Dec./Jan. 2006 BUSINESS TPI MANAGEMENT Turfgrass Producers International

Savannah, Georgia—February 14-17, 2006 ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS Taking Care of Business...... Page 2 TPI Midwinter Conference Business Leadership Happens at the $AVE on Early Registration—Ends December 15, 2005! Intersection of Proper Behaviors and Great Business Results In addition to visiting with friends and Exhibits Marketing Tip...... Page 3 peers from all over the world, the TPI The Exhibit sessions provide atten­ Midwinter Conference provides members dees with numerous opportunities to How to Avoid the Biggest Business with a wealth of valuable “take-home” meet with representatives from the turf Marketing Mistakes information through Education Sessions, industry’s top equipment and parts manu­ Roundtable Forum, Exhibits and lots facturers, suppliers and service providers. Shrewder Computing...... Page 3 more. “These events are one of the best To help attendees make the most of their Computer Tune-Ups investments of our time and money, con­ one-on-one time with the various repre­ sidering what we gain,” is the description sentatives, lunch will be available at no NFL Players Opinion Survey Excerpt: Page 4 many TPI members use to describe their charge, as part of the package price. “Do you believe you have had one or participation in TPI Conferences and ITPF Banquet, Awards & Conventions. more injuries on artificial turf that Fundraiser There is a way to further increase this Attendees begin with a cocktail recep­ would not have occurred on grass?” already great bargain, if you haven’t tion before heading to the dining area for already done so! Just be sure to register TPI Action ...... Page 4 a memorable low-country seafood boil for the TPI Midwinter Conference by (non-seafood options available). — Redesigned TPI Website to Launch at Thursday, December 15, 2005 to receive Entertainment by the talented “Blue TPI Midwinter Conference! the $50 discount for each person fully Dogs” is loosely described as “bluegrass” registered by that date! — Member Survey Results in Warm- but covers a wide range of enjoyable And that’s not all! Book your hotel music taste; a regional favorite of the Season Vegetative Stock reservation at the TPI host hotel (Westin southern U.S. Roundtable in Savannah Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa) by Wednesday, January 11, 2006 (space The prestigious TPI Honors & Awards available) and you’re guaranteed the TPI program portion of the evening will rec­ room rate of $145! TPI Meetings & ognize special individuals for their dedi­ TPI Honors & Award Education Manager Kelly Butler advises cation and selfless giving to TPI and the Recipients to be Named not waiting until that date because the overall turf industry. at TPI Midwinter TPI “room block” might fill up sooner. The ITPF Silent Auction will progress Conference! Now for a preview of the Conference. unobtrusively throughout the evening toward the goal of raising money for Register for the ITPF Banquet Education turfgrass education and research efforts. Awards & Fundraiser program to sup­ From the Pre-Conference Seminar, to Be sure to check out the various boards port to these deserving recipients. Education Sessions #1 and #2, attendees listing the many auction items and keep This special TPI program is con­ can learn from some of the best experts in mind this is an opportunity to give ducted only once a year at the TPI and professionals. Topics include a moti­ back to the industry that has given so Midwinter Conference. To maintain vational expert’s methods of “Bringing much to all members. the integrity of these prestigious Customers Back”; a “Show and Tell” awards for each category, they are pre­ panel of turf producers describing their Roundtable Forum sented only if the judges agree there operations; a highly successful landscap­ Attendees of past Roundtable Forums are worthy candidates. Don’t miss this event to find out er’s sales techniques; a panel of turfgrass are seeing many of their ideas and sug­ extension specialists whose presentations gestions implemented by the TPI Board. who the recipients will be for the TPI will cover “Angry Dogs & Irate cus­ If you want to share your ideas, express Honorary Member(s), Distinguished tomers,” “Recycled Water Use on Turf,” concerns or just exchange information Service, and Innovator awards of the and “Marketing via Public TV” with peers, this is the place to be. year. By Dan Coughlin [Taking Care of Business The Coughlin Company www.thecoughlincompany.com

Business Leadership Happens at the Intersection of Proper Behaviors and Great Business Results

