Dying DEMA???

[ericfine50]

That's leap. I do both kinds of shows. I want to talk to everybody, I just usually lose my voice ~ half way through day 3. I learn differnt things at each. I love the chance to talk directly to users. That's one of the huge benefits of SB, unfiltered feedback from end users.

I too agree that DEMA has changed in ways that are not healthy for the long term. My suggestion would be a return to a winter / early spring time frame. Regional consumer shows are in my opinion a better fit than a "national" consumer show. The problem is "Dive Travel" gets booked in the fall for fall winter and spring. I don't see a way around this problem if Dive shops need to see travel operators in the early fall.

Hey I'd love it if there was just one annual "do it all show" I just don't see it working all that well.

5 days is a looong time. Trust me on the 4 & 5th days attendees will not be seeing any of the booth staffers at their best. For smaller companies that means all the staff is out of the office for 6-7 days, very hard to do, and maintain any kind of customer service durring that period for the vast majority of your customers who aren't at the show, don't care that your out of town, just want their problem solved now.

I have experience as an exhibitor in another recreational sport activity. Been to many trade shows, been to many consumer shows. Been to two combo events, both disasters. Too long, to confused, many people upset. Dealers mad that what they consider a consumer got a hold of a "dealer" price list. Consumers mad that they can't buy at wholesale. "Maybe dealers" (folks we aren't sure about) offended that we won't provide a dealer price list. It goes on and on.

Consumers expect to purchase gear at the show. Now we have to transport 2 sets of literature (and keep them seperate) + enough stock for the consumers (how much? who knows!) Hope all this is not stolen from the booth, and enjoy the tender mercies of the local exhibition hall unions to move said goods into and back out of the hall. It's just not a good scene.

Scubapro50, might I ask what goods you have represented at either a Trade show, consumer show, or combo show?


Regards,



Tobin

I have to agree with Tobin on this one (sorry to digress back a few weeks) - As someone that has worked BTS for Sartek and DEMA for Sartek and then gone to them as Joe Diver - two very different types of shows. BTS is the perfect show for the consumer. They can touch and feel everything. The mfgs know this and are prepaired. for DEMA, it would take me a good 3 to 4 weeks to prep for the show, get the new items ready for dispay, new material ready, etc. I can't tell you how many times at DEMA I got cornered by a LDS owner not wanting me to give a price sheet to his employees. ***? Over. He saw the employee as a customer. Two different mindsets.

As for the length of the show, 5 Days is nuts. After day 3, we all wanted to go home. There is only so much of Burbon street you could take. And, just because we are away, does not mean the business stops.

Ok - I am done. Sorry to digress

 

[USIA]

I have to agree with Tobin on this one (sorry to digress back a few weeks) - As someone that has worked BTS for Sartek and DEMA for Sartek and then gone to them as Joe Diver - two very different types of shows. BTS is the perfect show for the consumer. They can touch and feel everything. The mfgs know this and are prepaired. for DEMA, it would take me a good 3 to 4 weeks to prep for the show, get the new items ready for dispay, new material ready, etc. I can't tell you how many times at DEMA I got cornered by a LDS owner not wanting me to give a price sheet to his employees. ***? Over. He saw the employee as a customer. Two different mindsets.

As for the length of the show, 5 Days is nuts. After day 3, we all wanted to go home. There is only so much of Burbon street you could take. And, just because we are away, does not mean the business stops.

Ok - I am done. Sorry to digress

I don't really think 5 days is nuts if you are there as a buyer. I know from my days working for a shop that to shop products, buy products and talk with current manufacturers, 5 days is just about right. Now if you are there as a diving professional, like an instructor or Dive Master, yeah, 2 days is plenty to walk the show. But I think that is one of the problems of DEMA. The amount of buyers continues to diminish and the amount of professionals has increased. Eventhough Houston was a disaster, the majority of the people who came had a reason to be there. Most of the Instructors/Professionals had no desire to travel to Houston. A point that a lot of people do not make is that since the advent of the Internet, a lot of Dealers now have other ways of finding information on Products. Yeah, it's nice to go to DEMA to touch and feel, but a lot of Dealers now call you up and ask you to send out a sample. We have got more dealers in the last year just from our new website than the number of new dealers from DEMA the past few years. Eventhough everyone knew that DiveBiz was going to flame out, their idea of giving free rooms for certified Buyers, and free coupons to local restraunts was a great idea. Then again, that may be one of the reasons it fizzled.

