California associations to offer HortSmart event

The San Diego County Flower and Plant Association has joined the California Association Pest Control Advisors to produce a unique educational summit with a product showcase called HortSmart - Strategies, Education and Marketing to Enrich Your Business! The event is scheduled for June 2-3 at the South Coast Winery Resort and Spa in Temecula, Calif.
The first day will feature educational seminars geared towards pest control advisors and chemical industry professionals. The second day begins with keynote speaker Sue Kirby who will present “The Wow Factor - Wonderful outrageous ways to grow your business!” Other speakers include:
Lisa Takao of Takao Nursery: “Generation Why?” Learn more about the up-and-coming next generation and how you can better teach them.
Gary Hudson of Gary Hudson & Associates: “Strategic Thinking Fast Forward”.
Gary Jones of Armstrong Garden Centers: “What the consumer is actually thinking and feeling while shopping in the garden center”.
Brenda Vaughn of John Henry Co.: “Thinking outside the box - Packaging ideas and strategies”.
Ken Soles and Chris Johnson: “Shipping - How to get your products delivered throughout the U.S.”
Laurie Scullin of The New Product Group: “Marketing - who needs stinking marketing? We need to shrink the industry,  not grow new customers”.
Josh Schneider of Cultivaris: “The huge potential to grow for the organic consumer market”.
Other topics to be discussed will include: knowing the costs to grow your products, postharvest techniques and marketing through the Internet. The second day will end with a discussion from a panel of buyers from four different market backgrounds within the horticulture industry, who will provide a well-rounded perspective of what buyers are looking for in a supplier.