You say, ‘show.’ I say, ‘conference.’

As promised, here’s Part II of a report on the National Lawn & Garden Show held in Reno last week. The event returned to an appointment-based format — that is, there was no “trade show, per se” as had been the case the past few years. “We have returned to our roots, doing what we do best — putting buyer and seller together in preset scheduled appointments in an efficient and focused atmosphere,” noted NLGS President Bob Mikulas, whose company will partner next year with Urban Expositions, a trade show specialty company based in Kennesaw, Ga.

As a result of the switch — technically, the switch back — this year’s NLGS will become next year’s NLGCMC, which is short (but not Roman) for National Lawn & Garden Controlled Marketing Conference. Next year’s event will be June 10-12 at the Westin Chicago North Shore in Wheeling, Ill. For info, retailers should call (888) 316-0226, while vendors should call (800) 318-2238.

If you haven’t experienced this manner o’ doing bidness, I highly recommend that you call the aforementioned numbers. Rarely can buyers (that’s you, Mr./Ms. Garden Center operator person) schedule upwards of 30 quality appointments with vendors — and then have follow-up opportunities — all in one locale. At each appointment, the vendor presents a 10-minute pitch, during which he tries to sell his product/service to the prospective buyer. With ample opportunities for on-premises meals and after-hours meetings, the conference format is an ideal means to create/enhance relationships and to strike deals. I talked to dozens of vendors and buyers during this year’s three-day conference, and every one of them lauded the format …

… And, as everyone knows, a format lauded is worth two in the bush. Or some such.

-- Yale