Slower months are the ideal time to sow the seeds of future growth and connect with previous customers. Below are some proven ways to keep your business income healthy throughout the year.
Even if you only have 15 minutes to spare, we have ideas you can use. Crack open your customer email list and let’s get started.
Reconnect With Past Customers
The easiest way to increase business during slower periods is to create sales opportunities with people who already know and value your business. A report by Adobe found:
- If you can get a customer to buy from you more than once, they will spend 5-7 times more
- Repeat customers are 9 times more likely to buy from you versus a shopper encountering your business for the first time.
During the slow season, give your divers a reason to get off the couch and have some fun:
- Host a Discover Advanced Open Water Diver pool session – use a suspended hula hoop to create a buoyancy challenge, let customers try underwater photography or videography equipment, and/or create a topside navigation challenge. Invite past Open Water Divers and current students.
- Host a Discover Scuba® Diving Day and email previous customers a free pass for friends and family. Add a cash value and information on how to schedule time.
- Invite divers certified more than 12 months ago to come in for a ReActivate® Scuba Refresher Program.
- Remind customers who purchased gear more than 12 months ago to get their equipment serviced. Create a sense of urgency by offering a limited-time special such as a discount, or special pricing on an Equipment Specialist certification.
- Send out a customer survey, post a link in your email newsletter and post to social media. Free survey tools make it easy. Here are some survey question ideas to get you started.
- Plan a get-together and help divers strengthen their bonds with each other, your staff and your business – even when you’re not in the water. Attend a local pub trivia night or host your own. You could also celebrate everyone who earned a certification in the past month, quarter or year. Here are some other ideas.
- Host a Go Pro Night or travel night with guest speakers (PADI Pros on your staff or guests who’ve traveled with you). Serve light snacks and beverages and offer one-night-only special deals. Contact your PADI® Regional Manager for assistance and ideas.
- Invite Open Water Divers* and Advanced Open Water Divers to participate in a Rescue Diver pool sessions. Film a short video of staff members acting out a scenario to show why the Rescue Diver course is serious fun.*Open Water Divers can participate in Rescue Diver knowledge development and pool sessions, see page 44 of the PADI Instructor Manual.
Ask for Referrals and Testimonials
Recommendations from a friend or family member are 50 times more likely to trigger a purchase compared to a paid ad. Also, 83 percent of people are comfortable making referrals, but only 29 percent have done so. Learn more about how and why to create a referral program, common mistakes to avoid and where to find your customizable PADI referral marketing materials.
Invite customers to give a video testimonial Diving transforms lives, and every dive shop has a group of people who would be happy to shout their love for your business from the rooftops. Bring them in to film a short testimonial you can use on your website, YouTube and social media.
All you need is a smartphone or GoPro, a quiet room and the directions and tips listed in this article. We give you:
- A step-by-step guide to creating testimonials
- Tips for asking customers to give a testimonial
- A sample script
(scroll midway down the page once the article loads).
Why video testimonials? Only 20 percent of website visitors will read an entire webpage, but 80 percent will watch a one-minute video in its entirety. Also, consumers remember 95 percent of what they see in a video compared to only 10 percent of written copy. Lastly, 84 percent of people value online reviews as much as recommendations from people they know.
Plant the Seeds for Future Growth
Invite a local celebrity to learn how to scuba dive. Contact your local radio or TV station to find out if they would like to do a story and include a time-sensitive reason such as Earth Day, Jacques Cousteau’s 110th birthday, your annual beach clean-up, etc. You can also look for local influencers who promote things to do in your area on social media.
Emergency First Response® is a great way to increase business year-round. Read our tips for writing a corporate EFR® proposal.
Bubblemaker birthday parties and kids’ summer camps are a great profit center for many dive businesses. Invite well-connected customers with kids to participate in a trial program in exchange for helping to spread the word. Price your kids camp to match the going rate for other day camps of similar duration (music camp, basketball camp, etc).
Short on Time? Share on Social
Make funny videos of what your dive shop staff do to keep themselves entertained in the store. Share your favorite scuba diving memes, or anything else you find interesting. The important thing is to keep customers engaged and interacting with your business.
