Magazine - Turf Industry Event Survey Responses

By Dave Saltman in General News on 31st Oct 2009 8:30

Since Pitchcare started over eight years ago, we have been in the fortunate position to work very closely with both the trade and the practioners. During this time there has been much conjecture voiced and written about the future of the industry and the trade shows. In recent months, due to high demand, we sent out two questionnaires, one to our members (the Groundsmen and the Greenkeepers) and one to the companies that historically and regularly support the guys and girls in the field.

For your information 15% of the companies supplied fully completed surveys and 4% of the members who received the survey also took the time to complete it in full. These results do not include unfinished survey responses. Over the next week we will also be publishing the written majority responses that many offered in addition to these statistics.

Below are the results of the two surveys, we hope that you find them interesting.

Q1. Trade: Would your company be in favour of and support a single Turf Care Industry Event?

Q1. Members: Would you be in favour of and support a single Turf Care Industry Event?

		Trade	Members
Yes		94.1%	91.2%
No		5.9%	8.8%

Q2. What type of event should this be?

Trade	Members
Indoor 23.4%	Indoor 10.2%
Outdoor 6.4%	Outdoor 8.0%
Indoor with demonstration area 44.7%	Indoor with demonstration area 53.4%
Outdoor with demonstration area 25.5%	Outdoor with demonstration area 28.4%

Q3. Where should the event be held?

		Trade	Members
North		2.2%	5.9%
South		8.7%	8.9%
Midlands		63.0%	48.4%
Alternate between them		26.1%	36.9%

Q4. In which month(s) should the event be held?

		Trade	Members
January		25.9%	16.4%
February		27.2%	17.2%
March		6.2%	15.4%
April		1.2%	8.3%
May		3.7%	6.9%
June		3.7%	8.1%
July		6.2%	8.7%
August		2.5%	8.9%
September		29.6%	22.9%
October		17.3%	15.2%
November		19.8%	13.2%
December		6.2%	3.7%

Q5. How often would you like the industry to host a major event?

		Trade	Members
Once a year		67.4%	72.3%
Every other year		32.6%	27.7%

Q6. How long should the event run?

		Trade	Members
1 day		0.0%	4.4%
1.5 days		0.0%	0.5%
2 days		38.7%	40.1%
2.5 days		11.8%	5.4%
3 days		36.6%	45.7%
3.5 days		2.2%	N/A
4 days		5.4%	N/A
4.5 days		0.0%	N/A
5 days		0.0%	N/A
Other		5.4%	3.8%

Q7. Trade: As an exhibitor, how important would you consider the following elements to be?

		Very Important	Important	Don't Mind	Unimportant	Very Unimportant	Rating Average
Trade show		63	19	2	0	1	1.32
Education		30	23	22	4	2	2.07
Networking opportunities		45	27	8	2	1	1.64
Socialising		17	29	23	8	2	2.35
Opportunity to make trade presentations		28	34	16	2	1	1.94
Award ceremony		6	13	34	18	7	3.09
Keynote speaker		7	16	30	15	10	3.06
Demonstration areas		32	20	21	8	1	2.10

Q7. Members: As a visitor, how important would you consider the following elements to be?

		Very Important	Important	Don't Mind	Unimportant	Very Unimportant	Rating Average
Trade exhibits		268	130	11	1	1	1.39
Education		199	146	53	7	1	1.68
Networking opportunities		128	152	103	14	4	2.04
Socialising		54	165	127	44	12	2.49
Keynote speaker		32	128	183	46	12	2.70
Awards ceremonies		16	52	186	101	46	3.27
Trade presentations		73	170	115	38	11	2.37

Q8. Trade: Are there any visitor groups who you would like to see at events, who are not currently represented?

[Written responses only-to be published over the next few days]

Q8. Members: What sort of training and education would you like to be available?

		Senior level	Intermediate level	Basic level
Full day management workshops eg staff, budgets, influencing skills, health & safety		129	157	82
Half day management workshops (as above)		113	219	106
Full education conference		94	150	88
Range of short seminars		150	251	167
Specialist courses		127	176	93

Q9. Please indicate how you rate the importance of the following:

Trade Answers		Very Important	Important	Don't Mind	Unimportant	Very Unimportant	Rating Average
Visitor quality		74	10	0	0	0	1.12
Visitor quantity		24	45	9	3	0	1.89
Ease of access to set up		40	40	1	1	0	1.55
Ease of access to visitors		52	27	1	0	0	1.36
Hotel costs		23	46	12	1	0	1.89
Evening events		3	20	38	14	4	2.95
Press slots		12	38	22	6	1	2.32
Seeing old faces		14	40	22	4	0	2.20
Seeing new faces		59	22	2	0	0	1.31
Fresh ideas		44	31	4	1	0	1.53
Choice of stand location		39	38	4	0	0	1.57
Stand costs		56	24	1	0	0	1.32
An opportunity to compare competitor's products and services		23	34	19	5	0	2.07
PR and press coverage		32	38	9	1	0	1.74
Zoned "like for like" products and services		17	27	30	6	1	2.35

Member Answers		Very Important	Important	Don't Mind	Unimportant	Very Unimportant	Rating Average
Meet the trade face to face		226	152	26	4	2	1.55
Ease of access to the show		215	166	24	2	1	1.55
Hotel costs		100	176	91	32	6	2.18
Evening events		14	74	219	81	16	3.03
Seeing old faces		39	153	167	36	12	2.58
Meeting new people		89	208	93	14	6	2.12
Fresh ideas		229	172	6	0	1	1.46
An opportunity to compare exhibitors' products and services		222	167	18	1	1	1.51
Zoned "like for like" products and services		143	186	70	12	0	1.88
View new products		233	160	8	0	1	1.45

Q10. Trade: Are you intending to exhibit at any of these shows in 2010?

		Yes	No
Harrogate Week		47	23
Saltex		30	37

Q10. Members: Are you intending to visit any of these shows in 2010?

		Yes	No
Harrogate Week		213	108
Saltex		214	125
Scotsturf		51	191
Trade Roadshows		136	117

Read more articles in General News, by Dave Saltman or from October 2009.