August 2010 Newsletter

Welcome to the August 2010 edition of The Dive Industry Professional. It seems that summer just got here and already we're seeing ads for "Back to School. " Don't think of it as a negative, it's a very positive thing. 1) It's part of the annual cycle of business. The summer is winding down and most of what needed to be purchased for summer was done months ago. The next thing is back to school and vendors and customers are gearing up for the next phase of the annual business cycle. As a scuba diving professional you should be gearing up for "Back to School" also. High School and College scuba classes begin next month. Are you teaching them or at least selling equipment to the new students? Have you figured out how you are going to advertise to this market? Have you ordered your inventory yet? 2) With the kids back in school, local diving may seem more attractive and your local trips and charter bookings should be increasing. With additional local diving and new classes starting, your equipment sales and rentals should be increasing also. 3) How about the weather?Will it begetting colder soon in your location? Maybe now is the ideal time to advertise the shift from wet suit diving to dry suit diving. I know it's difficult to think about cold weather in August, but September and October will be here before you know it. If you have a lot of seasonal divers for customers, you may want to advertise equipment maintenance services or winter layup & storage programs. Whatever your store is into, that's what you need to be promoting.

Anothe rvery important aspect of the annual cycle of business, is that most of the industry is gearing up for 2011 right now. Manufacturers are busy finishing upt heir new catalogs and dealer price sheets and putting the final touches on their marketing campaigns for the 2011 season. If you have been in the industry for awhile you know that on September 1 the Sales Reps will hit the road, visiting all of their accounts, introducing their 2011 product line. It seems that everyone wants a piece of your next year's open-to-buy. Well, at least the smart ones anyway!

As Retailers, we should be ready for and excited about this part of the annual business cycle. If our stores are busy with summer customers, now is the time to put everything on sale so there will be room (and money)for all the new 2011 products coming our way beginning in September.

Best wishes for a successful month,

Gene Muchanski

Editor, The Dive Industry Professional

Sponsored by Travel & Adventure Show with Adventures in Travel Expo:Travel & Adventure Shows are held in New York Metro (Secaucus, NJ); Dallas, TX; Santa Clara, CA; Chicago (Rosemont, IL); Washington D. C. ; and Los Angeles.

Web: http://www.adventureexpo.com

by Gene Muchanski

In order to stay in business, your company has to sell a sufficient number of profitable products to a sufficient number of customers. This will enable you to pay for your inventory, operating expenses and realize a profit.

This is not for Retailers only: Carrying the proper amount of inventory is one of the most important calculations a Retailer, Wholesaler or Manufacturer can make. Believe me, I've been in all three types of businesses. Selling inventory is the essences of business. We all know that You can't sell out of an empty wagon. A successful retailer in Houston reminded me of that just this week. Then he told me something I was surprised to hear. He said that 30% of his sales come from customers who purchase equipment for an upcoming dive or dive trip. That means they go shopping when they need something and if you havewhat they want, they buy it from you. If you don't have it they go some place else to buy it. So take it from a store that carries hundreds of thousands of dollars in inventory. . . if you have it, you can sell it - if you don't, you can't.

Carrying inventory is just as important, if not more so, for distributors and manufacturers: The reason I say more important is because the people who do business with distributors and wholesalers are repeat customers. There is a strong buyer-seller relationship. We all know how difficult and expensive it is to get a new customer and in order to keep them you have to meet their expectations. Resellers expect you to have inventory on hand when they need it. And that is the one point that causes more channel friction in our industry that any other point.

Who's Responsibility is it to carry inventory? Everyone's! If you sell merchandise or raw materials, you need to carry a sufficient amount of inventory to meet the buying patterns of your customers. A business needs to be aware of their sales history with every single stocking unit (sku) they carry. With a little bit of prior planning, a professional business can forecast their sales (in units) for the next 12-24, months. Forecasting sales can be as simple as duplicating last years sales plus or minus a few percentage points to using sophisticated mathematical models that take into consideration all the economic and market variables that are present in your industry. A good Product Manager is worth their weight in gold.

