have his photo ID.
But I did not. I’d left mine in the car which was parked downtown. I am pleased to report that Philippe conscientiously followed the dictum, “Do as I say, not as I do.”
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