Future of DiveShops?

[Trace Malinowski]

Questions for independent "basement" instructors:-

a) How many of you are here? A show of hands please?

b) What made you leave the LDS and teach on your own? What can the LDS do get you out of your basements into their shops?

Thanks -

:thumbdown: No choice but to teach independently because I can't get hired at dive shops.

 

[RJP]

Which runs contrary to PADI's modular approach to dive training, broken down into smaller sequential modules so as to lower the entry bar and maximize the appeal of scuba to a broader audience.

That's what the PADI system is designed to do... but I'm thinking that the approach that most shop owners take to selling the system tends to convey that you need to take a bunch of courses in order to "be a diver." If I were a shop owner I'm pretty sure I wouldn't mention con-ed to a potential new diver any earlier than the surface interval between OW dives 3 and 4.

Way back when, I was a 21yr old, hard-charging sales rep for a pharmaceutical company. I think it was my first week on the job that my manager gave me a key piece of advice that has served me well for the many years since then:

"When the customer starts buying... stop selling."

 

[Hawkwood]

Although we share the same interesting statistics with Denver regarding the "per capita" number of divers, the vast majority never dive beyond the reason for learning in the first place...doing that trip to the tropics, or the destination wedding, where scuba is "something else to do".

They learn for a specific purpose...something to do on that rare trip to the tropics.

Interesting. I've seen the sentiment in other threads that the alleged poor state of modern mainstream OW training tends to product large numbers of inadequately trained divers who are insecure and, upon getting rattled by their 1st few OW experiences post-cert., hang up their fins. The view is that more rigorous, thorough training up front in the basic OW course would turn out more competent divers better satisfied with their post-cert. experiences who would be more likely to stick with diving.

Which runs contrary to PADI's modular approach to dive training, broken down into smaller sequential modules so as to lower the entry bar and maximize the appeal of scuba to a broader audience.

There are probably far more potential 'diving dabblers' than 'serious divers.' From a LDS perspective, perhaps it makes more sense to market to them.

So, what do people then do to cultivate relationships with the 'diving dabbler' market? Emphasize aquarium-like conditions dive tourism? Dive computers with intuitive interfaces cost more money. I guess include rental of such in the trip cost, and maybe you can encourage people to book your trips?

Richard.

 

[RJP]

Although we share the same interesting statistics with Denver regarding the "per capita" number of divers, the vast majority never dive beyond the reason for learning in the first place...doing that trip to the tropics, or the destination wedding, where scuba is "something else to do".

They learn for a specific purpose...something to do on that rare trip to the tropics.

Yet I really think that many shops turn those people off, either by trying to sell them more than that right off the bat or - in many cases - through outright denigration of people who want to be a once-every-few-years vacation diver, who will never log more than a few dozen dives in their lives.

Even worse is the contempt with which many in the industry regard the "bucket-list" divers.

Again I'll play the "If I owned a shop" card and say that I would welcome every single vacation and bucket-list diver who wanted to pay the going rate for an OW class. Hell, I'd run special "Bucket List" promotions.

In fact, I wouldn't even offer a "known" bucket-list diver an OW class. I think there's a much more attractive offering for them... but I've never heard anyone ever talk about this option.

Ever.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

The root of the sport was providing people a chance to try it. Diving has forgotten that. Nothing wrong with dude ranches and resorts.

At Dutch Springs today the manager, Kevin, told me he wished the shops would go out and get people interested in diving rather than sitting back and waiting for them to walk through the door.

Doris Murphy, the former president of PDIC would go out into the community and offer free discover scubas at places where passers-by could just change into a rental suit and try out an Aqua-Lung back in the day.

 

[Hawkwood]

The classes I enjoy the most are "teaching" snorkeling to those folks heading south on a cruise and have never done it before. This is the prairies after all.

A big chunk of the retail in the early winter here is simple snorkel gear.

I agree with your comment about the contempt shown for bucket-list divers. They are the bread and butter of retail here. Hell, I was one of those.

Those are the folks you want to follow up with after they do their referrals! They will come back for refreshers, bits of simple personal gear, refer relatives and friends, and take a few more classes.

The vacation diver is who we want to cater to and develop.

Unfortunately I am on vacation on the Big Island looking longingly at the water but can't go in. Just waiting for the next two weeks to go by when I'm allowed to dive again. That will be in Mexico, with my son (a DM and commercial diver who started as the vacation diver) and two friends who started as "cruise ship" only divers who are now very competent Instructors.

Yet I really think that many shops turn those people off, either by trying to sell them more than that right off the bat or - in many cases - by outrightly denigrating people who want to be a once-every-few-years vacation diver who will never log more than a few dozen dives in their lives.

Even worse is the contempt with which many in the industry regard the "bucket-list" divers.

