What do you see happening with the sport of diving?

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This is the first mention/sight of it I've ever encountered.

Not sure if that was your point, or not.

Ah, you kids say the darnedest things! Depending on whom/what you read, Honda played a (the?) major part in turning around the image of motorcycles/motorcyclists/motorcycling in the 1960's (from the harder postwar image), and thereby grew the industry significantly. Huge profits for Honda and for its competitors as well. And positioned Honda to dramatically scale up its auto exports to the US.

But I know you knew all this...
 
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I've watched two local dive shops die, and I don't think they succumbed to a dearth of divers. One shop was severely undercapitalized and always teetering, and a forced major move with higher rent did them in. Another has been mired in the dinosaur attitude of arguing with customers, denigrating the internet, ceasing to advertise at all, and providing uneven customer service. On the other hand, another shop in our area only started a few years ago, and is growing like Topsy because the owner is innovative and flexible, and is dumping enormous energy into the enterprise. And, as I reflect, one of the shops that just died was in its heyday when I encountered it, and at that time, it had two people really putting energy into sales, dives, and travel.

Scubatoys and DRIS are great examples of what you can do with motivation and creativity.

There's still a dive industry out there. But you have to adapt to survive.
 
I've watched two local dive shops die, and I don't think they succumbed to a dearth of divers. One shop was severely undercapitalized and always teetering, and a forced major move with higher rent did them in. Another has been mired in the dinosaur attitude of arguing with customers, denigrating the internet, ceasing to advertise at all, and providing uneven customer service. On the other hand, another shop in our area only started a few years ago, and is growing like Topsy because the owner is innovative and flexible, and is dumping enormous energy into the enterprise. And, as I reflect, one of the shops that just died was in its heyday when I encountered it, and at that time, it had two people really putting energy into sales, dives, and travel.

Scubatoys and DRIS are great examples of what you can do with motivation and creativity.

There's still a dive industry out there. But you have to adapt to survive.

Any dive business is up against it from two standpoints:
1.) Whatever challenges the dive industry faces
2.) Whatever challenges any business faces

If diving was growing like gangbusters, a business that's poorly run "as a business" could still get by. When the industry faces challenges overall, it's much hard for well-run businesses to stay in the game... much less one that has it's own, underlying business issues.

And, as you point out, by all indications there is opportunity within the industry for those willing to work and innovate.
 
Ah, you kids say the darnedest things! ... turning around the image ... and thereby grew the industry significantly. Huge profits ...

Thanks for the reminder, RX7. I have read (and subsequently forgotten) this story a couple of times. Miraculous might not be too strong a word for that transformation of public opinion.

There was a certain amount of hysteria and witch-hunting in the fifties, anti-motorcycle and otherwise. Hollywood fed suburban fears of chaos and lawlessness with a series of films depicting bikers as violent criminals, moral degenerates or hopeless non-conformists.

The Honda story is still a marketing case study. While I was writing this, I was humming a jingle from a competitor.

Kawasaki lets the good times roll
Kawasaki lets the good times roll
Get aboard, get away, and you're gonna say
Let the good times roll!

 
Thanks for the reminder, RX7. I have read (and subsequently forgotten) this story a couple of times. Miraculous might not be too strong a word for that transformation of public opinion.

There was a certain amount of hysteria and witch-hunting in the fifties, anti-motorcycle and otherwise. Hollywood fed suburban fears of chaos and lawlessness with a series of films depicting bikers as violent criminals, moral degenerates or hopeless non-conformists.

The Honda story is still a marketing case study. While I was writing this, I was humming a jingle from a competitor.

Kawasaki lets the good times roll
Kawasaki lets the good times roll
Get aboard, get away, and you're gonna say
Let the good times roll!


Funny I remember the Kawasaki ones.
 
I really liked the line a few posts back saying "we'll train you to be an underwater explorer".
if I was someone who new nothing about diving but always wanted to try, that line would be better than something as simple as "Be a diver" or "try diving".
So how exactly do I become a diver? And where do I go to try it?

