GIE Expo October 2009

[br549oicu8]

Made my hotel reservations last night for the Louisville GIE expo! Woohoo!!
I always have fun there, but usually spend too much afterward..LOL!
Sharing a tidbit of info here....
On the GIE page under the lodging I found the Downtown Courtyard by Marriott at $175 per night. This is listed under 2009 Hotel List. Thought I would check further...
Got on the Marriott website and booked the nights I plan to stay (October 29 and 30) at $109 per night!! Much better deal so I thought I'd share that with anyone wanting to stay there!!!

Buddy

[OrangeToys]

I can't decide if I want to go this year or not. Im also looking at getting some new equipment but I wanted to wait to see them at the show.

What to do, What to do?

[IntegrityGuy]

Definentally go. Its nice to try before you buy. For instance i thought i loved boxer mini skid steers, But over all the vermeer was way better. Im just looking forward to the Arctic sectional plow booth!!!!!:terribletowel:

[Lucky Star Lawn Care]

I am definately gonna go this year! Didnt really plan on booking a hotel so soon though. Hows the nightlife? Does anyone get together to go out at all?

[farmboy555]

you can go down to 4th street and party or cross the river and try your luck at the casino*trucewhiteflag*

[Client Critic]

Where is this GIE Expo located and how many people are usually there?

[J&R Landscaping]

Louisville Kentucky. If its involved in the green industry, its there. www.gie-expo.com

I'm going to try hard to get down there this year! I went in 2007 and had a lot of fun!

[JKOOPERS]

Anyone from st louis looking for a tag along to the Expo? I will pay for gas or hotel. PM me

[rob7233]

I will be going too. I had posted a little while back for some Hotel recommendations but got few responses. I had gone back in 2006 and had stayed at the La Quinta. Nice, but no real deals but come standard with microwave, sink and a fridge. Got a reservation there again.

The GIE+EXPO is like one big testosterone playground with big toys of all sorts. I heard they improve the nightlife activities so I'm looking forward to that. Also, look for a lot of the free mini seminars they are holding throughout. Lots of good ideas floating around.

[rob7233]

Here's the link to catch some of the other opportunities:


http://www.landcarenetwork.org/cms/gic/sessions.html

[yard_smart]

Anybody taking the classes?

[Ozz]

G.D it... I hate school...:hammerhead: and to think I live 30 minutes away.

[OrangeToys]

go when you get out then

[Ozz]

go when you get out then
I get home at 4:30... the it's a half hour drive into Louisville, and the primary reason I was going was to see and maybe run some equipment, even before I get there the outdoor demo areas are closed...:dizzy: If it was still on at Saturday, I'd go.

[Elks]

[QUOTE=yard_smart;3242852]Anybody taking the classes?[/QUO

Im taking quite a few classes. i sighned up with planet and the gic. heading down tomorrow afternoon. Anyone sighned up ?

[yard_smart]

[QUOTE=yard_smart;3242852]Anybody taking the classes?[/QUO

Im taking quite a few classes. i sighned up with planet and the gic. heading down tomorrow afternoon. Anyone sighned up ?

im doing the following

Business Development

Thursday 9:30-11:00

Why Buyers Buy

Tom Woodcock, Seal The Deal

Why do people choose to do business with you? Better yet,

why not? We will look at the buying motives people have as

well as many of the objections we face. Gaining competitive

separation, beating a price objection, and keeping a

customer focus are just a few of the areas we will examine.

Find out how to get the customer to pull the trigger!



Business Management

Thursday 2:00-3:30

Business Systems — Creating and Maintaining Order

Jennifer Lemcke, CTP-CSL, Weed Man USA/Turf Holdings Inc.

Creating good, workable systems has the power to

dramatically transform any business from chaos to order.

Why do some companies fight it?

This session will provide a close examination of day-to-day

operations and systems to help business owners optimize

daily, monthly, and yearly tasks. Topics slated for discussion

include how to create training for your employees,

measurement tools to help attain goals, and how to follow

up with your employees.



Business Management

Friday 9:30-11:00

How to Develop a 1st-Class Account Manager

Bill Arman, The Harvest Group

You will learn what it takes to bring account managers to

your organization and keep them on board and productive.

