Targeted oil trade show marketing yields the best return on the investment of your time and money spent on the event. Your primary goal for exhibiting at a trade show is to sell your products or services. Secondary goals may include networking with other professionals in your industry and learning what your competition is doing. A clear understanding of what group or groups you want to sell your product or service to paves the way for your targeted oil trade show marketing.

Oil trade show marketing makes the most of the time and money your company invests in trade show appearances and exhibits. Launch new products and build relationships with potential purchasers while at the show. Prepare for that relationship by marketing to your target audience before the show and cement the relationship and the sales with follow-up after show marketing.

1. Bring in experienced professionals to create and follow through with an oil tradeshow marketing plan.

2. Attract the most oil trade show traffic with targeted oil tradeshow marketing.

3. Invest in oil tradeshows promotions and giveaways.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Team up with an experienced public relations firm to handle the oil trade show marketing

Put your money to its best use and let marketing experts guide your marketing plan. Let their creative teams construct a plan to help your company stand out among your peers and rise above the competition at the trade show.

I recommend: Formula Public Relations prides themselves on their trademarked eight-phased iSMART™ process, which they use to create marketing strategies for clients looking for success at oil trade shows. ABI stays helps develop the marketing strategy and stays with your company through the oil trade show and on through the after-event oil tradeshow follow-up to help you gain the most bang for your marketing buck.

Target your oil trade show marketing

Find the shows that yield the most oil trade show sales for the highest return on your oil tradeshow marketing investment by focusing on trade shows that attract a large segment of your target audience. Advertise in well-known industry magazines to get your name out there and to let potential clients know when you'll be at specific trade shows.

I recommend: Plan to exhibit at the North American Unconventional Oil & Gas Conference and Exposition. The annual event is dedicated to the technology required to explore unconventional oil and gas reserves in the United States. Subscribe to and advertise in World Oil for marketing visibility, industry developments and information about upcoming trade shows. Use Trade Show Week as an advertising platform to reach a variety of potential sales contacts.

Include oil trade shows promotions and giveaways in your marketing strategy

Use oil trade show giveaways and oil tradeshow promotions as part of your advertising strategy to keep your name in front of your target audience long after the show is over.

I recommend: Partner with Caterpillar, who sponsors many oil trade shows, to provide a quality giveaway, such as a gift pack of Caterpillar consumer products or a trip to one of Caterpillar's seminars or events. Interactive Concepts supplies interactive attention grabbing oil tradeshow promotions such as virtual reality golf, cash cube, green screen photos and photo booths to name a few. These promotions and oil tradeshow giveaways are geared toward driving traffic to your booth.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make sure you research your trade show venue thoroughly before you finalize your choice of oil trade show promotions, a booth and booth accessories. Most venues have a maximum booth size you must comply with, and some venues, such as the Las Vegas Convention Center, have strict booth lighting restrictions. Know the permissible exhibition parameters of your venue before you waste time and money on exhibits that aren't allowed on the floor.