Remember the Alamo

At the risk of shattering the widespread illusion that I’m a cynical old curmudgeon about everything, I have a confession to make: I’m actually sort of excited for the upcoming GIS in San Antonio.

Mind blown? Well, I have my reasons for looking forward to next month’s trip to Texas. And they have nothing to do with great food or the prospect of escaping Cleveland’s arctic weather for a week.

First, San Antonio is a great convention town. It’s centralized, with everything clustered around the River Walk, and easy to get around on foot. The people are friendly as hell and (as opposed to many conference sites where they learn to hate attendees) they actually appreciate you being there.

Second, the food is spectacular.

Third, a brand new GIS site is intriguing. I’ve been to Orlando a bazillion times and San Diego and the other locations get a little weary. I’m interested to see the event dynamic at work in a cozier convention center. I’ve always thought San Antonio was the best small conference site in the nation…now we’ll find out how it fits for 10,000-plus turfheads.

(BTW, I always get asked about attendance projections. I’ll take a flier here and say 11,286. Remember, San Antonio holds very little family appeal and it’s not within driving distance of major golf regions like Orlando or San Diego. It’ll be smaller, but GCSAA clearly knew that going in. I also suspect their convention center costs will be lower in Texas so they may end up netting as much money as larger sites with higher expenses. That’s good because the show underwrites much of the national’s budget.)

So, all of that will make it an interesting event. The question is whether it will be a valuable event. The answer is up to you. Here are tips from a grizzled show vet to maximize the dollars you drop in the Alamo City.

Always have a strategy. Write out your show goals. What do you need to accomplish? Start with employer-driven goals (investigating new equipment/products, finding solutions for turf or business-related challenges, recruiting assistants or techs). Write those goals down. Make appointments to meet key suppliers at specific times rather than just trying to “drop by” the booth. Set a time and place for every meeting. Put those meetings in your calendar (include booth numbers or locations) and set it up to remind you 30 minutes in advance. If you don’t have a specific schedule with hard meetings, you won’t accomplish half of what you could.

Look up new networking contacts in advance and set a time to meet. This GIS is the industry’s best networking event. Even if you’re not thinking of changing jobs, think about who can be a valuable partner to you when that time comes. Aim high. Don’t be afraid to reach out to the best-known, best-connected industry folks. The reason so many of them are successful is they’ve cultivated great relationships over decades and I’d be shocked if they wouldn’t agree to give you 15 minutes of their time. When possible, reach out by phone so you have some rapport with them before you meet but always confirm a specific time and place to meet. If you have Outlook or a similar program, send them a meeting request so you can be sure it’s in their calendar, too.

Avoid looking unprofessional. Getting loaded and falling into the River is hilarious when you’re on vacation. Not so much when you’re at the industry’s biggest event and word could get back to your boss. Have fun, but don’t be an idiot.

Make time to explore the show. First, get your ass out on the floor, spend at least half-a-day and make sure to thank the exhibitors. Their support keeps your dues low and drives non-revenue programs like lobbying and career development back in Lawrence. Also, too many superintendents hit their key suppliers in the big booths and then head for the door. Wrong. You’ll learn a lot by working your way around the little booths on the outskirts of the show and the new exhibitors area. I’m never surprised to see Matt Shaffer, Bob Farren or other industry legends poking around out there trying to learn something new so why wouldn’t you do the same?

Outside the box thinking can make a huge difference. Ask yourself about the key challenges you face on and off the job and think, “How can I use this valuable time in San Antonio to fix my problems?”

So, remember the Alamo now as you prepare for the big show…and try not to fall in the River.

Pat Jones is editorial director and publisher of Golf Course Industry. He can be reached at pjones@gie.net or 216-236-5854.