Success Is Just Executing a Good Plan
by Gene Muchanski, Editor
The Dive Industry Professional

Memorial Day is behind us and the traditional Scuba Diving season has begun.  All of the industry’s pre-season marketing campaigns have ended and hopefully our work will pay off.  The fate of the 2017 Diving Season is now in the hands of the front-line industry professionals.  If we have done our job correctly, the Dive Retailers, Boat Operators, Resort Destinations and Instructors should have a good year.

With the season underway, industry planers are starting to think about next year.  Of course, we still have to get through the DEMA Show in November but that is really part of this year’s planning, which should be well underway for many exhibitors.

There are a number of good shows and events on the docket for 2018.  To get the best prices and the best results from our pre-show, at-show and post-show efforts, we are planning now and ready to execute our plans in a timely manner.  The Dive Industry Association will be exhibiting at four shows and attending and marketing a dozen more.  Our non-profit Dive Industry Foundation is not only exhibiting at a number of shows but are working with a number of show producers and exhibitors to help make their shows more successful.  Part of that success is based on solid planning and timely execution.

The Dive Industry Foundation has been asked to advise on the Scuba & H2O Adventure Show in Tacoma, Washington on April 20-22, 2018.  Although the show is ten months away, a lot of planning needs to take place to make it the world-class event it is promising to be.  We are working with all components of the show; Attendees, Presenters, Sponsors, Advertisers, Exhibitors, Volunteers, Staff and Show Management.

Putting a show together is a lot of work but it is not Rocket Science.  What has helped me tremendously is looking back on the company that built our swimming pool four years ago.  On the first day of our meeting, the builder sketched out a rough draft of the type of pool we wanted. He added and deleted options as we discussed them and added things he knew would be needed.  At the end of our first meeting he had a clear idea of what we wanted.  After reviewing our needs and budget, Paradise Pools was ready to make a solid estimate on the cost of the pool, the materials that were needed and time it would take to complete the pool.  After our second meeting, the builder knew what he needed to know.  In his mind’s eye, he could see the process from start to finish. He already knew what the pool would look like when it was finished.  How did he know that?  Because he had done this many times before.  It wasn’t his first rodeo!

I learned a lot about building a business from that experience.  For 52 days I photographed and video taped the pool building project and shared the progress with my facebook friends.  On any given day 30-50 people tuned in and experienced the daily success of the project and yet, none of us knew exactly how or when everything would come together.  But the builder knew ever since the second meeting.

I am hoping the Scuba & H2O Adventurer Show in Tacoma will turn out to be the world-class event we are planning it to be.  However, it is going to take more than good planning and execution.  It’s going to need the excitement and participation of the diving community in the Northwest United States and Southwest Canada.  I am confident that will happen.

As we work on all aspects of this event, i.e. Attendees, Presenters, Sponsors, Advertisers, Exhibitors, Volunteers, Staff and Show Management, we will share the progress with the diving community.  Hopefully, like my pool project, we’ll all see the show come together right before our eyes.

If you would like to be a part of this event, contact Gene Muchanski at gene@diveindustry.org