DEMA update?

[Oldbear]

I saw the Wook ambling around the floor. Sexiest legs in shorts at the show f'sure...Even the mermaid in aisle 2000 did a double take when @Wookie walked by.

I would have liked to meet up with Frank....I have spoken to him a few time online and the phone. It would have been nice to put a face with the name.

 

[mdb]

Well, I gotta tell you, since I no longer have a dog in the fight.

This was the best DEMA I've attended in 20 years. The mood was upbeat, the folks were there writing checks, and big liveaboard operators were looking for new boats for new destinations. I spoke to a housing manufacturer who had come to the conclusion that they are not in the diving business, but in the cinematography business and they still came to DEMA to see past and future clients, but this isn't where their business comes from. Autumn from Stream2Sea said it was her best DEMA ever.

When a vendor comes to DEMA, you are looking for 10 clients (for most vendors). We all ask each other how many new accounts we have landed. I didn't talk to anyone who didn't get their 10 clients. Folks who supply the industry were writing tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars in orders, with one telling me that he averaged 2 new clients a day. I spoke to many liveaboard operators. they were all booking groups. I spoke to rebreather manufacturers. They were writing orders for upgrades, training, etc. I spoke to folks who were becoming dealers of top of the line equipment like Light Monkey and 4th Element.

I went specifically to attend regulator training. I actually had business meetings the entire time. I met to help liveaboard operators find their next boat. That's important that folks are expanding their fleets. I met with military clients. I met with marine debris clients. I met with adaptive scuba clients, and professional filmmakers. I never walked the floor, didn't see Pete, I was busy. Too busy to go walk the floor. I've never been busy at DEMA before.

I went to the TDI tech party. I didn't recognize too many folks, but there were a lot of overweight smokers there. That was a bummer. The tech parties were interesting. Back when Curt Bowen started the Rebreatherworld Tech Party, everyone who was anyone went to see and be seen. Now, there is a TDI party where the tech party always was, IANTD has their own, and there are now 3 tech parties. All the same night. Politics, I guess. No one wants to share.

I'm glad that the dive business appears to be picking up. I made some great business contacts, and didn't see the trinkets or travel. Looks like some very interesting artificial reefs being planned. I was very heartened.

Nice post Wookie:

Very good to hear that this year's DEMA had energy and was active and productive.

New companies entering the dive biss is, of course, a very good sign.

 

[Lake Hickory Scuba]

When are we going to see some updates from DEMA? It's been a day already.

I will be posting several videos over the next few days, with several vendors displaying new products. There is even one with @The Chairman and 2 other ScubaBoarders, Dennis and Roxanne Harmon. Stay tuned.

 

[cerich]

Stock up on Zeagle/Atomic parts - per their sales meeting at DEMA, Huish will be ending parts sales to the consumer in their upcoming revised dealership agreement.

The dive industry and it's ability to double down on practices that are anti consumer never fail to amaze me..just saying

 

[The Chairman]

It was a mixed bag among the boothers. It seemed that complaints were down this year, but it certainly looked smaller and less attended. Of course, that usually means that the tire kickers stayed home and the decision makers went to do business. It was easy to get time to talk to people at the booths. I gained a lot of leads from the new businesses and was delighted to have a number of people chase me down. We'll see if that results in advertisers.

 

[Wookie]

It was a mixed bag among the boothers. It seemed that complaints were down this year, but it certainly looked smaller and less attended. Of course, that usually means that the tire kickers stayed home and the decision makers went to do business. It was easy to get time to talk to people at the booths. I gained a lot of leads from the new businesses and was delighted to have a number of people chase me down. We'll see if that results in advertisers.

It's a trade show. If you are in the retail business, it's nice to see retail customers, but there are many places to do that in the correct venue. If you want to do business, it's nice to have a place to do business where the folks you come to do business with can get to you. I'm sure DEMA will tell us how massively attended this show was. Since not one of my staff (I paid for 7 crew) had a Spree badge waiting for them, they all had to pay for badges the day of the show. That means Spree sent at least 12 people, the 7 we originally had badges for and the 5 who had to buy badges at the show.

The dive industry and it's ability to double down on practices that are anti consumer never fail to amaze me..just saying

Interesting, because ScubaPro changed their dealer agreement too. They will allow direct to the customer sales.

 

[The Chairman]

If you are in the retail business, it's nice to see retail customers, but there are many places to do that in the correct venue.

Yeah, like ScubaBoard. You've got that down!

The dive industry and it's ability to double down on practices that are anti consumer never fail to amaze me..just saying

I don't know that their practices are "anti-consumer", but they certainly don't capitalize on the information age. One person who went to hear Tom's presentation on advertising on Facebook seems to raise a few questions about them getting a kickback. You would think they would promote their members, like ScubaBoard, but we remain a pariah for DEMA staff.

 

[cerich]

One person who went to hear Tom's presentation on advertising on Facebook seems to raise a few questions about them getting a kickback. You would think they would promote their members, like ScubaBoard, but we remain a pariah for DEMA staff.

What?? How? Are they(dema) selling Facebook ads?
It's easy to buy views and likes on Facebook, not so much to convert to dollars.
My 2psi is that Facebook is great for marketing and PR, really poor as a advertising venue.

 

[Wookie]

Yeah, like ScubaBoard. You've got that down!


I don't know that their practices are "anti-consumer", but they certainly don't capitalize on the information age. One person who went to hear Tom's presentation on advertising on Facebook seems to raise a few questions about them getting a kickback. You would think they would promote their members, like ScubaBoard, but we remain a pariah for DEMA staff.

That ship has sailed. If you want to know about how to promote Scuba, DEMA and Tom Ingram are not the people to listen to. If you want to put your product physically in the hands of buyers, DEMA is absolutely the correct venue. If you want to put your product in the hands of consumers, there are shows for that.

While ScubaBoard is indeed an excellent social media site to discuss and talk up (or down) a dive business, remember the first rule of ScubaBoard, by our own @RayfromTX: No one wins in an argument on ScubaBoard.

 

[mdb]

It's a trade show. If you are in the retail business, it's nice to see retail customers, but there are many places to do that in the correct venue. If you want to do business, it's nice to have a place to do business where the folks you come to do business with can get to you. I'm sure DEMA will tell us how massively attended this show was. Since not one of my staff (I paid for 7 crew) had a Spree badge waiting for them, they all had to pay for badges the day of the show. That means Spree sent at least 12 people, the 7 we originally had badges for and the 5 who had to buy badges at the show.

Interesting, because ScubaPro changed their dealer agreement too. They will allow direct to the customer sales.

You spent productive time @ 2017 DEMA Wookie-and yes, DEMA will count everyone twice. It's there MO.