Sunbelt Expo 2006 Feedback from UF/IFAS Exhibitors
Survey Questions & Responses
- Have you participated in the Sun Belt Expo before?
- If you have attended before, was the extra effort extended this year worth the addition investment?
- Relative to the buildings housing similar exhibits, the UF/IFAS Building was; (check the appropriate choice)
- Superior: 12
- Good as the others: 7, one no comment
- Could be improved by? [See 12]
- The UF/IFAS exhibit was in a somewhat serpentine visitor flow arrangement rather than a linear tradeshow walk through arrangement
- Yes, I like this arrangement: 17
- I prefer the trade show linear arrangement (displays along the walls and down the center): 3
- The arrangement could be improved if in U-shape: 2
- Regarding visitor traffic to YOUR display, I was (check your choice)
- Very pleased: 12
- The numbers were okay: 4
- I was disappointed with the visitors at my display: 5
- If you were disappointed (check your appropriate choice)
- I had a poor location: 3
- There were too many displays leaving me in adequate space to interact with visitors: 6
- My display was prepared for an audience different from those attending the Sun Belt Expo: 2
- There were other problems. Specify (not interactive; no take-aways; not prepared well)
- What was best about the UF/IFAS exhibit?
- Wireless and lots of electricity
- Diversity of people working together; nice porch; gator head.
- wiggles.
- the number of volunteers
- handouts and people
- Easy flow of traffic
- Diversity of exhibits geared toward teaching people
- Friendly people welcoming people
- Very visual, interactive stations, friendly, informed personnel
- Having our own building
- Large number of displays on different projects
- Enthusiasm of the people and quality of displays
- Lots of information
- Bright, colorful, inviting, and lots of folks to talk, the freebies for those seeking give aways, interactive exhibits were real hits.
- Fresh approach and more interactive than others (Ga, AL, SC)
- Attractive and the overhead fans.
- Vitality of personnel interaction, quality of displays, attractive presentation. Was told by several: " the best university display at the expo."
- Diversity of hands-on displays
- New building, good exhibits. Many comments on the attractiveness of the building and the displays, "best among the universities at Expo"
- Diversity of displays with the interactive ones being best
- Serpentine flow pattern that directed a lot of people through
- What was worst about the UF/IFAS exhibit?
- All exhibits were not interactive or staffed.
- More demonstration, interactive displays needed to draw people in
- Crowded, appeared clutter, each display start/stop not defined.
- Quality of posters, too much text and no one to explain.
- Tables in front of exhibits
- Slightly crowded display space
- Too many exhibits and too many without staff
- Concrete floor
- Needs power back up
- Too few fans
- Those in charge should be more cordial to exhibitors. If set up is to be done by 5 pm why complain if an exhibitor shows up at 4pm if they get it done?
- Bookmarks
- Too many websites being distributed. One united site is better.
- Except for "gator head", poor UF and IFAS identification. That I knew Solutions For Your Life made it easy for me but not for the public seeking the UF site
- Leaf blower during clean-up
- Technical posters
- Gnats
- Too many displays
- Would you be interested in participating again next year?
- Yes: 18
- No: 0, one maybe, one no answer
- If you participate next year, how would you change your display?
- More items for children
- Need a promotional item related to 4-H, add interaction
- Redesign to draw attention
- Get more room
- Increase the amount of hand-outs
- Make interactive and have something to give away
- Make live/active display
- Add more space
- Greater emphasis on interaction
- Less detail, more interaction
- Need outside weather station for inside/outside monitoring, add a work table to show website and real time data from the monitoring.
- None
- Demonstration type display with key fact sheets about specific areas
- More interactive, show tools and gadgets to show how scientific information is collected
- Depends on theme.
- Make more general, less specific information, target students
- Make more educational
- Not certain
- Make it interactive
- Be better prepared now that I know what to expect
- What THEME (topic) and thematic structure (way of presenting) would you recommend for UF/IFAS Sun Belt Expo for next year?
- Invasives x 2
- Whatever clientele is demanding, and structure for all to be interactive
- Solutions for Your Land.
- Biofuels, crop improvement (breeding) precision agriculture, high technology in general
- Climate and Weather, from global warming to how to use such data in crop management.
- Bioenergy—Promises and Challenges
- Horticulture
- More general animals and plants, less research and better screening to get attractive and interactive displays
- Animal sciences, Farming and Cattle
- solution to a problem
- People of attracted by living things—witness the clam aquaculture, fishing for success and aquatic animal health, horticulture exhibits, the plants used to dress up the building (people wanted to know names).Next year include entomology, (ants, household pests), native plants/invasives
- I trust you all
- Advances in Plant and Animal Research
- Crops of the Southeast (advances in?)
- If there any other comments you want to make about the UF/IFAS exhibit, planning process and organization for delivering and staffing the UF/IFAS exhibit that would not be captured in the questions above, please add those here.
- Get more departments involved, use more banners that just CALS, Extension and Research
- Need carpet or floor painted
- Make deadlines for set up clear, have a firm opening time set
- Limit to those who put in effort to prepare and committed enough to come and staff an exhibit
- Too many displays. Why put up a display that take space but not willing to man the display
- Need a covered back entrance for shade and demarcation of building access
- Need staff to count to estimate traffic
- Set up give-aways near the door to get rid of freebie seekers, have lots of touch stuff; demonstrations on front porch. Set up an ask the expert table; Separate the give aways, maybe outside by Ambassadors so experts could deal with those seriously seeking answers to questions. Do not believe faculty should spend most of their time handing out bookmarks and toys.
- Write your name on your badge even if it means we need more names, people reacted to me differently, used my name after I wrote my name on the badge. A cardboard visor or hat would be a better give away than the green squishy things which I did not like. The sun was intense; cold water give away by Tennessee was a great item. Food items, popcorn and peanuts seemed popular.
- Count the visitors
- Plan for air conditioning, add more electrical outlets.
- Provide a cooler with drinks for exhibitors (we did but the word apparently did not get around).
