Trade Show
A Recap: Education at the 2022 ATA Trade Show
Many Show-goers appreciated the information and knowledge shared in educational offerings at #ATA2022.
Photo Credit: ATA
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Author: Cassie Gasaway
The ATA knows running a profitable archery business requires a deep understanding of profits, inventory, equipment repairs, and shooting instructions. Therefore, ATA staff work hard to compile and organize quality educational events for the ATA Trade Show.
Attendees at the 2022 Show had the opportunity to attend seminars, Coffee Talks, the Archery Industry Masterclass and instructor certification courses. The educational offerings were structured so ATA members could focus on business. For example, the seminar and Coffee Talks happened on Days 2 and 3 of the Show so attendees could write orders, build business relationships and conduct product evaluations on Day 1. Additionally, participants in the certification courses had to complete work online before taking the in-person practical portion of the course at the Show. And, the Masterclass participants had access to six prerecorded online sessions in December, while the rest of the classes were offered on Thursday, Jan. 6, the day before the Show.
The Masterclass series provided attendees with prerecorded and live content that covered multiple areas of industry. Photo Credit: ATA
Trisha Forester, owner of Ozark Mountain Outdoors in Missouri, loved the Masterclass layout and was grateful for the opportunity to learn. Forester and her business partner bought their shop in July, so they were hungry for any kind of knowledge.
“The classes there were offered were absolutely phenomenal,” she said. “Knowledge is power. You can’t go wrong with educating yourself and you’re going to use the information, whether you use it now or in the future.”
The Masterclass offered courses in four main tracks: Business, Marketing, Coaching, and Archery Tech. All the course content was recorded and is available to participants in the MyATA Learning Center. People can still purchase the Masterclass and access the information at any time. The registration fee is $100 for ATA members and $500 for nonmembers. Forester was surprised more people didn’t take advantage of the offer and encouraged others to sign up.
“I was taken back that there weren’t more people there,” she said. “Paying $100 for those classes was priceless for the education we received. Even if someone knows the information, it's a great refresher that builds momentum and gets you ready for the year ahead.”
ATA members can still sign up to access recorded Masterclass sessions. Photo Credit: ATA
Forester already used some information about shooting form shared by professional archer Paige Pearce. Thanks to the course information, she has many plans and is most excited about using the financial formula provided by business guru Hank Yacek. She said many small business owners struggle with finances, ordering products and their capital, so the formula allows her to easily run numbers so she can make smart business decisions.
To gain access to all 15 Masterclass courses, sign up here. Six courses were prerecorded and five courses were live-streamed and available in the MyATA Learning Center now. The rest of the course content will be available by the end of February.
Forester didn’t attend any seminars or Coffee Talks because she was busy connecting with manufacturers. However, she plans to attend those types of events next year.
The ATA offered a robust lineup of topics and information for the seminar and Coffee Talk sessions, despite a few last-minute cancellations. A few popular topics were Troy Fowler’s “Long-Range Bowhunting: Arrow Speed/KE/Momentum at 60 Yards” session and Korbin Williams’ “Act Right! How Behaviors Affect the Customer Experience” presentation. Many of the seminars and Coffee Talks were recorded and will be posted on the MyATA Learning Center in the coming months.
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This year the certifications included an online component. Photo Credit: ATA
Lastly, according to John Corriveau, a USA Archery instructor who taught the certification courses, participants liked the new format. All certification courses at the 2022 Show, including Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3, had an online component and an in-person portion. The hybrid approach allowed participants to complete most of the coursework in the comfort of their home before the Show, giving them more time on the Show floor.
"I think it went very well,” Coriveau said. “The students were much more prepared and knowledgeable having to take the online course first.”
Coriveau said the only problem with the new setup was that members couldn’t sign up for a certification at the Show, although that didn’t affect very many people. ATA staff will evaluate feedback regarding the certification courses and format to decide how to handle the program next year.
Start Learning
If you couldn’t attend events at the Show, or attended the Show to focus on orders, you can still learn something new to stat the new year. Sign up for the Masterclass to gain access to all the course material, and visit the MyATA Learning Center to watch recordings of select presentations at the Show.
Questions? Contact Kurt Smith, ATA’s director of industry relations, at (507) 233-8138 or kurtsmith@archerytrade.org.
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