Again I'll play the "If I owned a shop" card and say that I would welcome every single vacation and bucket-list diver who wanted to pay the going rate for an OW class. Hell, I'd run special "Bucket List" promotions.

In fact, I wouldn't even offer a "known" bucket-list diver an OW class. I think there's a much more attractive offering for them... but I've never heard anyone ever talk about this option.

Ever.

 

[RJP]

Doris Murphy, the former president of PDIC would go out into the community and offer free discover scubas at places where passers-by could just change into a rental suit and try out an Aqua-Lung back in the day.

She should have charged for it.

Seriously. How many of those people did she convert to certified divers?

People understandably assign very little value to things they receive for free.

A nominal $10 or $20 charge for a DSD - which will garner almost as many participants as a free DSD - will do two things:

1. Weed out the "S**t, I'll try anything for free" people; they have nearly zero potential to become certified divers, so don't waste their time or yours
2. Send the important message that "diving has value... and therefore costs money"

At minimum, if you start people off with the message that "diving is free" please don't piss and moan when they buy all their gear from Leisure Pro to save $300.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

Well, that method of "try it for free" made them the money to buy 2 dive shops and a training agency.

---------- Post added November 9th, 2014 at 11:19 PM ----------

Robert Herjavec said that to be successful you don't start a business. You find a solution to a problem and the business will form from there. Back in the early days of diving the problem was getting people over their fear of the technology. Free demos brought people into classes. So, what problem in people's lives can diving solve, what is the problem with the current business end of the sport, and finally, what can dive shops do to remedy these?

 

[mjrob]

Well, we started our shops because we were tired of the "same old same old" we seemed to experience almost everywhere. That, and our wives told us that, while we had retired, we sure couldn't just hang around the house all day.

I've found this thread to be enlightening, confounding, confusing and, at times, entertaining.

Running a successful business is hard work involving constant re-evaluation, ongoing training, attention to customers' needs and desires and a careful eye on controlling costs and maintaining an acceptable level of profit to suit the intentions of the owners. You need solid financial information and the ability to comprehend it.

if you want to attract the kind of customer that most of us want--those with disposable income--you have to market to them. And I agree that DEMA's ongoing studies of existing divers is, for the most part, a waste of time. We need to open our industry to many, many new potential divers.

And the market does indeed exist. It's our job to get them in the store, fuel their excitement, help them learn about the many choices in gear, training and travel and win their confidence. Only in that way do we build solid relationships with folks who will tell their friends about their experiences and, we hope, bring them along to introduce them to us.

The times have changed and doing what we've always done won't lead to success, as evidenced by the decline in numbers of LDS's in the recent past.

We've had success with things like clean, bright, friendly, knowledgable and even just plain cool. There is a huge, unaddressed market of potential divers out there but, in most cases, their only option is a small, maybe not-so-friendly, old, unappealing shop in a strip center somewhere. That's not what they're looking for...at least I wasn't when I first started diving.

There's a much brighter future for quality-run LDS's out there than people seem to want to admit. It just ain't your father's Oldsmobile, if you know what I mean.

Oh, and Gretna, NE is a 20-minute drive from our Omaha store. There is something to be said for location.

Mark

 

[RJP]

Well, that method of "try it for free" made them the money to buy 2 dive shops and a training agency.

---------- Post added November 9th, 2014 at 11:19 PM ----------

Robert Herjavec said that to be successful you don't start a business. You find a solution to a problem and the business will form from there. Back in the early days of diving the industry's problem was getting people over their fear of the technology. Free demos brought people into classes.

So, what problem in people's lives can diving solve, what is the problem with the current business end of the sport, and finally, what can dive shops do to remedy these?

You've correctly (and specifically, I assume) identified two distinct and completely unrelated types of problems:

1.) A "business" problem
2.) A "customer" problem

Herjavec surely wasn't talking about building a business focused on finding and solving its own problems. Yes, if your business has problems you need to solve them. But if a business - and an entire industry - is going to survive and thrive it needs to be built around solving a problem the customer has.

People don't buy drill bits... they buy holes.

If I don't need a hole...

• I don't care how sharp your drill bit is
• I don't care how shiny your drill bit is
• I don't care what your drill bit is made of
• I don't care how much better your drill bit is compared to the other guy's drill bit
• I don't care if you'll match the lowest drill bit price on the internet
• I don't care if you will let me try the drill bit for free

If I don't need a hole... I ain't buying your drill bit.

The biggest question for any marketer is "What problem does my customer have that my product uniquely solves?"

The industry and the LDS share the need to figure this one out if we are going to get more people into diving and get them to stay with it.

Unfortunately for the LDS "the industry" has proven, by turns, that it is either unwilling or incapable of figuring this out and addressing it. Largely because, as individual organizations, the larger businesses in the industry - equipment manufacturers, training agencies, travel authorities, etc - don't really care if there are more divers.

They really don't.