How Can We Help Each Other? Active communication. It is very important for buyers and sellers to work together on sales forecasting. Raw material suppliers meet with their major buyers to get a handle on their anticipated raw materials needs and orders. As the manufacturing plants are gearing up for the upcoming season, it is important to meet with their wholesalers and Dealers to nail down as closely as possible what their anticipated order for the coming year might be. As Retailers, it is important to anticipate your inventory needs for the next 12 months. Again, you must be aware of your sales history. A good point of sale computer system is absolutely necessary for staying on top of your sales history and your customers information. When you can estimate your annual inventory requirements and work with your vendors, you will be surprised how much better they can work with you to insure that you have your inventory when you need it.

The Year of Strategic Partnerships: I predict that 2011 will be the year of strategic partnerships. I can say that with confidence because I see signs of that happening all around me. Successful businesses make things happen and birds of a feather flock together. With bad economies and declining markets, cooperation becomes necessary. When people in the supply chain work together, relationships, trusts and friendships are formed. At that point I predict we will see a tipping point rarely achieved in the diving industry. Not everyone will agree with this, but see for yourself what happens when buyers and sellers look for common ground and start working together.

For additional information, contact Gene Muchanski, Dive Industry Association, Inc. , 2202 Lakewind Lane, League City, TX 77573. Phone: 281-554-2025. email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Web: http://www.diveindustry.net

Diveheart in Bonaire:Jim Elliott, Founder & President of Diveheart will conduct a dive trip to Divi Flamingo Resort in Bonaire on October 23-30, 2010. This trip is open to divers of ALL ABILITIES. Diveheart training by Jim Elliott will be available for instructors & dive buddies. Divers with disabilities will have the opportunity to dive with Diveheart trained buddies. Elliott will accompany divers, provide supervision and other training opportunities in the warm, clear waters of Bonaire.

The Trip Includes: 7 nights accommodations, 1st day orientation dive and afternoon boat dive, 5 days of 2 tank boat dives, unlimited tanks for shore diving, welcome drink, round trip airport/hotel transfers, breakfast buffet daily, beach towels at pool &beach, all taxes and service charges included. Not included:airfare, gratuities, meals not listed, bar beverages, dive equipment, night dive, $25 marine park tag per diver, country departure taxes. Price: Diver Single Occupancy $1, 430. Diver Double Occupancy $965. Non-Diver Double Occupancy $656.

Hotel Accommodations & Diving: Accommodations and Diving will be at the Divi Flamingo Resort in Bonaire. Diveheart chose this location because of their outstanding dedication to accommodating people with various degrees of abilities. According to Jim Elliott; "We Love Divi because of the people and its accessibility for wheelchairs. " For more information, contact Bonnie Hanley, Corporate Sales Manager, Divi Resorts. email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it For more information about on-site facilities for people with disabilities, contact Sara Matera, General Manager, Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Web: http://www.DiviResorts.com

Travel Arrangements: All arrangements for the diveheart trip are being handled by Scuba Travel Ventures. Space is limitedso call today. To reserve your spot contact: Mike Arellano, Scuba Travel Ventures, 4183 Georgia Street, San Diego, CA 92103. Phone: 800-298-9009 email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Web: http://www.scubatravelventures.com

Ana Calvo, an executive with Shriners Hospital For Children in Houston, Texas will be joining Diveheart for a wonderful week of diving and activities. Ana has been in the pool with Jim a number of times and is looking forward to her first open water experience. If Ana dives as fast as she drives her van, we're going to have to put some brakes on this lady! If everything goes as planned, Ana will be part of a video documentary filmed during her open water experience.

Jim Elliott and Diveheart work closely with TV Stations every chance they get. Jimis seen here being filmed by Damion Smith of KIAH Television, Channel 39 in Houston. Diveheart is actively working with Shriners Hospitals and Rotary International Clubs across the country. The diving industry could not ask for a better Diving Ambassador. Thanks Jim.

