3 PSA's--Which is best, and why?

[guymayor]

Re: 3 PSA\'s--Which is best, and why?

[ QUOTE ]
The CGA, CA and CMA all did significant marketing of their certified professionals through national campaigns that include print, billboard, and electronic media ads. While they probably have deeper pockets...

[/ QUOTE ]

Boy howdy, you're right on that! Check out what they pay, http://www.cgamedia.org/DigitalPublications/CGAO2011-12StudentHandbook/index.htm#?page=14 and raise your hand if you are willing to pay more dues to make a national media campaign happen. Then let's hear how such a campaign could be made to work for both San Diego and Maine and Wyoming.

Still sittting on those hands, huh?

Funny thing--that accountants' org will not take your check--cash and money orders, thankyouverymuch.

 

[jomoco]

Re: 3 PSA\'s--Which is best, and why?

The biggest problem here in SD is the economy/mortgage crisis leaving so many HOA's strapped for revenue that they can barely afford to mow their lawns, much less pay for proper tree care.

It's a low bid wins market here these days, and all the tree companies I know of are hurting more so than anytime they've ever known.

Until this housing market finds its bottom and recovers? I foresee lean days and belt tightening all around in terms of tree care companies having extra cash to spend on marketing campaigns, unfortunately.

Ironically, little low bid fly by night operators seem to be doing lots of business, while the big boys are reducing staff!

Jomoco

 

[Northwind]

Re: 3 PSA\'s--Which is best, and why?

Guy,

Not sure you attached the link you intended here, although you quite specifically attached page 14.

These look like the costs and prices for training courses and materials, not membership.

Page back to page 11, and they not only accept cheques, bank transfers, credit cards, but also cheques from employers wishing to sponsor a recruit.

I just don't know what you're on about with this.

Can you clarify?

Northwind
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The CGA, CA and CMA all did significant marketing of their certified professionals through national campaigns that include print, billboard, and electronic media ads. While they probably have deeper pockets...

[/ QUOTE ]

Boy howdy, you're right on that! Check out what they pay, http://www.cgamedia.org/DigitalPublications/CGAO2011-12StudentHandbook/index.htm#?page=14 and raise your hand if you are willing to pay more dues to make a national media campaign happen. Then let's hear how such a campaign could be made to work for both San Diego and Maine and Wyoming.

Still sittting on those hands, huh?

Funny thing--that accountants' org will not take your check--cash and money orders, thankyouverymuch.

[/ QUOTE ]

 

[Frax]

Re: 3 PSA\'s--Which is best, and why?

Just judging the effectiveness of the videos, I'm feeling like most of you guys. They are all decent but the last 2 are better. More creative...hold people's interest longer. And the dog one is the best, so I voted that one.

If you can't sell with sex then pets is a brilliant hook!

 

[jomoco]

Re: 3 PSA\'s--Which is best, and why?

[ QUOTE ]
Just judging the effectiveness of the videos, I'm feeling like most of you guys. They are all decent but the last 2 are better. More creative...hold people's interest longer. And the dog one is the best, so I voted that one.

If you can't sell with sex then pets is a brilliant hook!

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, if that's really you in your moniker Frax.......consider me hooked!

Jomoco

 

[Frax]

Re: 3 PSA\'s--Which is best, and why?

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Just judging the effectiveness of the videos, I'm feeling like most of you guys. They are all decent but the last 2 are better. More creative...hold people's interest longer. And the dog one is the best, so I voted that one.

If you can't sell with sex then pets is a brilliant hook!

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, if that's really you in your moniker Frax.......consider me hooked!

Jomoco

[/ QUOTE ]

That's me all right....on a dead red oak in North Carolina earlier this year. I was trying for badass, its not exactly sexy.

 

[treeness]

Re: 3 PSA\'s--Which is best, and why?

Guy, if you actually knew what a Certified Accountant makes to start, you would know that even these courses are peanuts. I have a buddy that just got in as a CA and he makes minimum 75,000 a year. You can't pay them any lower than that. Suddenly that 1000 dollars doesn't seem so large, yet the effectiveness of the organization is impressive in the fact that an entry level certified general accountant can demand 75,000 a year. Where as a certified arborist can make maybe a little more than half that, and still has to pay a large amount in relation to salary. I spent 300 on my CArb exam, 175 on my tree worker, 200 for a competition, I'm not even a chapter member. To boot I'm expected to attend seminars in order to maintain my certification. So in reality, I'm still paying close to a G to maintain my status with the ISA and yet people are hiring landscapers to do their tree work.

I'm not sure what taxes are like in the states, but we can file our own here. But do I go that route to save a couple of bucks (Yes I too am tight for cash)? No, because I know they will do it legit (I've been audited before and it's not fun), and find me money I didn't know it was there. Yes, I pay a fee, but its worth it. Would you not say that we offer a similar service? People can do tree work themselves right? We have a whole section in the vids area about dummies taking on our work. Landscapers are a cheaper option, but can they do it properly? No. Can the thirfty do it in a way to maintain the health of the tree so that it continues to bring tangible and intangible value to the customer? Most likely not. This kind of explains why I still get a funny face when I tell people what I do, and that they didn't know such people existed. You need to make people see the value in the service, and a strong PSA will do that. Realistically this is a bit of a stretch and most likely far off. Let's just start with getting people to know what an arborist is and why were different from landscapers, and go from there.

 

[guymayor]

Re: 3 PSA\'s--Which is best, and why?

northwind, I was just naively looking to see how deep the accountants' pockets were, following up on humper's post. I had no idea! I'm glad they pay well, and I'm glad to use one, but sad that i did not study harder when taking accounting way back when!

"Let's just start with getting people to know what an arborist is and why were different from landscapers, and go from there."

An excellent starting point. We routinely surrender so much market share--tree work under 12', shrubs, etc.--to undereducated buzzcutters, it's crazy!

 

[treehumper]

Re: 3 PSA\'s--Which is best, and why?

Yes, accountants and their associations have deeper pockets but the point is they have been allocating resources to a national branding campaign to increase awareness. The IBEW (electrical workers) have incomes more in line with ours but it can be argued they have much greater numbers. The long and short of it is ISA, TCIA and all the rest do nothing to promote professional arborists or increase brand awareness. A general branding effort will play in all the markets and with a simple direction to learn more by visiting online your local arborists would go along way to increasing public knowledge and awareness.

We can find all sorts of reasons to not do something. What we need in this economy is a more concerted effort on the part of our industry associations to promote us.

 

[Blinky]

Re: 3 PSA\'s--Which is best, and why?

She belongs to me Jo, you can look and maybe flirt a wee bit every once in a while... but that's IT!