We will be reviewing ways to recruit the right ones with the

right behaviors, how to bring them up to speed in short

order, and ways to develop them into highly productive team

members. Areas of review include recruiting, on-boarding,

job outlines, pay ranges and bonus systems, performance

management programs, coaching and mentoring programs,

key measurements of success, and account manager “boot

camp” setup.

Your tool box will be full after this session. Rest assured,

you will definitely be prepared to “build the best account

manager development program” for your organization.



Leadership & Team

Friday 1:00-2:30

Building Effective Training Programs

Bill Arman, The Harvest Group

Building training programs that link your organization’s

vision, mission, and values to the important results that

organizations strive toward is a big part of what makes

companies successful. Learn how to build “on purpose”

training programs that bring your team members’ skills and

behaviors to the highest levels. A well-built training program

that ties the right behaviors and skills together will lead

organizations to achieve the right results. You will come

away with the key methods and tools needed to build an

exceptional training program/process.





Business Management

Friday 2:45 – 4:15

Benchmarking What Counts

Al Bates, Profit Planning Group

One of the reasons that profitability is sometimes too low

is that firms cannot tell where they are making money and

where they are losing money. This session will demonstrate

how to review internal operating economics before bidding a

job to determine the profit potential. It will also demonstrate

how to review the profit performance of ongoing customers

to analyze actual results on a customer-by-customer basis.



SAFETY

Saturday 9:30 – 10:30

New Employee Safety Orientation for

the General Industry

Gary Clevenger, CNA Business Insurance

Many green industry employees are killed or seriously

injured in their first 60 days of employment. Risks taken by

inexperienced employees can lead to accidents. Workplace

safety is a learned behavior and educating new employees

prior to the start of work is critical to reducing losses. This

class provides intensive instruction on the basic skills needed

to implement and manage new hire safety orientation within

an organization. In addition, each participant will receive a

New Employee Safety Orientation Training CD for his or her

use in implementation of new hire training programs.

At the end of this class, participants should be able to:

• Identify loss leaders and the associated dollars that

impact workers’ compensation costs.

• Identify safety training requirements for new workers.

• Discuss safe work practices that can be applied.



Business Management

Saturday 10:45-11:45

Be Creative: How to Create Awareness

for Your Company With Low-Cost Tactics,

Including Online, Social, and Traditional Media

Marlene Olsen, Olsen & Associates

Big advertising budgets are always nice, but let’s get real.

There are many marketing tactics that don’t cost a lot and

can be put in place when business is slow. Learn how to be

strategic with traditional media and how to make social and

online media work for your business.

[rob7233]

Now that's the way to do it Yard Smart. All free for the taking. Did you get your hotel reservations yet or are you local? I've taken classes before when it was the EXPO only(2006).

I understand that most of the hotels are booked up for Thursday night and if you want a room that night expect to pay $150.00 plus with no allowable discounts.

[rob7233]

[QUOTE=yard_smart;3242852]Anybody taking the classes?[/QUO

Im taking quite a few classes. i sighned up with planet and the gic. heading down tomorrow afternoon. Anyone sighned up ?

What did you have to do to sign up for these classes? Or did you signup at registration for one of the $50.00 optional workshops? Previously, it had been just "show up & go".

Just wondering if anything had changed..

[yard_smart]

I joined planet and I will sign up day of the classes (thursday) at 9am first class starts at 9:30 I'm really looking to grow my business in 20TEN ... looking to ad two full time lawn care techs a part time wash tech i'll bring back my iperations manager, gonna hire a office assistant and a part time sale associate

[yard_smart]

total cost 575 with planet membership included

[Elks]

[QUOTE=Elks;3249534]

What did you have to do to sign up for these classes? Or did you signup at registration for one of the $50.00 optional workshops? Previously, it had been just "show up & go".

Just wondering if anything had changed..

i joined planet, payed for wed classes, and payed to go to the gic conference. i have learned a ton of info, met some great mentors and friends. The breakfast with champions is also a great event that i have attended. I will be attending the breakfast with champions again tomorrow as well as finnishing of the day with classes then heading back to north carolina.