Part 2: A Marketing Plan for your Dive Shop that Works

Selling SCUBA lessons online is hard. A landing page that converts makes it easier. 

Have you ever visited your website with a fresh set of eyes? Have you ever asked a non-diver friend or family member to review your website and give you feedback? How easy was it for them to understand the steps required for SCUBA certification? Did they even understand it at all? 

No marketing is going to be effective if your website doesn't convert visitors to customers. Your website is your 24/7 salesperson. It's likely the first sales person that a potential customer encounters. It could also be the last sales person they encounter as well. 

A landing page is not a replacement for your website. It is an additional single webpage that features just one product or service. In your case: the Open Water Diver Course. 

1. Grab the Reader's Attention 

Scuba diving is such a visual sport, that this section can just be a large underwater photo. I always find it best to include divers in the photos on the website when possible, because it helps the reader imagine themselves scuba diving. 

This first section is above the fold, meaning it's the first thing your customer will see. It needs to grab their attention. 

2. Explain the Transformation (i.e. the process)

Try and keep this section as simple as possible. Explain the process in as few steps as possible. You are trying to convey what the process looks like and what your customer should expect. 

Please note: don't try and make the process seem as cheap and as quick as possible. It's okay to say that this will cost $1000 and take a couple weeks or even a couple of months to complete. This means you will get qualified students who know what to expect. 

3. Demonstrate the features and benefits

Use the features section to tell your customer why they should choose your course. Feel free to list as many advantages as you can think of. 

Make sure these features are clear to a non-diver. Try to avoid jargon and acronyms. 

4. Social Proof (show us customer reviews and testimonials)

Ask your best customers if you can feature them and their testimonial on your website. There is a balance between showing a lot of reviews and social proof and making it look visually appealing. 

5. FAQs

There are a lot of nuances to getting your scuba certification. Use the FAQs to your advantage to dispel common misconceptions, answer common questions and put your customer's mind at ease. 

The FAQs section can overcome a TON of barriers for your customers such as "Scuba is expensive.", "You have to be fit.", "My ears will be a problem.", etc, etc. 

6. Call to Action

The last part of your landing page is your last and final cal to action to sign up for classes. Essentially, your customers should know everything they need to know and now its decision time. 

Each store's call to action can be different. At my store, we pushed customers to schedule an in-person orientation. We knew they if we could schedule the orientation, we had the greatest chance of getting a highly qualified student. You store might want to push them to sign up to start the course materials or even just pay and sign up for the class. Choose what works for your store here. 

Want to share this issue of The Dive Briefing via text, social media, or email? Just copy and paste this link:

https://thedivebriefing.beehiiv.com/p/january-23-2023

Join fellow dive shop owners on February 2 at 11:00am MT for our next Roundtable Event.  We will discuss marketing for your dive shop and make a plan for 2023.