The "We'll train you" part tells me that all I have do is walk in and somebody will be there to sign me up and show me everything I'll need to know. The "underwater explorer" part suggests that I'm not just getting trained to go look at pretty fishes while holding hands with a dive guide. Instead, I'll be trained way beyond that to go do something really cool and advanced beyond just looking at pretty fishes.


The main heyday of diving was mainly populated by the baby boom generation when I got into scuba. I was mid 30's and was at the younger end of the scale even then. Since then most of the baby boomers that I knew have either gotten too old, died, moved on, or quit for some other reason. The newer generation younger than me now has other interests. Diving is something their parents did but they don't do. I'm kind of an in betweener, not old not young.
I think a lot of the spark and interst in diving back then was because it was a cool new technology, and because it was an adventure era. Then also we had movies and TV depicting diving as a daring and adventurous activity. The underwater realm was a mysterious place just waiting to be explored.

Low level auto racing was also big back then. There were hundreds of small tracks of all sorts around the country. SoCal had numerous as did NorCal but all of them eventually closed due to lack of interest, different tastes of the public, and in auto design and functionality/changes and trends, not mention insurance hikes and increased operating costs.
Can anyone else think of a sporting activity that died out with a generation?
Anybody remember roller derby?
Some things just cycle out. I sure wish there was some way to bring it back.
 
Why not? It surely is, for some. What can be done to keep them from dropping out?


I give you two reasons : One those you purchased gear before getting their cert.
Two those who are renting gear for training already have an idea of what scuba cost and can incrementally start purchasing
their gear as funds become available.

WHERE THERE IS A WILL THERE IS A WAY!


As far as what can be done to keep them from dropping out , I was trying to get some of you guys to come up with suggestions.

The only thing I can think, that assuming they have lost interest because there "NOT FEELING IT" then this means the Scuba Bug never really bit them.
The LDS or Instructor could help in this area I believe. First find out who they plan to dive with, family member, friend, wife, husband, if they have no one to dive with then I would guess this would be your first pic to help out. Try and get them accommodated with others who can dive with that person. Remember since it is a new diver it will be uncomfortable for them to dive with very experienced divers. It can diminish their confidence and perhaps demotivate them to continue diving. They are learning and everything needs to be done slowly so as to build confidence. Everything from getting the gear on and checking it to dropping down and equalizing. It won't be easy for the dive buddy to deal with so perhaps an understanding instructor will have more patience.

Building their confidence and getting them stoked about the dive is all I can think of in order to help some of these divers.
But this is just my opinion. I really don't what else can be done.

Frank G
Z GEAR - Z Gear

---------- Post added June 17th, 2015 at 10:46 PM ----------

I really liked the line a few posts back saying "we'll train you to be an underwater explorer".
if I was someone who new nothing about diving but always wanted to try, that line would be better than something as simple as "Be a diver" or "try diving".
So how exactly do I become a diver? And where do I go to try it?

The "We'll train you" part tells me that all I have do is walk in and somebody will be there to sign me up and show me everything I'll need to know. The "underwater explorer" part suggests that I'm not just getting trained to go look at pretty fishes while holding hands with a dive guide. Instead, I'll be trained way beyond that to go do something really cool and advanced beyond just looking at pretty fishes.


The main heyday of diving was mainly populated by the baby boom generation when I got into scuba. I was mid 30's and was at the younger end of the scale even then. Since then most of the baby boomers that I knew have either gotten too old, died, moved on, or quit for some other reason. The newer generation younger than me now has other interests. Diving is something their parents did but they don't do. I'm kind of an in betweener, not old not young.
I think a lot of the spark and interst in diving back then was because it was a cool new technology, and because it was an adventure era. Then also we had movies and TV depicting diving as a daring and adventurous activity. The underwater realm was a mysterious place just waiting to be explored.

