** Study Available for All: Data Helps Industry Understand New Professionals **
A new research study published by DEMA and conducted by William Cline of the Cline Research Group is being made available to all members of the diving industry. The goal of the study was to learn more about getting new (and often younger) professionals involved with the Diving Industry, DEMA Show and the DEMA Association.
In a study that combined a written survey with a face-to-face focus group, DEMA asked new diving professionals to express their opinions about the future of the Industry and the value of DEMA Show and the DEMA Association. Forty new professionals responded to the written survey, and nine new professionals attended a face-to-face group study during DEMA Show 2018.
Important findings from the focus group study include:
- New professionals believe that the industry will grow in the future as younger customers are exposed to the experiences inherent in recreational diving.
- Networking, connections, updating, innovation, social opportunities, knowledge, and face-to-face interaction are important to new professionals in their DEMA Show and Industry experiences.
- Motivations for attending DEMA Show included networking, seeing new products and innovations in diving, and obtaining professional education.
- Data is critical to new professionals. They describe themselves as “data hungry.”
- New professionals, and especially younger new professionals, want an advanced education – Marketing 202 instead of Marketing 101.
- Critically, participants in the focus group felt that DEMA and DEMA Show could provide the resources to bridge the current generational gap – specifically by providing educational opportunities and social interaction between the generations.
- New professionals see the experiences of current industry members as an asset to everyone and want to learn from these experienced professionals. They also see themselves as a resource for new technologies and ideas.
Topics in the study also include ways to communicate with new and younger professionals and the new professionals’ desire for mentorships that help bridge innovation and experience.
Download the full report at no cost from DEMA today!
DEMA, the Diving Equipment & Marketing Association, is an international, non-profit trade association with the mission of bringing businesses together to grow the diving industry worldwide. DEMA owns and producesDEMA Show, an annual trade-only event for businesses in the scuba diving, action watersports and adventure/dive-travel industries. DEMA Show 2019 will take place November 13-16 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. For more information on DEMA and affiliated programs visit DEMA.org or contact (858) 616-6408. Stay updated by following “DEMAOrg” on Facebook and Twitter.
Cline Group is a scuba diving industry marketing and research firm and a proud member of DEMA. www.williamcline.com.
