isa

[Pelorus]

Am currently working on Yellow Pages ad, (for whatever work it continues to generate), and taking tentative first steps towards getting a website. Gonna try to balance the "affordable" with the "professional credentials". A teeter totter to appeal to a wider demographic.....like politics.

 

[Pelorus]

They don't know what it is. You don't look for what you don't know about. They know about "affordable" and "cheap."

Yeah. You could have the greatest product in the world, and if not marketed properly, nobody is gonna buy it. (Except the converted). I dunno how much actual $$$, or what percentage of the ISA's budget is spent on external marketing that targets consumers, and how effective or ineffective that marketing actually is.
I'm pretty sure that internal marketing that targets the arborist community isn't lacking, judging by a high percentage of self - promotional ISA advertising I used to see in (older) copies of the Arborist News.....which the public doesn't read.

 

[stltreedr]

If anyone knows about how to go about these sorts of things, why don't we get together and tell ISA leadership how we feel.

The ISA, the MW chapter, and the St. Louis Arborist Association are all kind of guilty of marketing to arborists and not to the end user. We all just get together and feel good about ourselves, knowing we are doing the right thing, but the HO doesn't know.

 

[Pelorus]

If anyone knows about how to go about these sorts of things, why don't we get together and tell ISA leadership how we feel.

I'd be happy to write up a draft letter and post it here for suggestions and criticism.
It would be worthwhile inviting an ISA employee at the top tier of their feeding chain to participate in this thread. Alternatively, I suppose that concerns / questions could be voiced directly on the ISA's own discussion board, but the last time I ever wandered over there, the crickets were chirping.

 

[Pelorus]

From the mother ship:
"ISA Discussion Forums

The ISA Discussion Forums have been closed due to security concerns with the tool. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.

We encourage you to join us Facebook and LinkedIn community pages. Many of our members and credential holders utilize the discussion features of these two sites."


I'm not a big Facebook fan, and not familiar with LinkedIn.
Mebbe someone here might be willing to pursue this further.

 

[stltreedr]

I'm not on facebook, but do have an active account on LinkedIN. Although I rarely look at it. Think we should go about this petition style? I don't think it would be wise to Invite ISA leadership to this thread or this site; there is a bunch of off topic rambling, name calling, racism, (this thread especially), and general childishness that might discredit our appeal.

 

[Pelorus]

Um, I did post a link to this thread in an email to the ISA a couple of minutes ago.
It is like buying a lottery ticket and hoping for a positive outcome, while having realistic expectations.

 

[stltreedr]

That was just my opinion anyway. No biggie.

 

[stltreedr]

Maybe we should try to find out how many current or former certified arborists, isa members, or potential future CA's or members are active on this site. If we have a couple hundred we might carry some weight.

 

[Pelorus]

Maybe a separate thread could take a poll of current / former ISA members / CA's of whether they are content with the status quo, neutral, or would like see some change in direction of where the ISA has headed in recent years.

 

[lxt]

honestly id let them in on this thread so they can see how people feel....let em have the real world side of it: good, bad, ugly


LXT........

 

[treeseer]

...let em have the real world side of it .....

And the unreal world slide of it too...:yoyo:

If there are concrete ideas on ways to reach out to other audiences, or better yet concrete examples, they might get attention.

Totally agree on need to broaden the outreach--like presenting to garden clubs and landscape/nursery groups, etc. They have free ppts to do this International Society of Arboriculture

 

[Toddppm]

If they don't know about this site or the Buzz they are asleep at the wheel.
I'm pretty sure people over there check in once in a while but to post on an open forum could get ugly for them. I wouldn't advise it:msp_tongue:. They should be checking in to get a feel for what's going on though.
The old ISA forum was a little out of control and I'm sure they didn't like having to babysit, if they put enough oversight on it, it could make them some $$$ with advertisers but not sure if it would be profitable.

 

[Toddppm]

The ISA, the MW chapter, and the St. Louis Arborist Association are all kind of guilty of marketing to arborists and not to the end user. We all just get together and feel good about ourselves, knowing we are doing the right thing, but the HO doesn't know.

Funny and sad but true!

