Dema show???

[chayes]

I just looked at the PowerPoint DEMA posted from their presentation at Beneath the Sea. They discuss advertising (using data from the 80's) don't mention ANY other venue than "use be a diver" and while acknowledging that consumers are doing more research than ever before while looking for value can't bring themselves to mention exactly how...the Internet.

They just don't get it.

I agree. The stuff in that power point is all well and good for dealing with a recession, but it is not very specific. I guess they were talking to retailers. What advice would you give them for dealing with a recession?

 

[chayes]

To be honest, I think I will echo what NetDoc has said here. In the over one year that this program has been running, I have yet to see a commercial. Further, in this extremely depressed economy, when most dive retailers can't even scrape up the money to pay rent each month, sending out a suggestion that "if you can get $25,000 together, we will kick in and help defray the cost of running the commercial" is only slightly short of an insult. Now, I expect that a very few of the largest dealers have taken advantage of this deal, but the majority of the professional retailers can't afford this program. You see, the organization that REPRESENTS the dive industry doesn't seem to even understand the situation as it exists on the street for the retailers!

Doesn't their "matching funds" allow retailers to "scrape together" money from other companies? Or did you miss that little detail? The manufacturers and training can kick in too.

Your business acumen is astounding! It is hardly an insult to help retailers stay visible in this market. Want to go out of business in a hurry? Disappear off the radar screen. And it should include the internet...no one is telling the retailer not to do that (well, except the manufacturers that won't let the retailers sell direct).

 

[SeaLevelScuba]

I want to ask the view of my fellow divers and Scubaboard members. I attended the DEMA show two years ago as an exhibitor, it did "OK" for my company. I am considering attending this year at Orlando, however it seems that virtually EVERY major manuf. has withdrawn from attending.

My question is simple, Is DEMA relevant?

Please be open and honest.

Best,

Chris

Getting back to your original question Chris, I think most folks that used to go to conduct business don't view it as a viable place to do business anymore. I am sure they do some good for some folks, just not the folks who only have 1 vote in the membership. Being one of those 1 vote members in 2008, I elected to part membership from the organization and spend the dues elsewhere. Doesn't really hurt them however didn't really hurt us either not being a member.

I will probably go to DEMA, simply more for the fact of where its located than anything else. Let us know if you show, I'll be sure to stop by.

Schott

 

[PhilEllis]

Honey, this really bothers you doesn't it? I may be new to scubaboard but that doesn't mean I can't read and it doesn't mean I haven't been around for a while. DEMA's website (which really needs a new look) contains all that information, or you can get it from active members who actually participate. Sorry to disappoint you.

Honey? Give me a break. Actually, I think you have no clue who really "participates" and who doesn't. I assume you believe that you can only participate by paying the DEMA dues. In that regard, you would be wrong. You don't disappoint. You come here and get to blow your particular horn. That is the really cool thing about this forum.

Now, you certainly seem passionate about the service DEMA provides. So, tell us who you are and why you believe that DEMA is the route to salvation for our industry. Maybe then we can all have a conversation about which things could and couldn't be done to move this industry forward in this difficult economy.

Phil Ellis
Discount Scuba Gear at DiveSports.com - Buy Scuba Diving Equipment & Snorkeling Equipment

If you will notice, I am not talking anonymously. In fact, you can phone me if you want at (800) 601-3483. Everyone in the conversation knows who I am.

 

[PhilEllis]

Doesn't their "matching funds" allow retailers to "scrape together" money from other companies? Or did you miss that little detail? The manufacturers and training can kick in too.

You are exactly correct....the program certainly allows anyone to "scrape together" the $25,000. I think I will write all of the manufacturers and training agencies this morning and have them mail in their checks. Oh, I have many faults. Missing the "little details" isn't one of them.

Your business acumen is astounding! It is hardly an insult to help retailers stay visible in this market. Want to go out of business in a hurry? Disappear off the radar screen. And it should include the internet...no one is telling the retailer not to do that (well, except the manufacturers that won't let the retailers sell direct).

Like you, I often question my business acumen.

Now, let's have a good discussion of what specific things we can do to salvage this declining industry in this deep scuba recession.

Phil Ellis
Discount Scuba Gear at DiveSports.com - Buy Scuba Diving Equipment & Snorkeling Equipment

 

[SeaLevelScuba]

BS! DEMA is there to promote diving and they are charged with raising money to put back into the industry. How do they do that? Well, they created a heck of a promotional program called Be A Diver (BeADiver.com) and they provided expensive professional materials for members to use, including a national television commercial campaign and a print ad campaign. And where do they get the money to do that kinda stuff? They run a trade show where exhibitors can sell directly to pre-qualified retail and travel buyers. To run a trade show they provide a good venue to allow companies to promote themselves, and they take the risk of renting a convention center and contracting with hotels to provide the venue to do that. That stuff doesn't come cheap, and DEMA has to charge to make the money they need to put back into the industry. If DEMA DID give it away, it would be unfair to the members of the association. Look, DEMA is not perfect, and they have made a lot of mistakes in the past. I just think for the last few years they have been doing exactly what needs to be done for the industry.

Priviledged or poked, not sure how to take having the same post quoted twice by the same user in 1 thread.

Chayes, its obvious your a toy for DEMA, which is fine but they did create a Be A Diver program which they changed the rules immediately after they rolled the program out at DEMA. Yes I have looked at the program, I have voiced my concerns that were echoed by other members directly to the BOD, the DEMA staff, and Tom himself, I've had a representive from DEMA sitting in my store to discuss those issues all of which they agreed was a problem but to date refuse to fix them. So how much more do you need to see the non-responsiveness of the organization.

