Road Show Report From the FSGS Annual Conference
Ten APG-FL members participated: Jack Butler, Pamela Cooper, Alvie Davidson, CG; Cindy Hineman Davis, Amy Giroux, CG/CGL; Bonnie Kohler, Donna M. Moughty; Gladys Friedman Paulin, CG; and Richard Robinson, CG, and Ann Staley, CG.
38 conference attendees participated by making advance appointments and meeting with a professional genealogist-consultant.Each Participant was given a chapter brochure and an evaluation form at the end of the session. 20 evaluations were returned. These are the results:
Question 1: Did you bring material related to your ancestor research problem?
Yes= 18 No= 2
Question 2: Did the session start and end on time?
Yes= 20
Question 3: Did the professional genealogist appear to be knowledgeable in the subject area of research related to your research problem?
Yes= 20
Question 4: Was the genealogist able to help you in your research?
Yes=20
Question 5: Did the professional genealogist offer suggestions for further research?
Yes=20
Question 6: Did the professional genealogist give you a completed Research Suggestion Form?
Yes=19 No=1
Question 7: Would you meet again in a free session with a professional genealogist at a future conference? Yes=20
Question 8: Would you meet again with the same professional genealogist and be willing to pay a reasonable rate for services?
Yes=17 No=1 ?=1 No response=1
The participatant's evaluation sheet also provided a section where additional comments could be added. These are those additional comments:
“Really appreciated time offered.”
“Pam was thorough and very pleasant, plus very knowledgeable. Her computer wouldn’t operate so we ‘winged it’, however I’ve many leads to follow I didn’t know of or think of.”
I look forward to this each year”
"Very good suggestions”
“Eagerly looking forward to suggested leads. Many thanks”
“Donna Moughty was very helpful. I look forward to contacting her.”
“Very helpful. Many fresh ideas and different approach to the problem. I feel that I have a good chance of solving this mystery. I am very encouraged and I intend to e-mail Ms. Davis of my accomplishments. Thoroughly enjoyed the session.”
“Thank you”
“He didn’t get a ‘eureka’ for me, but confirmed that my searches were on target’
“Pam Cooper did an excellent job”
‘I would have liked to have visited a little more…15 minutes is just not enough time when you hit a brick wall (maybe 20 minutes) I have to say I was impressed with the way it was done. It was done very tactfully, Kudos”
“I have a plan now”
“Good ideas and I will follow the clues. He said he would get back to me.”
“I did not bring any of my records as I did not know that this service was to be offered.”
“Great”
A few suggestions were also made by the professionals who participated:
- Be sure that the APG booth in the vendor area has a clear understanding of the sign up process. Several attendees went there before our scheduled Road Show sign up time and the vendor booth did not know the Road Show process.
- The physical set up of the consultation area should include a place for the consulters to sit and fill out their evaluation before they leave. (This would prevent some of our evaluations getting mixed in with the end of conference evaluations. It would also ensure more evaluations are completed.)
- During consultations, the check in table should not be in the same room. Perhaps a table outside the meeting room door would serve as the In/Out location.
- Even though there was only one written comment about advance notice of our Road Show, several verbal comments were made that more ‘advance PR’ may have brought more participants.
My suggestion: When the attendees sign up for the conference, either a written or e-mailed notice could be sent announcing the Road Show. That way everyone could prepare what they need to bring for their consultation.
