said he schedules time to check out new products and man- ufacturers that may prove to be a fit for his dive center’s product inventory. This is also true for new travel destination booths. But, Thomas warns, don’t get drawn into trying to walk up and down the show aisles because you often get bogged down and lose valuable time. Instead, he said he re- searches ahead of the show which new products and destinations that might be right for his dive center by studying the DEMA Show website and the New Product Showcase, which lists and describes the product offerings. On the DEMA Show website, Thomas said he also goes to the Floor Plan section and reviews the list of exhibitors. By clicking on the exhibitor’s name, you get a short bio of what services or products the exhibitor offers. Thomas said that prior to attending the show, he creates a spreadsheet for each day of what meetings he has and what new products or des- tinations he wants to check out and goes directly to their booths instead of just wandering around. DEMA SHOW continued
current demographics of the organization. Show attendees are also entertained an hour ahead of the show opening at the main entrance by Scuba Radio’s “Greg the Divemaster” and his crew with quizzes, contests, and giveaways provided by show exhibitors. Thomas said he spends his breakfast time reviewing and re- sponding to communications with his dive centers’ staff both back in the Dallas area and with the staff at the show. He said wireless reception within convention halls has improved over the years, so he has no problems receiving staff texts, emails, or phone calls about important matters during the day. Post-Show Hours Activities and Dinners: Near the end of each day at the show, there are a number of exhibitor “Happy Hour” celebrations at their booths, including a DEMA-sponsored event each day where attendees and ex- hibitors can network in a more casual setting. After the show closes at 6 PM, there are several organizations that host
“Before we go to the DEMA Show I meet with my staff and try to assess what holes in our inventory we have to fill and what group travel needs we need to book,” Thomas said, adding that his research on the show website is directly re- lated to accomplishing those goals by using his floor time effectively. He said he also asks his staff and people he trusts at the show, “Hey, what’s new that looks good?”
parties each night and provide an excellent opportunity to network with industry professionals and meet up with old friends in a relaxed atmosphere. Since the DEMA Show is a world- wide event, it is a time when friends you have made across the globe can meet up and make plans to have dinner to catch up with each other and discuss future opportu- nities in a more intimate setting.
The same holds true for researching which seminars to attend during the show, whether they are DEMA-sponsored seminars or exhibitor-sponsored sessions. These educational sessions are already posted on the website, so you can select which ones are the most important to your business and put them on your show schedule to attend. Thomas said he transfers his pre-show spreadsheet over to the DEMA Show Mobile App on his phone to keep up with his schedule and review the floor plan map to determine his best route from booth to booth. Pre-Show Hours Activities: While the DEMA Show doors open at 10 AM each day, there are many pre-show-hour events and activities each day for additional networking op- portunities and education. One such event is the Wednesday DEMA Member Update breakfast that starts at 8 AM and the new DEMA President and CEO, Julie A. Fabsik-Swarts, will provide an update on the direction of DEMA and
Thomas said this is a great opportunity to keep relationships flourishing, which will benefit both parties in the years to come. A successful DEMA Show for a dive center requires a lot of pre-show research, an understanding of what needs your dive center must fill at the show, and a willingness to meet new people and businesses that may develop prosperous re- lationships in the future of your business. That requires hard work and preparation from early in the morning until late in the evening each day of the show. An appropriate phrase (called the 7 Ps) to help dive center
managers have a successful DEMA Show is “prior proper planning prevents a pitifully poor performance.” The show only happens once a year so make the best of this opportunity to im- prove your business.
email David
SCUBA DIVING INDUSTRY 27
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