They have a voice in my area as the local extension services refer people to the isa sites when they ask about tree problems.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Just playing devils advocate but,,
Do you expect ISA to promote your business or is that something you should promote?
Should ISA have it's own police force and marketing force in every town a CA lives?
It's not fair we are cert pro's and hacks take our job's.
In this economy, I can see residential as a risky and hard way to make money.
It's all demographics and clientele. Small towns and big cities. Depends on where you live and who are your customer's.
Some people don't care, some do. If you don't need it, don't get it. But when you get it, promote it. Don't expect ISA to inform all the citizens about who to hire.
Jeff

 

[mckeetree]

In this economy, I can see residential as a risky and hard way to make money.

You ain't never wrong on that one.

 

[Pelorus]

"THE ISA MISSION STATEMENT
Through research, technology, and education, the International Society of Arboriculture promotes the professional practice of arboriculture and fosters a greater worldwide awareness of the benefits of trees."

This "greater worldwide awareness" seems entirely dependant on people blundering onto the ISA site by accident, or being fortunate enough, (either by design or again by accident) to hire a professional to look after their tree needs, who in turn feels sufficiently blessed by his/her ISA relationship to promote the association.

I would regard it as somewhat miraculous to have somebody actually discover my company via the ISA website. Which is OK, because they would first have to discover the ISA, which in itself is a bit of a long shot. So a double miracle would have to take place. But wait a minute.....the potential client wold have to be aware that I'm listed on the ISA website as operating in the little hamlet of "Utterson," even though a Town of almost 20,000 is literally 5 minutes away! And there are currently 3 of us CA's listed for Utterson.

 

[stltreedr]

Just playing devils advocate but,,
Do you expect ISA to promote your business or is that something you should promote?
Should ISA have it's own police force and marketing force in every town a CA lives?
It's not fair we are cert pro's and hacks take our job's.
In this economy, I can see residential as a risky and hard way to make money.
It's all demographics and clientele. Small towns and big cities. Depends on where you live and who are your customer's.
Some people don't care, some do. If you don't need it, don't get it. But when you get it, promote it. Don't expect ISA to inform all the citizens about who to hire.
Jeff

I dont think that's what we're talking about. At least not me. The ISA should promote themselves to folks other than arborists. Someone made the point about angus beef earlier, some group marketed the crap out of that years ago and now its like the gold standard in the public's eye. Its still up to the farmers to decide what to raise though. Our product is quality arboriculture...Our main industry trade! group is the ISA. Average people need to know what the ISA is or its benefit to us is only internal.

 

[jefflovstrom]

I would regard it as somewhat miraculous to have somebody actually discover my company via the ISA website. Which is OK, because they would first have to discover the ISA, which in itself is a bit of a long shot. So a double miracle would have to take place. But wait a minute.....the potential client wold have to be aware that I'm listed on the ISA website as operating in the little hamlet of "Utterson," even though a Town of almost 20,000 is literally 5 minutes away! And there are currently 3 of us CA's listed for Utterson.

So you do want an ISA police to protect your investment? Because ISA did not promote you? Come on man, if you are the man,, then let them know,, don't expect ISA to promote you,, promote yourself. Beer time!
Jeff

 

[stltreedr]

"THE ISA MISSION STATEMENT
Through research, technology, and education, the International Society of Arboriculture promotes the professional practice of arboriculture and fosters a greater worldwide awareness of the benefits of trees."

This "greater worldwide awareness" seems entirely dependant on people blundering onto the ISA site by accident, or being fortunate enough, (either by design or again by accident) to hire a professional to look after their tree needs, who in turn feels sufficiently blessed by his/her ISA relationship to promote the association.

I would regard it as somewhat miraculous to have somebody actually discover my company via the ISA website. Which is OK, because they would first have to discover the ISA, which in itself is a bit of a long shot. So a double miracle would have to take place. But wait a minute.....the potential client wold have to be aware that I'm listed on the ISA website as operating in the little hamlet of "Utterson," even though a Town of almost 20,000 is literally 5 minutes away! And there are currently 3 of us CA's listed for Utterson.

I actually get a few calls a year from the isa. Not a bunch, but a few and they are usually diagnoses or consulting. Still, average joe never heard of it.