What do Apple, Amazon and Google have in common?
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 business. I’ve been watching this thread since it first popped up and was amazed to see the frustration turn from Oceanic to LeisurePro. LP has been called a religious organization and has been blamed with people losing their jobs.
What Apple, Amazon and Google have in common
They innovate. They keep up. They lead. Despite what some people will say, they are always trying to impress the consumer.
Are you doing the same in your SCUBA classes, in your SCUBA store or at your dive resort?
I don’t claim to be the best-traveled individual out there, but in all of my travels, I stop by SCUBA businesses. It makes me feel like I’ve taken a step back into the 1970s. This isn’t a good thing.
In the US, “Nearly two-thirds of adults claim they go online every day, the majority for more than one hour” according to eMarketer. These numbers will only continue to rise.
We need to move our SCUBA business online as much as we can. Obviously, people still need to come to us to complete SCUBA certifications, fill air and have equipment serviced, but why don’t we spend our marketing budget (or for some, create a marketing budget) for use online? It’s cost effective, reaches a very wide audience and is fast.
Should we add LeisurePro to the ranks of Apple, Amazon and Google?
They don’t reach as many people, so I don’t think they can be considered on the same level, but they are one of the big game-changers in the SCUBA industry. Instead of looking at them and hating them, try to learn from them, see what you could be doing too.
On a more personal note, I’m an Aqualung guy and LeisurePro does not out-price my local Aqualung dive centers, so maybe you should be placing blame with the manufacturers, not LeisurePro.
In case you need a little more persuasion, take a look at this great presentation I’ve kept bookmarked for a few months:
