Tips to Succeed as an Independent Scuba Instructor

I’ve been an independent instructor for three full years. During this time, I’ve learned quite a lot about the diving industry. As each year passes, I learn more and more. So I’d like to give a few tips to people who are, or contemplating becoming, independent instructors. These are just a few dos and don’ts that I’ve learned to help you become a successful independent scuba instructor.

The Dos

Do treat your business as a real business. Create a corporation or LLC, get a business license, and get a federal tax ID number. Independent instructors have the reputation of only catering to friends, family, and co-workers. When you start to think of your business as a real business, you will project that sentiment to everyone else. You don’t want to limit yourself to the friends, family, and co-workers crowd. By being an established business, you will give yourself credibility among others in the diving industry. You will also need to perform other necessary business activities such as accounting, marketing, and strategy. Create entries in on-line business listings. If you do not know how to do those things, then hire someone who can. 90% of all small businesses fail within 10 years. The primary reason is due to management shortcomings.

Do find your niche in scuba training. Then target people within that niche. You cannot service everybody and you shouldn’t want to. Once you know what niche you want to service, then target divers who share the same niche. You’ll enjoy your teaching activities much more.

Do establish an internet presence. At a minimum you need to have a web site. Your web site needs to look professional. If you do not know how to develop a good web site, then hire someone who can or learn how to do it yourself. The majority of people who are looking for scuba diving classes turn to the internet to assist with their search.

Do work with dive stores in your area. This can be a slippery slope to navigate. But find a good dive store and offer to help them with anything you’re good at. Some times they will be in a jam and will look to you for help. When you establish a good working relationship with a dive store who shares your similar interests, you will be establishing trust. They may send you students who are looking for training in your niche and you can send students back to the dive store to purchase equipment.

Do dive, dive, and dive. Brandon Schwartz once told me that the only good diving instructor is one that is a great diver first. When you dive for fun, you will add to your knowledge pool, get better with your diving skills, and also add credibility when people see you out diving for fun. By doing fun dives, you can reduce the risk of suffering from instructor burnout and enjoy your diving and teaching activities. After all, scuba instructors initially learned to dive to have fun.

The Don’ts

Don’t promote equipment you have never dove. If you promote gear that you have no first hand experience with, you will just look like a snake oil salesman. When a student buys gear you recommend and that gear doesn’t meet their needs, your reputation will be damaged. Sell features of equipment, not specific manufacturers.

Don’t blatantly promote yourself if helping out a dive store. You don’t want dive stores stealing students away from you. Don’t do it to them. This helps build that trusting relationship with dive stores. Work together. The dive store may be able to better serve people who come to you better than you can and vice versa.

Don’t allow your supporters to blindly advertise for you. Certainly you want people to spread the word about how great you are, but you want perspective students to take you seriously. If one (or more) of your supports constantly raves about you to everyone, they will look like a sock puppet or have a “crush” on you. You will lose credibility. Independent scuba instructors rely heavily on word of mouth. When people question the credibility of the people doing the recommending, they may associate that person’s credibility with you.

Don’t discount your prices. When you start to give discounts, you are giving away your product. It will give the impression that your classes are not worth the price you have put on them. Don’t devalue the education you provide in order to make a few bucks.

Don’t forget to have a lot of fun. There is only one reason why we dive. Always remember to have a lot fun.

Certainly there are more things you can do to be successful. These were the things that I’ve found worked well for me. I’d like to hear your suggestions.

Dive Safe,
Duane
Precision Diving