How to Really Market Your Scuba Instruction Business

If you are an independent scuba instructor, then you may be finding it very frustrating to attract new students. Many new instructors who set off on their own will go through this. The dive stores get more and more students, while we are freaking out about where we are going to get the money to pay our insurance and agency fines (err fees), let alone to put food on the table. I know my first couple of years as an independent instructor were very nerve racking. I did everything I could to get my name out there, even started this blog to promote myself. Little did I know that it was easier than I thought if I put forth enough effort in the right direction.

Traditional Business Marketing

If you are looking for tips on how to market your scuba diving business, then head over to Nick Bostic’s web site, New Scuba Marketing, where he covers many business type marketing concepts specific to scuba. What I propose is much easier for all scuba instructors.

You can create bloggy things, post to your Facey Spaces, and Tweety Tweets all you want. That may only help you slightly. At the end of the day, the best way to market yourself is to get out and dive. There are way to many instructors out there who do not dive for fun. If you want to get your name out there, then people need to see you dive. Many people ask why I dive my favorite quarry so much. Not only is it a chance for me to keep improving my diving abilities, but it allows me to socialize with other divers and have them put a face to a name.

There are many instructors in my area and they are not readily known outside their dive store. When we compare this to similar situations for independent scuba instructors, they are mostly known in their small circle (i.e. family and friends). If that is your plan, then fine. But if you want to grow as an instructor and try to “change the world” like many of us, you’ve got to get out and dive.

Diving Alone Isn’t Enough

“Great divers make great instructors.” former GUE instructor Brandon Schwartz said to me many years ago. It didn’t sink in until a couple years after. At the time, I was focusing so much on getting my name out there that my diving skills were only average. OK, a little less than average. Once I started to let go of the industry crap, I was able to focus on what I needed to do to become a better scuba diver. The better diver I became, the more content I added to my classes. It also started to motivate me to ask my students to perform at a higher level than before.

Once people started to see what kind of diver I was, my “popularity” grew and so did the number of people who came to me for advice and classes. People could then see what quality diving was like and quality instruction followed.

So if you are an independent instructor, or are thinking about becoming one, then get out and dive. Hone your diving skills to near perfection. Force other instructors and dive stores to compete with you, not on price, but on quality of diving. If people know you offer great classes, then they will pay for the added value.

Dive Safe,
Duane
Precision Diving