Dealing with the competition...

[RJP]

I agree with this. I'm not very optimistic when it comes to the majority of this industry understanding this.

However, it was refreshing to see this article just published by SDI/TDI

https://www.tdisdi.com/segmentation...m_campaign=December_Members_News_-_2014__1269

Well, just so you know... demographic segmentation like that went the way of the record album and cassette tape. Right around the same time, too.

Though I do agree it is refreshing... to see that there's an organization or two that are only 25 years behind in terms of marketing.

The other thing that's a bit off about the article is that it provides zero information on HOW these things (segmentation, targeting, positioning) are done. They cite some examples, but they don't provide the info that actually explain why they are good examples. The Coke Zero case is perfect... but since the article doesn't contain the "what did they learn" and "how did they apply those learnings" part of the story there's no way for anyone reading the article to apply that case to anything other than artificially sweetened soft drinks. IAs presented, it's not a positioning case but rather merely an "add an SKU" case.

Telling someone that "positioning is important, and you should do it" while providing no information about HOW to do it is of limited utility.

 

[mjrob]

C'mon Ray. By now you have to understand that ANY attempt at marketing, arcane or not, is something in the right direction. No other agency is doing anything to encourage marketing in the scuba industry. You may have stumbled upon a personal gold mine here...if you can convince some folks to spend some money to make some money.

 

[clint@uniquescuba.com]

I think the type of marketing expertise used to sell liquid detergent might help sell many types of scuba gizmo's for sure.

I'm much more interested in the type of marketing strategy that will help fill my classroom with students. Once I do that, equipment is very, very easy to sell.

I'm just not sure strategies used to sell commodities are best suited for my needs.

 

[RJP]

C'mon Ray. By now you have to understand that ANY attempt at marketing, arcane or not, is something in the right direction. No other agency is doing anything to encourage marketing in the scuba industry. You may have stumbled upon a personal gold mine here...if you can convince some folks to spend some money to make some money.

Actually, I was at a small meeting with the PADI folks at DEMA where they shared some of their research, insights, and programs they're developing based on that research. It's pretty sharp stuff. If I were in charge I'd change a bit here and a bit there... but overall it's very good. Interestingly, their new-ish director of marketing is NOT from the scuba industry. She comes from a high-end consumer/fashion background.

The other big thing that hit me at my first DEMA is that everything I knew - or thought I knew - about PADI was always filtered through shop owners who decide what pieces of the PADI story they want to tell, which pieces of material they want to use, and how they want to present it. When I got to see it all in one integrated, cohesive story... it's very impressive. At the end of the presentation Drew Richardson asked what I thought. I responded quite honestly...

Without getting into a discussion of standards, politics, etc I would say that any shop that feels like they don't have a handle on marketing would do quite well to take the PADI stuff as-is -- do NOT put your spin on it, do not take one part of the message but not the other, do not say "yeah, but..." or "that won't work with my customers" -- and GO with it. I'm not suggesting anyone switch agencies for this (though, if a shop was on the fence...) but a PADI shop that doesn't access and leverage everything that PADI is doing is nuts.

I guess when it comes to PADI marketing "It's not the instructor, it's the agency."

 

[clint@uniquescuba.com]

ahh, now this is making sense.

 

[RJP]

ahh, now this is making sense.

Don't read too much into the PADI fanboi post.

I broke your question/comment above into a separate thread:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/business-business/497053-what-does-marketing-do-anyway.html

 

[Octopusprime]

I would like to start by saying you need to understand your demographics and target customer. If your in a destination location and want to get OW students that are there for a week then gone deals and incentives are going to be more effective. If you are a local community instructor and looking to have a student come back for advanced, rescue and specialties your reputation is VERY important.

I was reading a study that was discussing changing buying habit due to economy and new gen of shoppers. Historically travel was mostly adults after children left house 50-60 years old and up. Those were the people learning to dive. However do to economy and housing industry the collage grads are not buying houses because of concern with selling if they have to relocate for a job. However instead they are living light and traveling and going expensive sports. Due to that the biggest market for new divers is the 20-30 collage grads. Either they are still living with mom and dad or working but the key is they have disposable income. Where as the traditional new adult diver is stuck in a house that is underwater (no pun intended) worried about retirement and no disposable income.

So you need to know your market and demographics and do not right off the young populations. Boy Scouts of America has a Padi OW merit badge. Start with the youth and get their parents involved.