Expo & Treasure Hunt Suggestions

[T.E.D. 1]

First, I want to thank Rick for putting together a great Expo. Job well done!!!
I think he is working hard to enhance the sport in our area.
With that said, I think there are many things that need improvement or change for this expo to continue successfully. I am going to start a thread here, that people should use to offer helpful suggestions that will enhance the Expo.
So.... If you think Rick is not doing a good job, you can continue to whine about it or you can put your money where your mouth is, and offer up something helpful.

My first suggestion is to do away with the treasure hunt. Like it or not, it is not safe for the divers participating. Instead, charge the full $10 at the door each day and give away hourly door prizes (must be present to win). or do random drawings throughout the day. It will keep people at the show not at the beach.

Second suggestion:
when giving door prizes, award the vendors donated door prize at the vendor's booth.

Third Suggestion:
Market the Expo more to non-divers. The Expo is to enhance and grow our sport, let's recruit new people.

Please share your ideas also.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I think your third suggestion is the most important.

I absolutely LOVED meeting all my dive buddies at the Expo ... but I think the real value would be in bringing non-divers into the sport.

Better advertising would accomplish that. Besides the ad in NW Dive News, I think the word got out mostly through scuba Internet forums and dive shops. It reached out rather better than I expected to the dive community ... but not to the non-divers out there.

I'd like to see it find ways to reach more potential divers ... like maybe putting ads in local newspapers, or placing flyers in shopping malls, community college bulletin boards, and other places where they'd reach a non-diving audience. Not sure if radio ads are cost-effective ... but you sure hear them when UWS has their annual Diver's Fair ... so they much accomplish something.

Oh ... and I second what Jack said in the other thread. The food situation was really lame. When you put that many people under a roof for that many hours, you need more and much faster food.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[JackConnick]

Rick had some coupons in Best Buy and a couple of other stores. But I agree that he has to market to non-divers and those wanting to learn and go on dive travel for it to be successful. Newspaper ads, radio and bus cards as well as direct mail.

He needs to empower the volunteers and let them do their job, including the coordinators.
From what I heard that was part of the issue with the Treasure Hunt.

Speaking of which, i can't say that I think it's such a great event, IMHO. I think it promotes diving for all the wrong reasons. Why not have a photo-shootout? ;-) I honestly don't think those coming from the Treasure Hunt added much to the real traffic at the booths. Some for sure, but they were mostly looking for their prizes, not at the show. While the traffic was very slow Sunday, the people I did talk to were serious.

Jack

 

[Gdog]

The pool to try diving was great, maybe that could be shouted about more next year....get the people who have always wanted to try it to show up. I really liked the treasure hunt, even tho it was muddy mayhem. That was the draw for me. And if there was a way to put off the prize awarding until Sunday, it would both give time to figure out a good way to distribute them, as well as draw people back for the next day. I know that will make some people mad, like the guy who was upset about the cost of the gas to drive there, but for pitty sakes, he drove there for the event anyway. If it was advertised that way, then all would know the awards follow on sunday.
PS....Rick, much thanks for all your efforts.

 

[PinkPADIgal]

I would suggest all this info to email directly to rick at rick@nwdivenews.com. He needs to know what everyone wants and desires for next year. This show was a great success. Rick has decided to double the size of the floor next year and already the show is 70% sold out. Rick will need volunteers to help staff the show. Let him know if you would like to help out.

There was a photo and video shootout and it was advertised in NW dive news. The film festival Saturday evening showed off everyone's work. It was very fun.

This is a first year show, and there are challenges to work through. I think I speak for many of the vendors by saying this was a fantastic show and considering it was a first-year effort, I was very happy with the turnout. The advertising will be better next year and we will have better PR. Everyone was very nervous about how this year's show was going to be, and many sponsors were reluctant to participate. That will not be the case next year.

The date for next year's show has been set. It is April 25-26 2009. We will be there.

 

[VooDooGasMan]

This is not ricks first show, names change and it is an expansion from many years ago. scubafest was held in the hood canal, the first one, walt amidon did his part as always, from the whinning of divers and shops it diminished. I loved it, I had a cabin cruiser. I dove and enjoyed the festival, on the golf ball hunt I was in the back of the line, passed all divers, got my limit and my buddys limit turned around, when I stood up and seen that it only took 2:12 Rick came running down saying everything okay, got gear issues, how can i help you. I reached in bc pulled my balls out, his eyes grew i turned around and divers were still going down.
Rick is a person that wants things to happen and have fun. yet through the years he takes the blame for all that does'nt work out. someone has to do it.

The treasure hunt is an attraction, the prizes are a big reason for divers to show up.

No one will be happy but the winners, the only thing that changed is they can complain online.

My suggestion is get the cousteau society to be involved, jean will help on corrdinating for a proffesional outcome. When he shows up so will other famous divecon. jean and pappy are about the non divng community to come join the underwater world, now that it is in a huge area for all accomendations, jean really has a reason to show up and make it a great show.

I feel that these kind of shows are for non and new divers, and the proffesional scuba diver, Instructors and Dm's, diveshops/schools run the labor to put it on.

goodluck to all suggestions.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I reached in bc pulled my balls out, his eyes grew i turned around and divers were still going down.

:scared:

eepwalla:

 

[scubak]

:scared:

eepwalla:

 

[VooDooGasMan]

Got me, should of reviewed, just not much time to post.

 

[Gdog]

Bet it hurt some.....with BC on and all...
Anyway..point taken. !!