Frequently Asked Questions

What is ECHO Means Business? 
ECHO Means Business (EMB) is a brand-neutral community that enables peer-to-peer conversations between outdoor power equipment (OPE) professionals. It offers content, tips, and advice to help you grow your business, as well as a forum where you can get answers from fellow pros on all topics.

Isn't it just a place to sell ECHO products? 
No, far from it. The purpose of the EMB community (through the website and social media) is to support all pros to grow their businesses through peer-to-peer dialogue and content. All members are free to post/share/discuss business and product related issues, regardless of what brand they use or prefer.

Neither ECHO (or any other) brand advertises on this site and no brand-specific rules are imposed to promote or deride any brand.

So I don't need to be a user of ECHO products to join the ECHO Means Business community? 
No. This community is open to all green industry professionals regardless of the brand he or she uses or prefers. Our goal at EMB is simple: Be the premier online resource for pros, by pros.

What's the UAG Program? 
The User Advisory Group (UAG) is a collection of green industry professionals, who volunteer their time and expertise to help other pros start, build, and manage their businesses. Membership is open to anyone in the industry. Application for membership is accepted and membership is renewed annually.

UAG members are not paid to support or promote any brand and are not obligated to use or advocate for any product. They share their expertise and experiences to mentor and support fellow pros.

Does the UAG get paid to promote ECHO products, or to be part of the program? 
No. All UAG members are volunteers and receive no monetary compensation for product reviews or content. Further, there's no obligation to promote any brand or incentive to speak highly or poorly about any brand.

Why don't the UAG get paid? I've heard other programs pay their influencers.
While we can't speak for other programs, the UAG program is 100% volunteer. We believe this encourages authenticity, and honest feedback and opinion about products being reviewed or the business advice being given. By encouraging this authenticity, our members can meet the UAG program's sole goal of bettering the industry, and helping professionals of all levels grow their business.

For products UAG members receive to test, do they only share positive reviews so they can keep getting free products? 
No. UAG members are given the opportunity to test products with the stipulation that they provide honest feedback from the perspective of an industry professional. Neither membership in the program nor the ability to test future products is dependent on positive reviews. Further, all members are free to post their honest reviews, regardless of their opinions.

What's the UAG Council?
The UAG Council is made up of existing members of the UAG, who - as well as being part of the UAG - help shape the direction of the community. They work directly with the EMB campaign team to help ensure it remains the premier online resource for OPE professionals for brand-neutral advice on growing your business.

Do I need to be a mega influencer on social media to become a UAG member? 
Membership in the UAG or the UAG Council is not determined or based on social media following — or social media presence. In fact, some members are just starting on their social media journey, and this is where the expertise of other UAG Members are helping those pros build their audience so they can share their knowledge to a wider audience.

So how do I get to be part of the UAG? 
Members of the UAG — our community leaders and mentors — are chosen to represent the diversity in the lawn and landscape industry. As a mentorship group, it's important that we present the full community. 

Membership in the UAG is not determined based on who is the best lawn care expert or who has the most years of experience. Membership is based on a long list of factors including proven dedication to mentoring the community, professionalism, integrity, and the ability to add unique perspectives that represent the full community we cater to.