MTA Convention Dealer Survey Report

This past winter your MTA Board of Directors decided it would be worthwhile to poll our trapping supply vendors to see if there was anything we could do differently to improve upon our summer conventions. As we all well know without our vendors our conventions would not be what they are today. A committee was formed consisting of myself, Brian, Buzz N., Bill A., and Andy S. We came up with a single-page survey with 6 main questions each with several sub-categories a, b, c, etc. Overall, the responses were very positive with 19 of 21 surveys returned. What we found out was we are doing a good job and the dealers are very pleased with the way we organize and run our conventions, but there are things we could do differently to improve their experience. Room permitting the survey with responses will be printed in this issue. I’d like to thank the committee for helping with this. Here are some of the responses to the open-ended questions #5b & #6.

• Stagger times between land & water demos and have some lag time between demo’s
• Do nothing differently this is the best state convention in the nation (9 similar)
• Louder intercom and announce all demo’s and events
• More advertising, possibly Twin Cities TV stations
• Better access to cash/ATMs on grounds
• More lodging near the convention site
• Go to a 2-day convention Fri. and Sat. (2 similar)
• Love the dealer appreciation meals (6 similar)

Bert

MTA Summer Convention Dealer Survey

Welcome to this summer’s annual MTA convention. The MTA values your attendance. It is businesses such as yours that keep trappers and their families coming to our conventions year after year. The MTA is committed to working with our vendors to further enhance their experience and in turn, the experience of all attendees. Please complete this short survey. We look forward to collecting and reviewing them. We will be taking your thoughts into consideration to try to improve our conventions in the years ahead. Thank you for attending this year’s convention and participating in this survey. We wish you a safe and profitable year ahead! Sincerely, MTA Survey Committee

1.) Each year the MTA selects a fairground in a different part of our state representing all eight districts to have our summer convention. Do you like this idea? Yes-10/No-2
a.) Would you like it better if the location was more centrally located? Yes-10/No-2
b.) Would it serve you better if we made the location permanent? Yes-3/No-11
c.) Did you like this year’s location? Yes-15/No-1
d.) Were there enough hotel/restaurant accommodations in the surrounding area? Yes-13/No-3

2.) Were you satisfied with the washroom/restroom facilities on site? Yes-15/No-2
a.) Cleanliness Yes-15/No-2
b.) Distance from your space? Yes-18/No-1
c.) Number of restrooms on-site Yes-18/No-1

3.) Were you satisfied with the location of your space? Yes-18/No-0
a.) In relationship to other dealers? Yes-17/No-1
b.) Did the flow of attendees in your building attract enough potential customers? Yes-19/No-0
c.) Do you feel you were treated fairly by MTA staff? Yes-19/No-0
d.) Did MTA staff introduce themselves and thank you for attending this event? Yes-17/No-1
e.) In the past two years the MTA General Membership Meeting is held at 3 pm on Saturday. Do you like the day and time? Yes-13/No-2

4.) Did you feel the number of food vendors onsite was adequate? Yes-19/No-0
a.) Were the food choices varied enough? Yes-18/No-1
b.) Was the food available up to your standards? Yes-19/No-0
c.) After hours were there enough restaurants in the surrounding area to get a meal? Yes14/No1

5.) The MTA provides meal tickets to each vendor and their employees in appreciation of them attending our convention. Do you like this idea? Yes-18/No-0

• Should the MTA continue this? Yes-17/No-0
• In your opinion what could the MTA do to improve upon this?

6.) In your opinion overall what could the MTA do to make this convention a better experience for all?

The MTA is committed to working with all of our vendors to make this convention a great experience for all who attend.

It’s been approximately 19 years since Wadena last hosted an MTA convention and it was exciting for me to scope out new demonstration locations for twenty of each both water and land trapping presentations. The Show Arena ended up being the ideal spot for creating realistic in-field scenarios thanks primarily to Cory Van Driel for all his creative and sweat-stained work and to Gary Jorgensen for his expertise with the sound systems. For the very first time, I didn’t hear a single complaint from convention goers. We do plan on upgrading our system and are currently considering better quality less cumbersome headsets for the future.

The lineup of demo presenters provided greater variety and some vendors were offered the opportunity to promote their products as well to boot. Individual trappers are always welcome to join the team. Ten new presenters gave their first demos to an MTA audience this August and my library list of future presenters continues to grow. If you want to share your methods and are willing to present a demonstration in Litchfield next year, give me a call. 507-276-6322.

In response to our dealer survey from Wadena, we will be testing out various ideas that have been suggested to create more interaction between spectators and vendors and to increase opportunity and commerce. Twenty-plus students both young men and women attended qualifying field training demonstrations and completed their trapper certification requirements at this year’s convention in Wadena.

Thank you to the presenters that helped me out with writer’s cramp signing student paperwork and to DNR officers for agreeing to quiz kids on four major questions.

It is so well worth the effort.

Pass it On
Brian Fischer
Coordinator