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'Show' what you know
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Effective communication is a two way street. The back-and-forth exchange of information is vital to the learning process. And there is no better place for the exchange of information with 25,000 of your peers in the golf course management profession than at the GCSAA Education Conference and Golf Industry Show, Feb. 19-24 in Anaheim.
Getting there is half the fun
Whether you have never been to the GCSAA Education Conference and Golf Industry Show, haven’t been in several years or are a regular attendee, there is always something new to add to your information arsenal. You can begin before you go to the show by communicating to your employer the value of attending the event to you as a professional and to the success of the facility overall. Although the majority of superintendents who attend the conference and show have their expenses paid for by their employers, keeping this in your line budget, or adding it in the future, may be up to you. Don’t wait for employers to ask you for feedback. Take the initiative to communicate the extensive benefits of this opportunity.
With the involvement of the National Golf Course Owners Association and the Club Managers Association of America along with GCSAA, the conference and show provides a great opportunity for the various decision makers at your facility to enjoy the show together. Take time before the show to get together with all members of the facility who are going and make your show game plan together. This not only gives you a chance to see what types of information and educational opportunities each of you will be participating in, but it also allows you to set your strategy for maximizing your benefit to the facility. You can also visit www.golfindustryshow.com to plan your journey around the trade show floor together and to determine the best course of action for checking out the latest technologies and cost-effective solutions in each of your areas of expertise.
There is even an entire day at the show dedicated to this cooperative exchange between members of the same facility — Golf Industry Show Team Day — on Friday, Feb. 23. For more information, see “Success stories,” Page 44.
Go west young man (or woman)
Once you are in Anaheim at the conference and show, there are numerous opportunities to enhance your communication skills. Visit the Career Success and Communication Workshops in the Career Action Center Thursday through Saturday for targeted education on the topic. Max Utsler, Ph.D., associate professor at the University of Kansas, has developed five workshops that focus on improving your own communication efforts as well as interacting with the professional media:
- Write Like a Professional — Newsletter/Article Writing
Learn how you can deliver information in an appropriate and effective manner to a variety of constituents, including your employees, facility patrons, chapter members and the media.
11:30 a.m.-noon Thursday, Feb. 22
Noon-12:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23 - Captivating Content — Developing Articles for Newsletters and the Web
Learn the building blocks of forming an article and putting all the pieces together to make it a success. Plus receive information on using your facility’s Web site to get your message across.
1-1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22 - Marketing Your Golf Course Through the News Media
This session will help you enhance your value in the eyes of others. Learn how to develop relationships with the media, how a media interview works and how to create key points when doing an interview. This workshop also provides insight for superintendents who host golf tournaments.
10:30-11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 23 - Don’t be Camera Shy — Media Interviewing
Working with professional media does not have to be an intimidating situation. This workshop offers tips for interacting with the media. Learn how you can communicate the message you want the public to receive.
11:15-11:45 a.m. Friday, Feb. 23 - Speak with Confidence
If you have fears about public speaking or just want to improve your skills, this is the workshop for you. Learn how to communicate effectively in a group setting.
1:30-2 p.m. Friday, Feb 23 - One-on-One Communication
Sessions with Max Utsler
These individual 20-minute meetings are designed to critique and improve your media efforts. Please bring examples of your past work. To schedule a one-on-one session, contact Angela Nitz, manager, corporate communications, at 800-472-7878, ext. 3647.
In addition to the targeted communication workshops, the Golf Industry Show is full of education and networking options. For a complete listing of offerings and to register for the show, visit www.golfindustryshow.com.
After Anaheim
Once you return home, be sure to let your employer and golfers know about the value of your trip. Provide a report about the information you acquired and how that can directly affect your facility, and write an article for your facility newsletter or Web site that discusses the advantages of continuing education and what you learned in Anaheim.
You can publicize your attendance to your local media by sending out a news release. GCSAA staff has created a news release template that you can customize to announce your attendance at the conference and show. The form will be available on the gcsaa.org home page after the show.
After completing the news release, submit it to your local media for publication or broadcast. Generally, sports editors and business editors of your local newspaper are good candidates to receive and use this information. You can also submit this news release to regional golf publications or your state golf association publication.
The professional opportunities of attending the conference and show begin long before you board your flight to go and long after you leave the Anaheim Convention Center. Be sure to make the most of your attendance by using it as a chance to open up lines of communication with your employer, co-workers, constituents and the media.
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