March/April 2012

Publishers’ Perspective

Thoughts About Cancelled Event

In February the National Association of Pond Professionals (NAPP) cancelled their 2012 Water Feature Conference & Expo. They noted that the show would not yield a worthwhile return on the investment for exhibitors, presenters and organizers - due to insufficient attendee registrations. Attendance has been the challenge facing numerous events planned for this niche, including fellow association the International Professional Pond Companies Association (IPPCA). IPPCA held their 7th Annual INFO TANZA last November.

While both trade organizations have worked hard to develop an event with valuable seminars and trade shows, our industry has not embraced them in the numbers really necessary to make economic sense for the supporters whose financial participation is so critical to staging these events.

I believe we, as an industry, need a strong industry association. But to date, something is holding us back. Some say it's the economy, which has clearly devastated our businesses harder than many others. I would argue that when times are tough, we need an association more than ever, to help our businesses navigate these treacherous waters.

It has been noted that having two associations, dilutes resources. But NAPP and IPPCA are very different organizations, and have not been able to find a way to consolidate their efforts, in any kind of unification effort. Possibly the cancellation of the NAPP event will be the catalyst that will help bring about change now. I must say I hope so.

Both organizations have staged worthy events. To IPPCA's credit, they have held seven in a row, and their 2011 event had its highest attendance ever, with over 100 attending their seminars, and a thousand or more visiting the Pond Pavilion. Good work, but not good enough, if an association is going to reach its potential as a vital service to this industry.

The majority of you reading this have never attended a NAPP or IPPCA event. I ask you why not? What would it take for you to attend? Since these events are designed specifically to help you be more successful in your pond business, what is missing that you have stayed home?

Your industry needs to hear what is important to you. What value do you need to receive in order to get you out of your office and to a Pond Industry Seminar/Expo? What areas of your business are driving you crazy, that you could use some help with? Your industry leaders need your input, to be able to stage events that are as relevant as possible.

I invite you to sound off on this today. (Scroll to the bottom of this page and share your thoughts.)

"Because you can't always get what you want, but you might find, you get what you need." - Rolling Stones

Download the March/April 2012 PDF

Article List

Rainwater Harvesting, Now Add it to Your Business.
Demi Fortuna
New technologies and equipment are making rainwater harvesting (RH) possible and in some places necessary. How much water can be collected from one rooftop? Find the answer to this and many other important points.

Language of Koi - Tategoi: The Truth About Unfinished Fish
Matt Corino
Tategoi means "unfinished future koi." When your customer is looking for a tategoi, be sure to be able to answer them correctly. Matt has made numerous trips to Japan; learn from his years of experience.

The Use of Aquatic Plants for Algae Control in Domestic Ponds
David Curtright
Yes aquatic plants can help with algae control. Learn how from long time industry expert. This is a long article that covers many topics and uses for aquatic plants. It is well worth taking the time to read it.

NOW - A Web Directory – Just About Us - PONDSources.com
Tom Graham
In the huge world of the Internet, getting found is job #1. Now our industry has its own directory, and you can be included for free or cheap.

Tom T’s Koi Kichi Korner – High-Fin Banded Shark
Tom Tower
Just as goldfish are a good addition to your retail store so are High-fin Banded Sharks. Learn what they are and where they come from. They may be a great addition for your customers with water gardens or koi ponds.

Key Components of Water Quality
Dave Kelly
We have all heard about ammonia in a pond, what about alkalinity and hardness. Don't let water chemistry scare you. Keep adding to your knowledge so you can help provide the best possible water quality for your customer's pond.

Planning for a Diversified Customer Base
Rick Smith
The pond industry is always changing, new products, new designs and new customers. Learn about the importance of diversifying designs & services, the benefits of establishing business partnerships and how product knowledge is key more then ever.

Can You Afford Discounts
Mark Battersby
Should you provide discounts? What are the Pro's and Con's of discounting? You may even be able to profit by offering discounts. Accounting may not be your forte, so learn from a professional to help you make informed decisions.

Info Tanza 2011 – San Diego
John Olson
This event was a smashing success. It started with Ponditat in Loma Linda, CA and then it moved down to the convention center in San Diego. There were excellent seminars, a delicious banquet, awards ceremony and many great memories.

Comments

Hi Tom,
Thanks for the opportunity to sound off on your publishers perspective. I believe you have cubicle vision due to a lack of fresh air.
I have made two trips now, one to Portland and Vegas for events that are cancelled, in both cases preregistration was not required by NAPP or IPPCA, so how can they have accurate numbers ? Coming out of winter funds are tight and I was able to secure lodging much cheaper then offered or with family/friends, with the Vegas trip NAPP was charging approx 40% more then the Hotel (Sun Coast) offered online.
I want to support our industry with my time and treasure but if the focus is on profits only we all lose, I think sometimes a leap of faith needs to happen.
My other concern was when I attempted to get cost from the San Diego event they requested Credit card info but posted no prices?
Sometimes events are so disorganized we approach with caution
When info is hidden or not known. I also waited 8 days for a response. Again Thank You for your time, I'm not interested in placing blame on anybody but cancelled events show badly on us ALL.
Craig Grip

1. Posted on March 16th, 2012 at 10:43 am.

By Craig Grip of Living Waters Garden Market.

Hello Tom. I share some of the same concerns as Craig Grip. I have not attended the Info Tanza or the NAPP conference in the past but had the NAPP conference on my calendar this year.

If we are to have an all inclusive association it must encompass everyone in the industry. This is going to be a very difficult task. Although the "pond industry" is very niche it's also very diverse. Look at how different folks speak of ponds, water falls, and water features. Lake management is now coming into the picture. It's going to be very difficult to organize an association that caters to such a diverse base of folks and businesses. Then throw in the degree to which people are into the business and it becomes exponentially more difficult.

I fight the same battle at my local outlet store organizing seminars and workshops. It's tough to have seminars and workshops for all aspects of the business and for folks who are deeper into the business. For example: The inslaller who has been installing ponds for 10 years will not be interested in a profits seminar and likewise the turf guy who installs 3-5 5x8' pond kits a year will probably not sit through an advanced filtration system seminar. This type of scenario can be played all across the board from hard core pond outlets to garden centers carrying a 6' rack of pond products.

I was attending NAPP this year because I enjoy these types of events, know a lot of the vendors there, and I figured myself and my Fiance could use a break and learn something new. We fired our installation and maintenance services up after several years of dormancy and I new I could learn something.

As I recall, from a wholesale/retail perspective, I did not see too many seminars that applied to me. Some other folks, especially folks who have been at this awhile may feel the same way.

Thank you for the opportunity to sound off. I love the magazine. Aaron Burchett

2. Posted on March 19th, 2012 at 11:37 am.

By Aaron Burchett of PondMarket.