Low level auto racing was also big back then. There were hundreds of small tracks of all sorts around the country. SoCal had numerous as did NorCal but all of them eventually closed due to lack of interest, different tastes of the public, and in auto design and functionality/changes and trends, not mention insurance hikes and increased operating costs.
Can anyone else think of a sporting activity that died out with a generation?
Anybody remember roller derby?
Some things just cycle out. I sure wish there was some way to bring it back.

I'm glad you like my message of being a trained underwater explorer. This is the Image you want to project to a potential diver.I believe it gives us something we can IDENTIFY with.
Its good that we try and think of new ways we can improve our Image, I believe this makes bold statement. Who knows perhaps if it is repeated enough times it might catch on and become the new Industry slogan!

Frank G
Z GEAR - Z Gear
 
WHERE THERE IS A WILL THERE IS A WAY!

Frank G
Z GEAR - Z Gear
But this is the issue... for many people the "will" is not sufficient. Not sufficient to spend the time. Not sufficient to go through the hassle. Not sufficient to spend the money.

For others, things change. Financial situations change. Relationships change. Life/kids/work gets in the way.


---------- Post added June 18th, 2015 at 06:05 AM ----------

I'm glad you like my message of being a trained underwater explorer. This is the Image you want to project to a potential diver.I believe it gives us something we can IDENTIFY with.

On what do you base the supposition that this is the image we want to project to attract people?
 
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But this is the issue... for many people the "will" is not sufficient. Not sufficient to spend the time. Not sufficient to go through the hassle. Not sufficient to spend the money.

For others, things change. Financial situations change. Relationships change. Life/kids/work gets in the way.


---------- Post added June 18th, 2015 at 06:05 AM ----------



On what do you base the supposition that this is the image we want to project to attract people?

I guess what Eric was elaborating on was the fact that it gives more room for imagination and can create a new more meaningful appeal to an adventurous type of person. This is helping to create a more powerful mental Image that can lead to both initial attraction to diving and sustained pursuit of further advanced classes and longevity in the activity of diving.

It can be said,
" A TRAINED UNDERWATER EXPLORER" gives diving a sense of purpose and identity, I think it is important to have these things, it can be looked at as a good motivating message. IMO.

Frank G
Z GEAR - Z Gear
 
It can be said,
" A TRAINED UNDERWATER EXPLORER" gives diving a sense of purpose and identity, I think it is important to have these things, it can be looked at as a good motivating message. IMO.

Frank G
Z GEAR - Z Gear

The only opinions that mean anything in marketing are the opinions of prospective customers. In fact, one of the greatest mistakes any marketer can make is believing that THEIR opinion is reflective of the customer's.

According to research I've conducted with more than 300 non-divers, there are a several specific problems with your proposed promise of being a "trained underwater explorer"

  1. "Training" is seen as an impediment to becoming a diver, not a benefit of becoming a diver. Yes, you will need to be trained along the way... but the need for training is a TURN OFF. Emphasizing "training" as a key message specifically triggered significant increases in the belief that scuba is dangerous, the belief that scuba is difficult, and reinforces the perception that it is expensive. Including "trained" in the promise will ensure that the three most common objections (cost, danger, difficulty/hassle) continue to be top-of-mind for the non-divier
  2. "Underwater" reminds potential divers that the environment in which scuba is conducted is foreign, and in fact specifically inhospitable to human life. (There are instructors who actually make this point right on the homepage of their website.) The underwater nature of the sport is obvious and unavoidable, so putting it out there front and center is not only unnecessary, but will work against the story by reinforcing underlying fear without adding anything compelling or attractive.
  3. "Explorer" has some appeal for a fairly narrow group of people. But it is actually more of a turn-off for the majority of people. For every one person it attracts, there are four to whom the term conveys that scuba is "uncertain" and reminds them that it is an innately hazardous activity. Beyond that, the majority of people - who may not be turned off specifically - are simply not interested in exploration one way or the other. If the term doesn't attract people... it may as well turn them off.

But other than those few things... I think it's a fine idea.

:cool2:
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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