Leadership means influencing how such. So what makes one person a great Even though business leadership is other people think in ways that generate leader and another equally competent invisible and your influence will often go better sustainable results for the organi­ person merely a tactician or strategist? unnoticed and unappreciated, please trust zation and the people in it. If they are Why is one person able to effectively me when I say that it is THE most impor­ adding more value to customers, then influence other people to cause the all- tant characteristic of a successful organi­ they have decided to invest energy into important intersection of proper behav­ zation. The leader, regardless of title, the act of adding value. Consequently, iors and desired results, while another provides the magic that moves results leadership means influencing people to person merely does what he is told to do? forward in a sustainable manner. invest their energy in doing the right Are some people just born leaders and I found out that several business things that will achieve better sustainable others can never hope to lead successful- groups use my monthly electronic business results. ly? newsletter as the basis for discussions on Classic example: Martin Luther King, Here are the answers in reverse order. how they can accelerate the achievement Jr. said that the desired outcome was No, people are not born to lead. True of their most important business out­ equal rights for all Americans, and the leaders step off the train of daily tasks, comes. What a neat idea! Maybe these right way to get there was through non­ and they ask themselves, groups could be called, ’’Business violent resistance. He caused the inter­ 1- What result are we trying to Acceleration Teams." Toward that end, section that generated one of the greatest achieve? I’m going to add a new section each social changes in the shortest periods of 2- What behaviors do people need to month called, "Questions For Business time in the history of the world. demonstrate in order to achieve those Acceleration Teams." The approach will So what are proper behaviors and results in a sustainable manner? be to take that month’s topic and add a great business results? Consider any 3- How can I influence people to few open-ended discussion questions that painfully boring session your organiza­ think in ways that will generate both the your team could use to move the ideas tion might have gone through to establish desired behaviors and the desired into action in a practical manner. Here your corporate values. That's where it all results?" are this month’s questions: starts. Values are beliefs that determine Once the business leader determines 1. What are the two most important busi­ behaviors. If your corporate values say the answers to those questions, he or she ness outcomes we are working to things like "integrity, honesty, teamwork, moves into action. This is the sandbox I achieve in the next six months? open communication, creativity, cus­ play in everyday as an executive coach. 2. What behaviors will be necessary in tomers first, dignity, respect, etc.,’’ then My goal is to figure out the proper order to increase the chances we will you know what the desired behaviors are behaviors for people in a particular achieve those desired business out­ for the people in your organization. organization, the desired business results comes? You know the desired behaviors and for the organization and the influence I 3. Whom do we need to influence in you know the desired business results. need to provide to a specific individual to order to get both the desired behaviors The missing link is that elusive charac­ generate the intersection of the desired and the desired business results? teristic known as leadership. A business behaviors and business results. Any 4. How will we influence these people? leader influences the people in the organ­ leadership approach I use can be imple­ 5. Who will specifically provide the ization to behave in a way that demon­ mented by any person at any level in any influence to the various individuals? strates the desired values AND achieves organization in any industry. The hard the desired business results. Please part is convincing yourself to take the If you want everyone on your team to remember this next statement: “Labels or time to step off of the train long enough have my free newsletter, go to the web­ titles don't make the leader.” Any person to answer the three questions above, and site below and sign up. Then, you’re in your organization can influence the then having the courage to put your plan welcome to print it out and distribute it way others think in ways that cause them into action. to everyone in your office. to behave properly, in alignment with the The “tweedle-dees and tweedle-dums” stated business values, AND achieve the who ruined Enron, WorldComm, Have a great holidays! desired