Project for Weatherford International

Challenge: Our production systems marketing team sought an effective solution to systems selling for our sales teams globally. Many Weatherford customers knew us for one or two tools or parts, but did not know the breadth of the solutions we could bring to the marketplace. In addition, many of our sales specialists did not know how to properly combine systems to solve customer problems as many of our products were highly technical in nature. While industry trade shows are a good means to show our expertise to a large number of customers at a single event, there are political, spatial, and even attention-restraints on a show floor with many of our competitors competing for mind space of the same customers.

Solution: Develop an agenda and venue in key markets where we could invite customers to a single or multi-day private event to keep attention on our solutions and products without the distractions of a major tradeshow. Develop presentations and work with our technical experts to massage themes and messages and deliver these in an interactive setting where the attendees can actually touch and see the tools and demonstrations and benefit from one-on-one time with our expert specialists in multiple disciplines. Systems selling became easier with a team of experts in the same room. Our goal with the seminars were not to write orders at the events as the typical sales cycle in oil and gas generally takes more than one meeting and solutions selected are often data-driven decisions. The goal was to start conversations with customers about challenges they were experiencing in their fields and set appointments with their teams to offer solutions. We delivered 19 global seminars and brand promise in key regions across the globe. Return on investment from this premium brand experience was very high -- in some markets responsible for individual contract awards of over $5M USD.

I developed and designed a structure for visual backdrops with changeable graphic segments and in some cases, multiple languages. I managed these events for five years, working with a team of my colleagues for support with online and print invitations, online registration system, advertisement, regional collateral to support the events and onsite event management. Our internal employees were given a day of presentations and instructions in advance of the customer events to bring everyone up to speed on messaging and capabilities.

These events sometimes included product launches, special events such as wine-tastings and social events, and were very effective in some cases creating and other cases, augmenting, our capabilities and delivering a compelling brand experience. Other results were increased penetration of key accounts, additional breadth of tools and solutions delivered, and the establishment of Weatherford as a trusted advisor for the production challenges they face.