TMPR ahead of the curve at FIREX

Written by: Mimi Deen

Attending industry events is crucial for keeping up with the latest regulation changes, product launches, and market trends. TMPR believes in ongoing professional development as this provides an excellent opportunity for on-the-job training and continuous learning to stay ahead of the curve. Earlier this year, we were fully engaged in EdTech at Bett which was held at the ExCel London Exhibition Centre.

TMPR returned to ExCel again last month, this time to learn more about the latest developments in fire safety and protection at FIREX. The three-day event was a great development opportunity as it brings together fire safety professionals and showcases the latest product, services, and technologies in the industry. Representing TMPR at the show were Tom Martin and Oliver Thorne. Having attended a fire safety event previously, this was their first time at FIREX. Despite having to navigate some tricky train delays on their way back, they both gained valuable insights and ideas to share with the wider team. 

“My first experience of FIREX was a very positive one. It was a brilliant opportunity to check in with the fire protection industry, and see a wide range of passive fire protection solutions up close, including product demonstrations and installs,” explained Tom.

Oliver also had the opportunity to visit various exhibitor stands and to learn about the latest products and services at FIREX. Here’s what he had to say about it:

“It was great to see the enthusiasm all around for fire safety from early on at FIREX. We attended a few live demonstrations on how to install fire-stopping solutions into various apertures, which was great viewing for beginners and experts alike.”

Tom was particularly excited to be there in-person, having supported a client with stand design and event planning for the show. Here are some of his highlights:

“We also attended some thought provoking seminars which will undoubtedly support our future projects. A particular highlight for me was checking in with our client, having been heavily involved with the preparation of their event planning and design. Seeing the stand come to life was very satisfying, and clearly resonated with its many visitors.”

What industry events are you looking forward to attending or hosting this year? If there’s a construction, manufacturing, or engineering related one you think we should know about, drop us a line at hello@technicalmarketing-pr.com.

 

TMPR at The Fire Safety Event 2022

As we begin to get back into the flow of live industry events, the TMPR team recently visited the NEC in April for the first in-person Fire Safety Event since 2019.

Marketing Assistant Oliver Thorne headed to Birmingham alongside Tom Martin, and shares his experiences of the show with us here:

Keeping on top of the industry’s latest

With the stands filling quickly and the atmosphere growing from early on, it was great to see an enthusiastic response from everyone involved after the three year hiatus from live events.

With over 100 exhibitors and even more visitors, there was plenty to explore and lots of connections to be made at the event. Seeing some of the latest products and practices in person was eye-opening and refreshing to see the current level of innovation in the industry.

Sharpening our knowledge

Various presentations from industry leaders ran throughout the first day that were not only engaging but also imperative for those in the fire safety industry. We attended a couple of these sessions which included talks on the process of CCPI verification and recent developments in the prevention of fires in the healthcare industry.

Catching up with familiar faces

Fire safety is a huge consideration for some of our clients in the construction industry, some of which were even present at the event. It was lovely to say hi to some familiar faces – and some new ones too! It was great to see some of our clients in person for the first time, as well as catching up with other wider contacts that help us do what we do on a regular basis.

Alongside this, it was rewarding to see some of the great work put on display by our clients. We love to support our clients on projects like these and it’s even better when we get to see the finished products looking so good in the field – it’s fair to say our visit was definitely worth the commute across the border.

Our time at the event has us eagerly looking forward to the next one!

Until next time…

TMPR heads back to Bett

On 23-25th March, Bett, the global education technology event, returned for the first time since January 2020, after a lengthy Covid-driven absence. Although we didn’t initially know what to expect, it was a wonderful week that captured the best and brightest moments from the world of edtech.

Chloe Allen, Marketing and PR Consultant, shares her highlights from Bett…

Events…are back!

It’s no secret that the events industry has taken a hit over the last couple of years, with the outbreak of covid-19 and the significant restrictions that followed. So, it was brilliant to see the return of live events and experience the buzz of Bett.

Over the course of the week, we struck up some excellent conversations with exciting brands, vendors, and exhibitors and spent time exploring the show.

Bringing together over 60,000 visitors and 1,200 edtech providers, it was a breath of fresh air to see so many people all in one place to discuss the future of edtech and catch up on missed time.

Exploring the latest trends in edtech

The theme for 2022 was “create the future” and was underpinned by six crucial pillars: leadership, futures, inclusion, wellbeing, skills, and innovation.

The programme of events was shaped by the pillars and included CPD sessions, talks from industry leaders, and pioneering presentations on future-facing learning, digital transformation, building resilience, and tackling the challenges of tomorrow.

It was a wonderful opportunity to truly understand how the edtech sector has reacted to the challenges brought about by the pandemic. Exhibitors shared how they had developed strategies beyond an initial crisis response, their creative approaches to establishing an inclusive curriculum, the prioritization of staff wellbeing, attitudes rebalancing workload, and much more.

Some of the most interesting trends focused on VR and its diverse role in supporting all types of learners, eLearning in the post-Covid world, and a refreshed approach to gamification in the education space.

There were robots designed to explain coding to young learners, and many well-known education brands were launching products that embodied the latest trends, devised to boost student engagement and reinvigorate the classroom for students and teachers alike.

Connecting in person

Getting to spend time with clients in person was a definite highlight. Bett 2022 really compounded the significance of human interaction and making valuable connections in real life.

It was the perfect occasion to bring brilliant minds together and tap into varied expertise and resources in real-time. Not only does this help to maintain truly valuable client relationships, but it also enables us to discuss ambitious ideas that are harder to communicate in a virtual capacity.

