EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S TURF New Year, New Message?
Casey Reynolds, PhD
What is our collective message as turfgrass seed and sod producers, and for that matter the turfgrass industry as a whole? Is it collective? Is it uniform? Is it effective? Many of us within the turfgrass industry understand the benefits of natural grass and its contributions to society. However, as the saying “you are preaching to the choir” goes, we are not the audience. Furthermore, as we deliver our messages on the value of natural grass, are we telling people what we want them to hear? Or are we telling them what they want to hear? And lastly, are we telling our story in a way that can be understood and that can resonate? All of these are questions that TPI devoted time and resources to in 2018, and now that 2019 has arrived, it is time to share that message.
TPI’s public relations firm FleishmanHillard and I worked together in the summer of 2018 to create a survey designed to ask decision-makers what motivated them to choose natural grass. We then surveyed 141 community leaders in the US and Internationally who served as elected officials, city managers, school board members, etc. and who had influence in choosing artificial or natural grass playing surfaces. We asked them what was important to them in their considerations of each surface. Is it safety, the environment, durability, maintenance costs, etc.? Or is it something we haven’t even considered?
Te full results from this survey will be presented during the concurrent educational breakout sessions at the TPI 2019 International Education Conference in a session titled “Natural Turfgrass Consumer Research and Upcoming Public Relations Initiative.” Te results of this research will also be used during the 2019 re- design and renovation of both TPI and TLI websites, as well as in the design of new TPI member benefits and the new social media campaign that begins this month on Facebook and Twitter. If you don’t already follow us on those accounts, please be sure to do so in order to help spread the message of natural grass to potential customers and decision-makers in your local area.
Te passionate network of producer, supplier, and educator members that TPI has around the world can make a huge impact in effectively telling our story on the positive benefits of natural grass.
Finally, we hope to see you at one or both of our two 2019 TPI events: the TPI 2019 International Education Conference in Charlotte, NC from February 18-20, and/ or at the TPI 2019 Summer Convention and Field Day in Minneapolis, MN from July 23-25. Registration for Charlotte is now open at
www.TurfGrassSod.org, and we have a lot of great educational content lined up along with activities and fundraisers that we hope you enjoy. In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to me or other members of the TPI staff or Board of Trustees with ideas on how we can continue to promote our industry. We look forward to serving you in 2019 and hope to see you soon!
Cheers,
The passionate network of
producer, supplier, and educator members that TPI has around the world can make a huge impact in effectively telling our story on the positive benefits of natural grass.
Please follow us on Twitter! 4
Turfgrass Producers International: @TPITurfTalk The Lawn Institute: @TLIhealthylawns
TPI Turf News January/February 2019
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