Events have been the foundation of the energy sectors marketing plan for decades, and for a good reason.
Before online visibility and social media, events were one of the few places where attention could realistically be won. In order to find out who the right people were and even get a chance to engage with them, you had to show up in person. Conversations had to happen on stands, names exchanges verbally and those all important relationships were built face to face because there was no alternative.
Why events became the centre of the marketing budget
UK events in the energy sector, such as Offshore Europe and Subsea Expo were the epicenter, because they delivered:
- Decision makers into one physical space
- Knowledge sharing through keynotes and presentations
- Made companies more visible
- Created opportunities for introductions
In a time before LinkedIn and searchable information, these events were critical to gain access to buyers and as such they solved a very real problem for the sector. They became the physical LinkedIn.
In other regions globally, where business is done differently and the in-person connection is valued, events still hold that same power. Take ADIPEC for example.
What’s changed isn’t relationship, it’s access
The shift that can be seen in events isn’t due to people valuing relationships any less. It’s that access to the right people no longer depends on waiting for an event.
Any day of the year:
- You can identify the right contact on LinkedIn in minutes
- You can understand their role, interests, and seniority before speaking to them
- You can connect, follow, and build familiarity over time through content
- You can start conversations, without relying on in person chance meeting
So you can see that people are getting to know each other, long before they ever meet in person.
But this doesn’t mean that events no longer have a place. Just that their purpose has shifted.
Events in the UK now Amplify Attention
This is where the role has switched. Events have gone from being the starting point, to where relationships are reinforced and built upon.
Chances are when they arrive at the event, they already know:
- who they want to speak to
- which companies feel credible
- which brands they recognise
So, judgement is formed through digital touchpoints, not just the show floor on the day.
This explains why some companies leave events feeling frustrated. They’re showing up expecting discovery, but the audience has already made up their mind before they get there.
This is why we recommend a wider a broader relationship building strategy all year round, to maximise the value when the events happen.
Whether it’s online activity highlighting thought leadership through SME’s on their LinkedIn profiles, ads or outreach. Or offline activity, such as smaller client events, such as tech days or workshop tours.
Attention is now built long before anyone walks out onto the show floor. A well rounded strategy will ensure you maximise the ROI of events.