results. Parmalat, Adelphi Communications and Dan Coughlin can be reached at Tel: Here’s the challenge: Leadership is Arthur Andersen were not business lead­ 636/825-6611 or invisible work. It can happen by asking a ers. They influenced people to generate dan@jhecoughlincompany. com question, making a statement, honestly great results but with completely wrong Also, you’ll find more than 100 of sharing feedback (based on observed behaviors. They missed the important Dan’s free articles on business accelera­ behavior) with another person, giving intersection of business leadership by a tion at them a chapter in a book to read and hundred miles. www.businessacceleration.com ByPeter Koeppel Marketing Tip Koeppel Direct Shrewder www.koeppeldirect.com Computing How to Avoid the Biggest Business Marketing Mistakes Computer Tune-Ups We all know the importance of Marketing challenges are common Itself having our cars tuned up. But what among businesses of all sizes, whether Many companies make the mistake of about our computer? Computers new or well established. Owners of new thinking that their product is so great and need tune-ups too! businesses might not know how to mar­ so different that they don’t need to mar­ As you explore the internet, add ket their firms properly to get the results ket it at all. Word of mouth and cus­ and remove software, visit websites tomer referrals can only take you so far they want. In fact, many small and mid­ or just plain use the computer, files in today’s increasingly competitive mar­ sized companies lose sight of the market­ build up. Some of these files never ing practices that made them successful. ketplace. leave. It’s like sludge building up in —Not Clearly Defining the Product Even large, established companies tend your car engine without an oil to let their good marketing practices slide Benefits change. One computer that came sometimes. The increasing competitiveness of through a repair shop had 197 thou­ So what can you do if you suspect today’s marketplace offers customers sand-plus 'Temporary Internet Files' your marketing efforts are less than satis­ more choices. Something has to get their (TIF's) on board. These TIF's, along factory? First, understand the following attention to make them choose one prod­ with 'Cookies' and 'Temp' files all biggest marketing mistakes, and then uct over another. You need to create this tend to slow your computer down. learn how to avoid them. product differentiation. Regular tune-ups will get rid of this —Not Developing a Marketing Plan Defining the uniqueness of your prod­ excess sludge and help speed up the A marketing plan is a critical part of uct will help your target audience consid­ computer. every successful business. It helps you er you first. Work this uniqueness into Other items standard in tune-ups define your product and service to fill a your marketing plan and strategy to reach include 'scan disk,' checking your market niche, identify your target audi- the specific audience you want. hard drive for errors and bad sectors ence and determine what you need to get - Not Diversifying Your Media Mix and repairing them or marking them your target audience to buy your product There was a time when advertising 'Bad' so information is not written to or services in the short and long term. options were limited. Today’s media is them and later lost. —Not Planning a Marketing Budget very fragmented but you need to reach ‘Defragmenting’ your harddrive is You need to invest money to publicize, your audience through more than one also important. Everything you do market and advertise your business to outlet. to your computer, from keystrokes to make it successful. As a general rule, the —Not Understanding the Lifetime saving data or installing software, is marketing budget should be 10 percent Value of a Customer saved to your hard drive. Your hard of your revenue. If you can keep most of your cus­ drive has a habit of placing this —Not Targeting a Specific Audience tomers for life, the value of those cus­ information wherever it finds room, Regardless of what product you have, tomers multiplies. Consider investing 10 often in between other information. not everyone is going to want it enough percent of those customers’ sales in mar­ Over time, these files and data to buy it. Determine your target demo­ keting to earn a ten-to-one return on become 'fragmented.' By 'defrag­ graphic and use appropriate media out­ your investment. menting' your harddrive, all files are lets to reach that audience. Trying to — Not Up-Selling the Customer moved together to form one continu­ appeal to everyone doesn’t work. Up-selling means taking advantage of ous stream so that your harddrive —Not Developing a Clear and the sales opportunity and incremental doesn't have to spend