The Professional Landcare Network held its inaugural Supplier Forum May 30-31 in Chicago to provide an opportunity for networking and to determine how the suppliers can best interact with the PLANET membership.
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“Different suppliers engage in different ways,” says Jim Martin, CLP, president of PLANET. “We wanted to bring many together to one spot at one time and talk about all the different ways to engage with our members so everyone hears the same story.”
About 30 attendees from green industry companies were divided into six sessions and discussed topics including affinity programs, leadership in PLANET, better ways to network and improved sponsorship opportunities. Martin opened the session with a presentation forecasting what the industry might look like in 2020, which is the focus of the upcoming Crystal Ball report.
New outreach opportunities were brought to the group’s attention. For example, there is potential to create more programs for those who focus on specialties like hardscaping and pond building.
Martin was impressed with how open the suppliers were to working together.
“In some cases, competing folks put their competitive differences aside to work for what’s best for industry rather than what’s best for them for marketing, sales, or whatever they do for their company,” he says.
The forum was a high-energy, atmosphere, Martin says, adding many attendees requested to have a longer event next time. The ideas that resulted from this forum will be presented to the supplier committee at PLANET’s Summer Leadership Meeting June 20-24 in Niagara Falls, Ontario.