DEMA - how useful is it for relatively small shops?

[vkalia]

Any dive center operators - especially those in tropical locations - wanna comment on how useful DEMA has been for them?

I've been contemplating on whether or not to make the pilgrimage over, but I have never been able to justify spending the $5-10k it would cost. Cannot help but feel that this money would be better spent elsewhere.

TIA,
Vandit

 

[JS1scuba]

Any dive center operators - especially those in tropical locations - wanna comment on how useful DEMA has been for them?

I've been contemplating on whether or not to make the pilgrimage over, but I have never been able to justify spending the $5-10k it would cost. Cannot help but feel that this money would be better spent elsewhere.

TIA,
Vandit

Vinny,

Besides having a small equipment company I also have a PDC. As a PDC we have to seek out different locations for trips to take our people on. DEMA is a place where we get to spend time with some of the trip operators, but we do it with a very specific plan in mind. If your idea is to exhibit at DEMA you will need to do a LOT of pre-dema promotion before even going there. You have 32 hours of floor selling time, which to me means you need to have at least 100 appointments on your calendar before showing up.

I visited your website. I like what I see. You probably have a good op to sell.

Plan your DEMA trip to include as much other business as possible that YOU need to do with stateside companies, just make sure that you plan that outside of YOUR selling time.

Regards,

 

[vkalia]

Hi Joel - thanks for those tips. Encouraging to hear that you think we have a good op to sell, b/c I think one area where we've been lacking significantly is in marketing. Not too many people know about us or the Andamans - heck, a search of Scubaboard reveals no info about us and some info about a new start-up in the region, and we are pretty much the people who've brought professional diving to the Andamans.

I think next year we may visit DEMA but not as an exhibitor - as you said, we'll set up appointments with trip operators and visit them, dog and pony in tow. Beer's on me if I bump into you

Cheers,
Vandit