The North American Prospect Expo (NAPE) is celebrating its 25th anniversary and CourthouseDirect.com is going to be there. This year, Summer NAPE 2018 is August 15 - 16 in Houston, TX, at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
NAPE provides the best setting for meeting decisions makers and investors in the oil and gas industry. It is a highly anticipated event by professional landmen throughout the U.S. and can be your connection to key industry contacts and engagement. Buy, sell, or trade prospects and producing properties, it’s all here.
Also, we are pleased to announce Paul Cones, the President of CourthouseDirect.com will be speaking at this year’s Summer expo the morning of Thursday, August 16th. Stay tuned on our Facebook page for the exact time and location.
About NAPE
NAPE is the largest organization of its kind and provides a venue for oil and gas professionals to network and create partnerships. Everyone expects to do business and make some great deals, whether they are exhibiting or merely visiting as an attendee.
NAPE provides a prominent stage upon which to show what you’ve got and find like-minded people to share information. You have access to all the people and services you need to evaluate, fund, and strike deals. You will see financiers, investors, attorneys, and E&P’s from small to large, just waiting to make your acquaintance.
- Learn what is happening in the industry.
- Find opportunities to grow your business.
- Make contacts and network with everyone who is anyone in the oil and gas field.
NAPE also helps a variety of local and national charities and has a substantial economic impact on the cities hosting its events. NAPE has responded to Hurricane Harvey with relief funds, and it holds a charities luncheon every year at the NAPE Summit (next held February 11-15, 2019). The luncheon has raised over $3 million for charities that work with disabled U.S. veterans and other causes.
Learn to Network
Leading executives, experts, and keynote speakers bring together a wide variety of industry heavyweights and essential contacts. This is your chance to generate some solid leads.
Katie Mehnert, Founder, and CEO of Pink Petro has some advice for getting the most out of this networking opportunity.
- Have a strategy before entering the expo. Networking is about more than exchanging business cards. Strike up a conversation and learn more about the attendees around you.
- Step out of your comfort zone. Ask people you already know to introduce you to others to build your network. Don’t hang around the fringes with your buddies, go out and meet people.
- Know what to ask. The best way to learn about someone else is to make the conversation about them. Ask people to tell you about themselves (literally, just say, “Tell me about yourself.”) and what brought them to the event. Find out why they came and ask what they have gotten out of it. Be genuinely interested in the answer. Business is personal.
- Learn how to network with both men and women. Meet in open environments with a group to avoid the appearance of any communication besides business. Remember to speak with everyone as a professional and keep things appropriate.
- Networking is 80% communication. Know how to tell your story. It isn’t enough to be an expert; you must be able to articulate your expertise.
- Follow up. One meeting does not make a relationship. Always follow up after the expo with an email or phone call. Invite them out for coffee and learn more about their needs and interests. Don’t waste the effort you spent on the initial connection.
- Find a super-connector. Have you ever run into an individual who seems to know everyone? Find that person and your network will be off to a rollicking start. Introverts especially gain from knowing super-connectors who have links to large groups and resources.
The Summer NAPE is not the time to be a wallflower. Get out there and connect!
Technology Is Your Friend
Follow all the NAPE hashtags and handles by searching for them on social media. You can keep up with trending topics before you arrive and while you are there. Here’s a tip - knowing the trends and popular issues provides hooks for networking conversations.
Make sure to use your own handles and hashtags to build awareness of your business and market yourself as a thought leader who attended NAPE.
Download the NAPE mobile app to access a map of the expo, a list of exhibitors, and other relevant information. Also, you can build an outline of your prospects and stay informed. No more wasted time from getting lost or pursuing low-quality leads.
The app also contains a schedule of events, so you don't miss a thing. Save favorite events, exhibitors, and prospects for later. Make sure you have a mobile battery pack to keep your smartphone and tablet going throughout the day.
Set Goals
What goals do you have for attending the convention? Write them down or put them into your cell phone or tablet so you can keep your focus.
- Are you there to network with peers?
- Do you have seminars you don’t want to miss?
- What exhibits do you want to see?
- Do you have the information to follow up with new prospects?
- Have you made appointments to meet with existing prospects attending the expo?
Write each goal down and check it off as you go. Know what you want to achieve before you arrive to maximize the time spent.
Have Fun
Many landmen never take a vacation. Treat NAPE as a getaway from your daily grind that happens to be full of your kind of people. NAPE is a landman’s art museum, amusement park, and party all in one. Sure the expo is about work, but take advantage of the opportunity to meet people you rarely see or may otherwise never meet.
Attend the icebreaker event, enjoy the entertainment, and meet new people whether they turn out to be clients or not.
Going to Summer NAPE 2018 brings you into contact with multiple opportunities to earn new clients, make new friends, and exchange information and advice. Prepare your social media hashtags and get a pile of business cards. Determine the best way to organize the cards you receive and make immediate plans to follow up once the expo is over.
Professional success follows the prepared. Get out of your comfort zone and into a fun week with your colleagues at the Summer NAPE 2018 in Houston, August 15 and 16.