time looking Consistent Marketing Message revenue by adding more or related prod­ for your data and, consequently, it All your marketing materials, adver­ ucts to a customer's purchase. For exam­ runs faster. tisements and promotions must convey a ple, adding other landscaping materials Last but not least, check all fans consistent look and message. Wherever such as mulch or top soil, are up-sells. for operation. Especially the Central your target audience sees your name, Just remember that marketing is criti­ Processing Unit (CPU) cooling fan. they should recognize it and form an cal to the success of every business. These fans are so quiet you don't immediate image of your company. Avoid making any of these big mistakes notice when they often fail and let Consistency increases the effectiveness that could make your marketing efforts your CPU overheat, first slowing it yourof marketing message, achieving ineffective. When you steer clear of down and finally shutting it down orem from your marketing budget, these marketing mistakes, you can mar­ and/or damaging it permanently. because the message is reinforced in all ket your business successfully and A once-a-year tune-up is fine for of your selected advertising mediums. increase your bottom line as a most usage. —Believing Your Product Will Sell result. Artificial vs. Natural? In a 2004 NFLPA Opinion Survey, players TPI Action were asked, “Do you believe you have had ______one or more injuries on artificial turf that would not have occurred on grass?” Here an their responses: Redesigned TPI Website to Launch at TPI Midwinter Conference! Club Yes No N/A Arizona Cardinals 36.7% 28.6% 34.7 Picture a modern website with “click-on” options that any audience will Atlanta Falcons 36.5% 26.9% 36.5 understand; easy-to-find information with clearly written summaries; access to Baltimore Ravens 42.9% 24.5% 32.7 every Turf News article ever published; turfgrass research studies; TPI press Buffalo Bills 56.1% 12.3% 31.6 Carolina Panthers 31.4% 27.5% 41.2 releases; brochures and much more! Those are just some of the features atten­ Chicago Bears 47.2% 11.1% 41.7 dees of the 2006 TPI Midwinter Conference will see when TPI’s redesigned web­ Cincinnati Bengals 30.8% 28.8% 40.4 site makes its debut in Savannah, GA. Cleveland Browns 30.5% 25.4% 44.1 Dallas Cowboys 47.6% 16.7% 35.7 A key element of the expanded website capability is TPI’s link with the Denver Broncos 42.9% 25.7% 31.4 Turfgrass Information Center (TIC) to the institution’s Turfgrass Information File Detroit Lions 27.5% 15.7% 56.9 (TGIF) database. TGIF contains more than 100,000 records of the most compre­ Green Bay Packers 55.0% 10.0% 35.0 Houston Texans 50.0% 16.7% 33.3 hensive collection of turfgrass educational materials in the world—includes Turf Indianapolis Colts 43.1% 19.0% 37.9 News magazine, Business Management newsletter, etc. This valuable information Jacksonville Jaguars 31.0% 23.8% 45.2 resource, otherwise accessible to others for a fee, will be available to TPI mem­ Kansas City Chiefs 42.9% 25.0% 32.1 Miami Dolphins 37.8% 27.0% 35.1 bers at no charge as the latest member benefit. TPI members will be able to Minnesota Vikings 42.3% 38.5% 19.2 search the TGIF site for Turf News articles and turf research by subject, author New England Patriots 33.9% 28.6% 37.5 and more. New Orleans Saints 58.1% 18.6% 23.3 New York Giants 55.3% 12.8% 31.9 New York Jets 37.0% 26.1% 37.0 Member Survey Results in Warm-Season Vegetative Stock Oakland Raiders 48.6% 20.0% 31.4 Roundtable in Savannah Philadelphia Eagles 42.9% 14.3% 42.9 Pittsburgh Steelers 34.6% 23.1% 42.3 Although a recent TPI Seed Quality Survey focused on cool-season turfgrass­ St. Louis Rams 39.6% 25.0% 35.4 es, it provided an opportunity for warm-season turf producers to express their San Diego Chargers 38.6% 13.6% 47.7 interest in vegetative stock as one of the topics at Midwinter Conference’s San Francisco 49ers 42.2% 15.6% 42.2 Seattle Seahawks 42.9% 32.7% 24.5 Roundtable. Based on the 88 percent of warm-season turf producers who indicat­ Tampa Bay ed a positive response, TPI has scheduled a Warm Season-Vegetative Stock Buccaneers 35.9% 33.3% 30.8 roundtable. If you are a warm-season turf producer, be sure to take advantage of Tennessee Titans 45.7% 30.4% 23.9 Washington Redskins 50.0% 27.5% 22.5 this opportunity to exchange ideas with your peers. League Totals 41.5% 22.7% 35.74

To receive additional information on any of these items, contact the TPI Office Tel: 800/405-8873 or 847/649-5555 Fax: 847/7649-5678 e-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.TurfGrassSod.org ______

Business Management FIRST CLASS MAIL U.S. POSTAGE Turfgrass Producers International PAID 2 East Main St., East Dundee, IL 60118 e-mail: [email protected] Dundee, IL 60118 Permit No.2590