In Response to "a Unified Dive Industry"

[Leadking]

Outside point of view here but....

The internet is not what you should be fighting here. Use tools to make yourselves better. The internet is only a tool.

I have no disagreement with that. The point is to sell what a customer wants/needs.

I built a multi-million dollar business in the diving industry and I was not the cheapest. It's all about identifing and filling needs.

 

[Slonda828]

I have no disagreement with that. The point is to sell what a customer wants/needs.

I built a multi-million dollar business in the diving industry and I was not the cheapest. It's all about identifing and filling needs.

Lee,

You've been doing this for a while, how do you see how things are going in diving? I'm curious what views your experiences have given you.

 

[cerich]

I have to say I agree with Lee, always the cheapest is often no value, plus many/most shops don't have the volume.

 

[DaleC]

For an even more interesting take on the applicability of your "focus group" see what happens to their interest in "competitive diving" when the Good Humor man pulls up and rings his bell.

I have no problem with that. Just control the ice cream truck revenue. When you go to an arena event who sells the hot dogs? But I get your point about the fickle nature of kids. Funny how skateboarding and snowboarding still seem to be with us and generate billions of dollars in all manners of revenue.

The best way to ensure nothing ever changes is to shoot down new potential ideas before they start. This guy had an idea for an internal combustion engine driven car once but he was told it was too noisy, smelly, went too fast and scared the horses. What a rube! There was also this old farmer who milked his cow dry and cried, all the while surrounded by a herd of goats.



Dan, I think the freediving idea is good as well, especially if you have some deep pools like the one Valhalla linked to. One aspect of the indoor focus I think is important is that spectators can watch and you can control the conditions (and revenue). Diving 24/7 non weather dependant. Why not a freediving, dynamic and static apnea, obsticle/skills event/training facility. Diver cross training.

Again, I wonder what effect highly skilled and physically fit divers would have on the industry?

 

[Scott L]

I would have greater faith that PADI was in touch with the trends if they took down the third picture of their USA home page slide show.



PADI The Way the World Learns to Dive? - Find Scuba Diving Lessons, Scuba Certifications, Dive Shops, Dive Resorts, Scuba Gear, Scuba Diving Trips and Vacations, Scuba Diving Careers

 

[RJP]

The best way to ensure nothing ever changes is to shoot down new potential ideas before they start. This guy had an idea for an internal combustion engine driven car once but he was told it was too noisy, smelly, went too fast and scared the horses. What a rube! There was also this old farmer who milked his cow dry and cried, all the while surrounded by a herd of goats.

You're thinking I'm disagreeing with you...I'm not. I'm in agreement that we need to expand our thinking. I'm just saying that you need to take ONE MORE STEP to freeing up your thinking. Don't constrain yourself to just what you think might be the answer. All of the great inventors did this. Edison didn't start out to invent the incadescent bulb; he was trying to figure out how to use electricity to create light. He FOUND the solution. He didn't START with it.

 

[Ana]

Divers dive for the same reason people go bowling, play golf, or go square dancing.

Agree

It's not about the diving!

Don't agree.

At least not a complete agreement. Some people drive forever, sacrifice sleep and do many things to meet a group and share their diving (golfing or dancing).

But how many people are willing to dive with instabuddies (some times a crappy one) as long as they can get wet? It is about the diving.

How about the ones that only DM in order to get free dives, there are a ton out there, if they can speak openly to you there is nothing more than a free dive behind their intentions. It is about the diving.

And then you have the solo divers. No need to elaborate on this one.


One size does not fit all. We are friendly and antisocial, leaders and followers, generous and selfish, pansies and cowboys. Trying to shove divers in one definition is not going to work.

Is it so difficult to have shops and charters open to accept all the styles?
Don't throw me daggers with your eyes when I respectfully decline your invitation to your X-mas party or whatever event get-together; finish the stupid transaction and let me walk away.
I'm an antisocial but who ever has a shop or a charter should not be one. Shop/Charter person should know how to read the customers, you get a chatty one, go for it... rape his ear with all your dive stories.; but how difficult is it to spot the person that doesn't care to chat? are the one syllable or silent responses not obvious enough? IJS

 

[Slonda828]

I would have greater faith that PADI was in touch with the trends if they took down the third picture of their USA home page slide show.



PADI The Way the World Learns to Dive? - Find Scuba Diving Lessons, Scuba Certifications, Dive Shops, Dive Resorts, Scuba Gear, Scuba Diving Trips and Vacations, Scuba Diving Careers

Is it the invasive lionfish or the guy with all the ornaments hanging off of him?

 

[RJP]

It's not about the diving!

EXACTLY!

Starbucks is not about the coffee...

Lexus is not about the car...

Fed Ex is not about the package...

Coke is not about the beverage...

For those of us who who "are divers" it's not about the diving, it's about how we FEEL ABOUT BEING DIVERS.

Ladder up to the "emotional benefit" and you'll see how to charge $4 for coffee or $38k for what amounts to a dressed up Camry.

 

[Scott L]

Is it the invasive lionfish or the guy with all the ornaments hanging off of him?

I cannot even identify some of those danglies.