If DEMA thinks they have a unjust image out there, they certainly have done nothing to fix it. They are human and are just as likely to make mistakes as anyone else, no one is faulting them for that, its what they are not doing that is turning peoples opinion away from them. As Chris pointed out in the vote for the term limits, it was clear of what the membership collectively wanted, which was different than what the membership vote-wise would produce. This clearly casted a cloud on the organization giving way as to the pay to play mentality. I for one would like to see DEMA turn itself around and get back to an organization that is still representing the smallest of their members to their largest of members equally, unfortunately you might not have 8 employess then.

Schott

 

[cerich]

I agree. The stuff in that power point is all well and good for dealing with a recession, but it is not very specific. I guess they were talking to retailers. What advice would you give them for dealing with a recession?

I may as well post it on here, I've called to speak with Tom a few times in the early afternoon their time and he has always "already left for the day".

My first advice would be that we need to stop thinking of this economy, PARTICULARLY as it relates top the dive industry as just simply "dealing with a recession". This has been a VERY long and deep recession that still isn't showing any meaningful recovery. In fact I personally expect things to continue to get worse for at least the next few months. After that I expect a break, but to be honest I'm torn between a protracted period of poor economic performance (think zombie Japan of the 90's) or a repeat of the depression, a crash (already occurred last fall) followed by a period of stock market growth (starting to see) while unemployment rose and spending fell of a cliff. In fact the crash of 1929 was nowhere close to the bottom of the stock market, that happened in 1932. Regardless the dive industry is in a poor position to deal with either. Let me elaborate on that briefly. The dive industry has been EXCEPTIONALLY resistant to change with their consumers base's changing expectations. In direct response to that the dive industry has enjoyed shrinking market and revenue throughout the last 15 years as the rest of the economy enjoyed bubble after bubble of leveraged and unsustainable growth! In essence we missed an outstanding opportunity...oh well, our current economy is a bigger opportunity.

"Be A Diver" is lame as as indicated earlier in this thread by myself and others, is a pipe dream. It isn't predicated on the reality of what our industry stake holders are capable of (running TV commercials during a period when anybody would see them) nor is likely to encourage divers in this market. It is hard to sell tropical beaches and exotic travel when 1-2 out of every ten people you know is unemployed, others (quite possibly you or your significant other) have taken a pay cut and EVERYBODY you know is planning "staycations" (Staycation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). Here is the KICKER, diving is the ULTIMATE staycation, we just need to get the word out!

That begs the question of how. Easy really, on the cheap. Ask dive shops all over the WORLD to send in their best 5 minutes of video showing the local diving, half topside lifestyle and half u/w. DEMA then creates a 30 second teaser and 30 second wrap up that is universal on theme of local escape.Edit in the middle minute (2 mins total) using the best of the 5 mins sent in. Viola, you have a 2 minute local diving video. That local diving video is provided to the local dive shops/clubs to place on their website. in ADDITION DEMA starts to use it's muscle for good (try a white cape for a change!) EVERY manufacture has a "find a dealer" feature on their website. When people use it they get the local video as well, all they have to do is hit the arrow! Scubaboard and other forums will also get involved by posting these videos in the appropriate area on the boards. BUT WAIT!!!! I'm not done! In addition to the short 2 mins video on a specific local, DEMA produces a 5 minute video, on local staycations/escapes, you see my local is anothers exotic, we just have to explain that sometimes. That 5 minute video gets plastered on the FRONT page of EVERY scuba related site possible, boards, manufs,training agencies, Local Dive shops, scuba e-retailers and every video hosting site possible. We take our lifestyle VIRAL


If this gets you interested ask me about the "local specialty" incentive the LDS could use to get divers back in the doors.

 

[El Orans]

It is hard to sell tropical beaches and exotic travel when 1-2 out of every ten people you know is unemployed, others (quite possibly you or your significant other) have taken a pay cut and EVERYBODY you know is planning "staycations" (Staycation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). Here is the KICKER, diving is the ULTIMATE staycation, we just need to get the word out!

I just love that phrase.

BTW why would I want to travel? A driving time of 90 minutes or less will get me to a few dozen dive sites. Very difficult to beat that...

 

[cool_hardware52]

I may as well post it on here, I've called to speak with Tom a few times in the early afternoon their time and he has always "already left for the day".

I've had the same experience.

Here is the KICKER, diving is the ULTIMATE staycation, we just need to get the word out!

I do not disagree. I do have to say however that many LDS's don't understand this fact. They are structured to train divers and program divers for vacation diving.

For some this a function of geography. They have no nearby diving.

Many others do have local sites, but they do not promote them. The local diving is presented as something that has to be tolerated during training, with the group trip to someplace warm and sunny is the "payoff"

Very few of these divers remain in diving for long.

There is usually a hardcore group of local divers associated with these shops, but they don't need to be sold on local diving.

Tobin

 

[cerich]

I do not disagree. I do have to say however that many LDS's don't understand this fact. They are structured to train divers and program divers for vacation diving.

For some this a function of geography. They have no nearby diving.

Many others do have local sites, but they do not promote them. The local diving is presented as something that has to be tolerated during training, with the group trip to someplace warm and sunny is the "payoff"

Very few of these divers remain in diving for long.

There is usually a hardcore group of local divers associated with these shops, but they don't need to be sold on local diving.

Tobin

Well said. For me the shame is that local diving is to the knowledgeable the best type of diving, by far!

You know if you presented caviar or truffles (the real kind, not chocolate) as anything else but a luxury, exquisite and wonderful, nobody in their right mind would want to eat them. BUT, once you get past that first taste and discover the intricacies they truly become superb. Local diving is often like that.