 

[ericfine50]

Good Morning Jerry,

I think the 5-day length is not a good idea for the exhibitor. Standing in your booth all day for 5 days will take its toll on the guys in the booth. If its a small company, you do not have the luxury of rotating people in and out. For the buyer, maybe it depends on what they were coming to do? The DEMAs I worked at, the last day was always slow, until the end when dealers were selling off stuff so the packing would be easier.

I am not sure there is a happy medium. The idea of free rooms or free meal vouchers is very interesting. But, that had to of cost a fortune.

 

[USIA]

Good Morning Jerry,

I think the 5-day length is not a good idea for the exhibitor. Standing in your booth all day for 5 days will take its toll on the guys in the booth. If its a small company, you do not have the luxury of rotating people in and out. For the buyer, maybe it depends on what they were coming to do? The DEMAs I worked at, the last day was always slow, until the end when dealers were selling off stuff so the packing would be easier.

I am not sure there is a happy medium. The idea of free rooms or free meal vouchers is very interesting. But, that had to of cost a fortune.

Which is why DiveBiz probably finally went kaput. But the idea of bringing in the major buyers from around the country was very appealing and is something that DEMA really needs to consider for the future. Another thing we are going to start seeing is that traditional companies that bring large island displays are going to scale down to one or two booths. I know that is something that we are considering. I've been told by friends that Aqua Lung is going to DEMA this year, but with a scaled down booth. I know with the show in Orlando the next few years, the cost for a lot of us west coast manufacturers is going to be extreme to set up a large booth.

 

[rcontrera]

Yes, there are lots of problems with the DEMA show. But dying ... no. More like morphing!

Houston showed us that it doesn't take a lot of attendees to make a good show. For OS Systems, at least, it was one of the best shows that we have had ... EVER! We talked primarily with buyers instead of end users (divemasters, instructors, travel people, etc.). Plus, there was a lot more time to talk with military and governmental agencies that usually walk on by.

And with many of the biggies not attending, the silly seminars did not distract the buyers from doing their job. Nothing is more frustrating than to be giving a presentation on the hottest stuff since sliced bread and have the prospect raise that left arm, look at his/her watch and say "Gotta run ... I have a regulator seminar in 5 minutes!"

The show is going to go through a lot of changes before it gets shaped into what we really need, but it will most likely survive. It is the only "trade only" show we have in the US and it HAS to survive.

 

[ericfine50]

Hi Ray,

I agree you need the show to survive. It would make the Dive Industry look foolish to lose its only professional trade show. Maybe what it needs is better organizing. DEMA should be about the mfg as well as travel. I have had the feeling that DEMA has moved away from goods and is morphing into a travel show first, mfg show second.

 

[sbijou]

I'm sure this concept has been disscussed behind closed doors. Why not merge DEMA with another wholesale trade show such as Surf Expo ? Separate halls to retain identity but same venue. 2 1/2 days, easy to fly to location such as Orlando, watersports oriented dealers.

Steve

Hi Ray,

I agree you need the show to survive. It would make the Dive Industry look foolish to lose its only professional trade show. Maybe what it needs is better organizing. DEMA should be about the mfg as well as travel. I have had the feeling that DEMA has moved away from goods and is morphing into a travel show first, mfg show second.

 

[ericfine50]

That is an interesting idea. SCUBA is an outdoor water sport. Try combining it with an Outdoor show??

 

[USIA]

I'm sure this concept has been disscussed behind closed doors. Why not merge DEMA with another wholesale trade show such as Surf Expo ? Separate halls to retain identity but same venue. 2 1/2 days, easy to fly to location such as Orlando, watersports oriented dealers.

Steve

I too think this is a good idea. Especially for a company like USIA and Ray's company, OS systems. Both of our companies are heavily involved in the Outdoor/ fishing/kayaking business. To have a trade show where we could kill two birds with one stone would be excellent. I know that last year Our World Underwater was part of the larger Chicago Outdoor Show. We did not attend, but I'm curious what others who did thought about it.

 

[mdb]

I too think this is a good idea. Especially for a company like USIA and Ray's company, OS systems. Both of our companies are heavily involved in the Outdoor/ fishing/kayaking business. To have a trade show where we could kill two birds with one stone would be excellent. I know that last year Our World Underwater was part of the larger Chicago Outdoor Show. We did not attend, but I'm curious what others who did thought about it.

Several years ago the Surf Expo was in Orlando @ the same time as DEMA. The Surf Expo folks allowed anyone with a DEMA badge free entry to their Expo. I spent several hours in their hall and it was great, lots of life, and lots of fun. DEMA refused to honor the Surf Expo badges. I hope this mentality will change.