For more information, contact Jim Elliott, President, Diveheart, 900 Ogden Avenue #274, Downers Grove, IL 60515. Phone:630-964-1983. email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text98731 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //--> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Web: http://www.diveheart.org

Surf Expo will open its doors on September 10th for three days of water sports and fashion. 3, 500brands will be represented. Surf Expo offers seven categories of apparel and hard goods for the resort and active lifestyle markets, including surf and skate apparel, imprinted sportswear, swimwear, boutique, souvenir, resort wear and hard goods for surf, skate, wake, wind, kite and SUP. Snorkeling and Dive companies exhibiting at Surf Expo include Body Glove, Deep Blue Gear, Nat Geo Snorkeler, U. S. Divers/Aqua Sphere, and Dive Industry Association (Booth1107).

This is a trade only event. Approximately 5, 000 qualified Retail Buyers will be in attendance representing 2, 500 retail sporting goods stores. Tickets for qualified Retail Buyers are FREE.

For more information on Surf Expo, contact Amy Hornby. Phone: 678-781-7914. email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Web: http://www.surfexpo.com

The third annual Ultimate Diver Challenge has concluded. Session 1 & Session 2 in Cozumel, Mexico. For more information on Ultimate Diver Challenge, contact Pam Bertrand, Executive Producer, Ultimate Diver Challenge LLC, 10507 College Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64137. Phone: 816-765-7282.

email : This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Web: http://www.ultimatediverchallenge.com

Booth Staffing Opportunities Open for Adventure Travel Shows: Travel Members are encouraged to participate in booth staffing at the Dive Industry Association booths at the Adventures in Travel Expos. Interested members may contact Dana at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Gene at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

For more information, contact Gene Muchanski, President, Dive Industry Association, Inc. , 2202 Lakewind Lane, League City, TX 77573. Phone: 281-554-2025. Fax: 281-554-8050. email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Web: http://www.diveindustry.net

New Consumer Web Site & Newsletter: The Watersports community will soon have a new source for information on everything to do with watersports. To see our "under construction" web site, go to http://www.underseashowcase.com/index.php We are hoping to go live in early August.

Our new Web Designer and Host, Spellmann & Associates, is working hard on getting all the pieces together. Our Home page will have a blog about diving and some fun facts about the watersports world. Working with a number of large companies that exhibit at a number of domestic and international shows, it was necessary for us to have a dynamite Shows & Events page. Our Members will be very happy with the Trade Directory page. After all, it is all about you! If the Undersea Showcase brings you more business, then we've done our job. Special to us is the Giving Back page. There are a ton of non-profit organizations out there, and we've picked the ones that work well with us. Our Gallery page is a place for you to submit your underwater photos and above water photos that show the beauty of the environment we play in. We don't care to own the photos and will give photo credit to the photographer and a hot link to the subject and the photographer. We are looking for great photographs and we will not charge you for advertising space! Seriously, we hope to bring the word a taste of "The Best & The Brightest" in underwater photography. And finally, we are working on a page called Let's Go Diving which is a Travel Showcase of our Member Resorts and Dive Operations.

Sponsorships are available to the Undersea Showcase at $50 per month. We'll start off with three monthly sponsors.

For more information, contact Gene Muchanski, Dive Industry Association, Inc. , 2202 Lakewind Lane, League City, TX 77573. Phone: 281-554-2025. email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Web: http://www.UnderseaShowcase.com

Here are the Shows & Events for the next 3 months.

September 10-12, 2010: Surf Expo. 34th Annual Industry Trade show. Orange County Convention Center, Consourse North & South, Orlando, FL. Contact: Amy Hornby, Surf Expo, 990 Hammond Drive, Suite 325, Atlanta, GA 30328. Phone: 800-947-7873. email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Web: http://www.surfexpo.com Visit Dive Industry Association at Booth 1107.