Reflecting upon a fantastic week, it’s safe to say that Bett 2022 delivered on all counts, providing the ideal opportunity to immerse ourselves in the constantly evolving world of edtech.

The show provides an excellent springboard for the TMPR team to get back out and attend further in-person events. Next up, we’re visiting The Fire Safety Event at Birmingham’s NEC Arena.

The Power of Live Events

So, you’ve nailed your social media marketing. Your email outreach is second to none, and your direct marketing is drawing potential customers to your website. What else could you possibly do to improve your marketing strategy?

It’s time to put yourself out there. Jump in the car, hop on the train or catch the bus – and make yourself known at live events. Whether your business lies in B2B or B2C, trade events, networking events and expos could be an untapped market worth making the most of. A recent survey of over 1,000 senior marketers found that the most successful businesses spend nearly twice as much on live event marketing as the average business, and the majority of these marketers planned to invest more into live events in the future – both in terms of budget and number of events.*

Here’s a few things to bear in mind before you dive in:

 

Raise your profile

By appearing at events, you can position your brand as active and involved within your industry. Signalling your presence within the industry will raise the profile of your brand and contribute to your credibility, thus underpinning your entire marketing strategy.

You will be able to make valuable new contacts at events and establish relationships. No matter how strong your outreach is, there’s no substitute for face to face communication when it comes to developing relationships – so spending time with all of your visitors whether they’re a prospective client or otherwise will encourage them to seek you out in the future. People love working with people, and by making them feel valuable and worth your time you will build a strong rapport.

 

Think about Return on Investment

As with any element of your marketing strategy, you’ll be looking to measure your success at events. That said, tracking your ROI for this particular activity is rarely an exact science.

You can look at lead generation and conversion, coverage and sign-ups, but it’s important to bear in mind that the benefit of events can go beyond tangible statistics. Be prepared to take a holistic view of your performance at events over a period of time, and remember it’s worth targeting which events you’ll attend with your ideal outcomes in mind.

 

Have the materials to back it up

It’s crucial that you have information to hand for anybody who is interested in your business. You should have high-quality literature available at the event in the form of business cards and flyers for visitors to take away which will link to your website and social media.

The content on your website and social media platforms must, therefore, also be reflective of your brand. Potential customers are likely to look to your website for more information, so ensure that it is readily available and presented in the right tone of voice. Your social media pages should support your message and act as a platform to showcase your successes.

 

Events marketing represents a significant opportunity within a comprehensive marketing strategy. Whether you are looking to raise brand awareness, meet prospective clients or generate leads, attending events is an effective way to gain a foothold in the market.

If you’d like more advice on events marketing, or assistance with your social media activity and website copy in preparation, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

 

*Bizzabo’s ‘Event Marketing 2019: Benchmarks and Trends’

TMPR at Bett

Last month, the TMPR team took a trip to London to attend the Bett (British Educational Training and Technology) Show. For one of our clients Promethean, it is an event that is 365 days in planning, every year. This was my first time at Bett, so I was keen to explore the new and existing products on the education market as well as see the year-long plan come together for Promethean.

In the ExCel in London, the Bett Show showcases everything that is new and exciting in the world of EdTech, so this year I went to see what Promethean had to offer and to explore the new innovations coming to market!

From robots, to entirely interactive lessons – the technology wasn’t like this when I was in school! It was interesting to see how technology is being embraced in the classroom and used to better enhance the learning materials available to students.

On stand, Promethean were looking to teachers and students to share their #ClassroomStories in their video booth. In a hunt for inspiring, funny or motivational memories, a Promethean ActivPanel was up for grabs for the winning story!

Also, I was lucky enough to have a chat with Sergey Karjakin, the youngest ever chess Grandmaster, who has been working with Promethean to promote chess in the classroom. Recently made compulsory in Moscow, Sergey was talking about the benefits of chess and how it can help children improve their logic.

Exclusively, for VIPs, Promethean also had preview demonstrations available in the Platinum Suite of the next version of ActivPanel that is currently in development – so watch this space!

5 Reasons to Visit us at the Introbiz Expo

On Thursday 22nd November 2018 we will be returning to the Introbiz Expo, Wales’ largest business expo at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff. Here are 5 reasons why you should come and visit us on stand 259:

 

  1. A face to face conversation

Never underestimate the value of a face-to-face conversation. The Introbiz Expo is the perfect opportunity to come and say hello to us in an informal setting and see what we’re all about! Meeting face to face is really important for developing meaningful relationships and networking.

 

  1. A prize giveaway

Fancy winning a gin afternoon tea for two at the Park Plaza in Cardiff City Centre? This unique afternoon tea experience includes elements of a classic afternoon tea combined with Hendrick’s cucumber gin served in a teapot. Come and enter the prize draw on stand 259!

 

  1. Some great freebies

What do we all love most about a good business expo? FREEBIES! We’ll be doing a survey about what freebies people love most and posing the question of what value freebies have on stand at an expo. Come and share your thoughts with us… (we will also have some good freebies)!

 

  1. Some free advice

Take advantage of our team being available. We’re happy to share our advice and answer any PR and marketing questions you may have.

 

  1. A fantastic networking opportunity

The Introbiz Expo is completely free to visit and a great opportunity to network with over 200 exhibitors. You’ll also get to hear from a line up of world class speakers. And in a first for Wales, headliners, Lord Sugar and Grant Cardone will be taking part in a special Q&A session – be sure not to miss this one!

 

We hope to see you there on stand 259! You can register to visit the expo here.