Back to school

In today’s market, you can’t afford to stop learning.

If I were to go back to journalism school today, I think I would have to start over from the beginning. While I could probably ace some classes (hopefully, say, magazine editing!), I would also face numerous subjects that couldn’t have even been conceived of when I graduated in the early 1990s.

The tent industry may not have undergone the seismic shift that journalism has in the past couple of decades, but there is no doubt that new tent styles and technologies, stricter codes, new markets, greater demand and an emphasis on safety for both installers and users have changed the way business is done. The attitude of “We’ve always done it this way” will leave you in your competitors’ dust and put your crews and clients at risk.

That’s why, whether they are training new installers this season or giving experienced ones a refresher course, every IFAI Tent Rental Division (TRD) member company needs a copy of the latest edition of the procedural handbook. (And if you aren’t a TRD member—become a member!) See page 48 to learn more about the major revisions and how to get your copy.

Speaking of seismic shifts, the rules of social media and digital marketing seem to change so often, even marketing pros struggle to keep up. What’s a tent professional with a million other demands on his or her time to do? Check out the first in a series of five “Digital marketing 101” articles on page 46. In this issue and the rest of this year, sales and marketing strategist Kate Doty will guide us through building a digital marketing strategy. No need to feel overwhelmed anymore.

This issue also launches a four-part series on different styles of tents. And because this is the annual wedding issue, it won’t come as a surprise that the first focus in this series is sailcloth tents. Now there is a tent style that has changed the shape of the industry.