Marketing for Dive Centres
In these troubled economic times, there is a sad reality about the state of the recreational diving industry. We forecast that in 2009-10:
- Between 10% and 20% of all dive centres will fail and/or close
- Around 30% of dive centres will either break even or lose money
- Only about 40% of dive centres will make a small profit
- Only a small number (10%) will do well, grow or expand
Every dive centre owner wants to be a sucess. You want your dive centre to be profitable enough to cover your lifestyle, your expectations, and your future. And you want your dive centre to have a good value when you come to retire or move on to another activity.
So what makes the difference between the sucessful dive centres and the also-rans? The simple answer is often the quality of their marketing. While some managers are chasing around after every piece of business, the sucessful companies often appear to be doing 'nothing special', and in the end, are achieving more business with less effort. They have a marketing plan which guides how they operate, how they promote, how they spend and how they make money. It may not be written down, it may not pass a marketing exam or corporate audit, but by at least having thought about and rationalised six main areas of a marketing plan; these companies are able to maintain or grow their market while others activity centres struggle.
The well marketed dive centres are easy to spot - they have clear messages on all their marketing and advertising materials. They use simple phrases and concepts. They get their message across professionally but firmly, and they give a general air of being well organised and knowledgeable about their diving.