Marketing within the SCUBA industry hasn't changed since the origin of the sport - we're here to change that.

From the category archives:

Dive Center

Your Next Student Will Become a SCUBA Instructor

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As SCUBA instructors, our job functions often include teacher, marriage counselor (for the couples in the class) and therapist (for people taking the class because they once almost drowned). An often overlooked skill set is that of a career counselor. In order to build our programs or dive centers, we need staff, therefore we need to teach as if every student wants to become a SCUBA instructor.

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Bring Google Into Your Dive Center

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Last night, Google announced their Ocean Showcase, an extra layer for their free Google Earth product. The Ocean Showcase features a National Geographic tour, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute’s US West Coast discoveries, Eco-Nova’s Shipwreck Central, dive sites from WannaDive and 3D models of wrecks in the Great Lakes from NOAA.

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Ft Myers, Florida SCUBA Marketing Case Study

I had a great opportunity fall into my lap a couple of days ago. A local, avid diver contacted me to let me know that he would be travelling to Ft. Myers, Florida this weekend for work, but would be free either Friday afternoon or Monday evening. He was interested in going into a dive [...]

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Run your SCUBA business like the Sea Shepherds

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Regardless of your stance on their politics and mission, the Sea Shepherds are running their operation with the one thing many dive centers I’ve visited lack: passion.
If you are a SCUBA instructor or dive shop owner who is holding on to your “business” just because you love to dive please stop.
If you are in the [...]

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What do Apple, Amazon and Google have in common?

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In my effort to return to the starting point of Internet Marketing for your SCUBA business, a gift fell into my lap in the form of a prime example of why we need to include Internet marketing in our business plan.
Over in the DiversOne Forum, there is a discussion regarding Oceanic getting into the retail [...]

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Building value through continuing education

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It’s no wonder PADI places such an emphasis on continuing education ratios for their Course Director Training Course: it is one of your best returns on investment while making your divers exceptionally strong.
Loss Leaders
In my experience, I saw myself and other new Open Water SCUBA Instructors come out of their Instructor Examination to immediately jump [...]

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Attracting the next generation of divers

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Our industry is old and getting older. That’s not a good thing.
According to DEMA’s Annual Activity Report (PDF link, stats on p. 37), the average age of SCUBA divers in the US is 45 years old. Several people at the DEMA show explained that age actually goes up every year, showing that our industry is [...]

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Do SCUBA Gear Manufacturers Need to Connect with the End User?

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At what point on the SCUBA food chain do people need to start connecting? As a SCUBA instructor, dive center or SCUBA certification agency, we encourage divers to find buddies to go diving with, but do we need even more connection, and if so, where?
The Suunto Example
Yesterday, I was discussing the beta version of Suunto’s [...]

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