I just made the drive from my residence to the scuba store.  My drive to work each morning is about 1 hour, so I have lots of time to think during that drive.  Of course, all my thoughts this morning were about today’s party and sale.  Will the customers show up in force?  Do we have the right things for sale at the right price?  Will our merchandising and planning present a good picture to new customers who might decide TODAY that scuba diving is right for them?  Will they spend their limited holiday shopping budget on scuba?  In a small business, it is typical to always be thinking about the business.  I am no different.

Sales like the one today in our scuba store are a big deal to me.  Unlike the WalMart, Office Depot, and other large chain operations, I don’t get second chances; this one is a success or we miss the great Christmas spending season.   The degree to which we depend on the success of this  seasonal sale is amazing.  If it is successful, it fuels the preparations merchandise and inventory planning for the upcoming dive season.  If not successful, well………we just have to regroup.

Like the Christmas sales of the previous 8 years, I hope we are able to convince people that there is nothing more fun than scuba diving.  It is a great give to a friend and loved one.  It is a great gift for the entire family.  It is even a great git to give yourself, payment and reward for a year (and life) of hard work.

I will attempt to make a couple of posts to this thread today.  If possible, I will post a couple of crowd pictures.  I like for others to see that, even here in North Alabama, far from the deep blue sea, there is still an avid group of local scuba divers.  They are the ones that will be in the pictures.  Later today, I will let you see.  Thanks.

Phil Ellis

Dive Sports Annual Christmas Sale and Party