A new design for a changing industry

Previously known as CENTS, the Midwest Green Industry Xperience went through a show redesign in the hopes of better encompassing the industry professionals in attendance.

Running in Columbus over three days, the conference featured education for landscapers, snow and ice pros, and other horticulture professions.

Here are three takeaways from Monday.

1. Women make up 80 percent of buying decisions. “That isn’t saying your industry; that’s saying all industries,” said Anne Obarski, a consultant with Merchandise Concepts. Women also control $20 trillion in global spending. Because of this, it’s important to know what your female customers want, as well as what kind of decisions they’ll be making when it comes to their landscaping. Focusing on women buyers will also help your company because a satisfied woman is, as Obarski describes, “contagious.”

“They’ll tell everyone,” she says, highlighting this as a marketing technique.

2. In order to have a successful social media marketing campaign, you need to have a brand and a strategy. You also need to take advantage of platforms such as YouTube and Instagram, Obarski suggested even asking happy clients to do video testimonials that you can post on those sites to catch the eye of potential customers.

“Video is now becoming one of the biggest ways to sell your product and you,” she says.

3. In the first quarter of 2017, the American National Standards Institute is rolling out new changes to the Z133 safety standard for the arboriculture industry.

“This was the biggest overhaul that’s ever occurred,” said Phillip Kelley, owner of Samara Tress Preservation and the lead instructor for North American Training Solutions. Not regulated by OSHA, Kelley said several incidents within the last year have caused OSHA to take serious interest in writing a standard for tree care. He said if arborists abide by the updated ANSI regulations, it may keep OSHA from getting involved in the industry.

During his session on Monday, Kelley didn’t cover all the updates to the standards, but he did highlight important sections, such as one requiring all arborists to be certified in first aid and CPR within 90 days of being hired.

In the meantime, at least two first aid and CPR-certified arborists must be on every jobsite. Sites are also required to have first aid kits with job-appropriate supplies for every team member on site.

“We’ve got to find a balance,” Kelley said. “Because we can’t keep burying people. I don’t care how much red tape there is if it keeps people out of the ground.”