September 24-24, 2010: Colorado Dive Show. The Crowne Plaza, Denver International Airport. Denver, CO. Web: www.divechronicles.com

October 16-17, 2010: Adventures in Travel Expo. Secaucus, NJ. Web: http://www.adventureexpo.com See Dive Industry Association at Booth TBA.

October 23-24, 2010: Adventures in Travel Expo. Dallas, TX. Web: http://www.adventureexpo.com See Dive Industry Association at Booth TBA.

November 17-20, 2010: Dema Show. Las Vegas, NV. Web:http://www.demashow.com See Dive Industry Association at Booth 1043.

40 Days Away - Surf Expo Orlando, FL. September 10-12, 2010. Booth 1107.

76 Days Away - Adventures In Travel Expo - Metro NY Secaucus, NJ. October 16-17, 2010. Booth TBA

83 Days Away - Adventures in Travel Expo - TX Dallas, TX. October 23-24, 2010. Booth TBA

108 Days Away - Dema ShowLas Vegas, NV. Nov 17-20, 2010. Booth 1043

New Members are the life blood of any organization. Please extend a warm welcome to our new Members. You may want to check out their web sites and then send them an email, welcoming them to the Dive Industry Association. They could turn out to be your best customersand life-long friends.

278 - SeaLife - Pioneer Research, Inc. - Manufacturer. Joe Ifi, Director of Sales & Marketing. 97 Foster Road, Suite 5, Moorestown, NJ 08057. Phone: 856-866-9191. Fax: 856-866-8133. email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Web: http://www.sealife-cameras.com

We would like to thank the following Members for renewing with us for another year. Please go to their web sites and become familiar with your fellow members. You can access their complete contact information by going to http://www.diveindustry.net or http://www.diveindustry.us or http://www.diveindustry.org

234-Ultimate Diver ChallengeLLC - Trade Show & Events Organizer. Pamelia Bertrand, Director / Founder. 10507 College Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64137. Phone: 816-765-7282. email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Web: http://www.ultimatediverchallenge.com

The Dive Industry Association is a Marketing and Trade Association dedicated to"Building a Better Industry, One Member at a Time. "Founded in April 2001, 278 Dive Businesses and Individuals have joined our association to help us promote their businesses and grow the diving industry.

Our Mission: Bring the joys of snorkeling and scuba diving to the general public, thereby increasing the watersports industry and business opportunities for our Membership.

Click here to receive a Membership Application and a complete listing of Member Benefits.

For more information on the Dive Industry Association, contact Gene Muchanski, Dive Industry Association, Inc. , 2202 Lakewind Lane, League City, TX 77573. Phone: 281-554-2025. Fax: 281-554-8050. email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Web: http://www.diveindustry.net

The Dive Industry Foundation is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) tax exempt , educational and charitable organization. The Foundation's Mission is to "Promote Economic Development in the Water Sports Community" through educational seminars, workshops and programs developed for small business owners and their employees.

February18, 2011-One Step Closer toTaking Charge. Our World Underwater, Rosemont, IL. For more information, contact Patrick Hammer. email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Web: http://www.ourworldunderwater.com

Dive Industry Industry Foundation is exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to the Dive Industry Foundation are tax deductible under section 170 of the code. It is qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devices, transfers or gifts under section 2055, 2106 or 2522 of the code.

The Dive Industry Foundation is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) tax exempt , educational and charitable organization. The Foundation's Mission is to "Promote Economic Development in the Water Sports Community" through educational seminars, workshops and programs developed for small business owners and their employees.

The Dive Industry Foundation raises money to promote Snorkeling and Scuba Diving to the general public. It takes time, money and manpower to reach a large enough audience that will make our community grow.

Contact Gene Muchanski at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit the Foundation's web site at http://www.diveindustry.org Thank you for your support.

Dive Industry Industry Foundation is exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to the Dive Industry Foundation are tax deductible under section 170 of the code. It is qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devices, transfers or gifts under section 2055, 2106 or 2522 of the code.