The NAMA Boot Camp is only a week away! As an attendee of the Boot Camp you’ll participate in panel discussions which include producers in the ag industry as well as what to expect from clients and agencies. Take a look at some of the questions our panels will be asked.

The 2006 Boot Camp will kick-off with a producer panel. This panel discussion will be lead by Dallas Ford, Alpha Scouts and our producers include Ron Robbins, Bret Fahrmeier, and Darren Furbeck. Questions the producers will address include: How do you learn about new products?; What influences your decision to try a new product and on what scale do you try it?; How important are outside specialists (nutritionists, vets, university extension, etc…) in making purchase decisions?; What companies do a good job communicating to you?; What types of ads/direct/etc.. do you like/dislike?; and, What are you most concerned about looking ahead to 2007?

The final day of Boot Camp begins with the client and agency panel discussions. Cliff Becker, Food 360, will be the moderator of the client panel. Panel members include: Jane Allman, Cargill Animal Nutrition – PROMOTE;
Bill Pool, Adculture Group; and Stephanie Gable, Ft. Dodge Animal Health. If you are an agency person looking for some insight into how your client thinks, this panel discussion is for you. Some questions our client panel will be answering include: What is the greatest single element that makes a good client/agency relationship?; What would be your suggestions in directing your agency on how to work with suppliers such as media (marketing) representatives?; Do you see dollars invested in marketing/communication increasing or decreasing over the next three years?; and, What advice do you have for the young people in the audience who have aspirations in becoming either a client or an agency employee?

Jim Gresham, Adculture Group Inc., will lead the agency panel discussion. Members of this panel include Mike Butler, archer>malmo; Leigh Thiel, Martin Williams; and Bob Wilhelm, AdFarm. If you are a client interested in learning more about how your agency works, this session is for you. Some of the questions that the panel will answer are: How many people do you employ?; How do you recruit new employees?; What services are clients looking for from agencies?; What are your agencies offering in terms of new technologies for reaching your clients’customers?; How has the agency/client relationship changed over the past 10 years?; What does your agency do to keep abreast of farmer issues?; and, What resources do you use to keep abreast of client issues?

Plan ahead and get your questions ready, as all panel discussions will give you a chance to ask your own questions.

If you need to register for the Boot Camp, visit https://nama.org/programs/bootcamp-register.htm.