Scuba diving is one of the most enjoyable sports on the planet as it allows you to transport yourself into another world full of vibrant corals and incredibly diverse marine species, not to mention the fact that the most popular dive sites are located around idyllic white sand-covered beaches.
Many of us often discover the bug of diving during our gap years and then continue to enjoy the sport for the rest of our lives, whereas others decide that diving is the life for them and they open their own business. When it comes to a diving business you can go two different ways; you can either open a diving school or you can focus on the equipment rental side of the business. Here we are going to take a look at how to manage a diving equipment rental business.
Build a Website
The first step to opening your own rental business is to build a website so that word about your new venture gets out there. The fact that you are entering the market in the first place means that you will have many contacts, so it is important that you use these people to help promote your business from the outset. The more that word of mouth is spread and the more subsequent hits on your website, the more successful your business will be. Even if you are not open for business you should still promote your firm, so that when you are ready to open your doors, you will already have customers waiting for you and you can set off in a positive manner.
Source Your Kit
You are going to need plenty of equipment when it comes to starting a rental business, from wetsuits to fins and masks, and perhaps most important of all, a steady supply of gas canisters. The professionals from Global Gases say that cylinders full of gas are better than renting cylinders on a long term basis. This allows you to manage your supply on a daily or weekly basis and you will never run out of stock. Make sure that you source your gas from a reputable seller as it literally could be a case of life and death at the bottom of the ocean, and you don’t want your business to fall at the first hurdle.
Use Social Media
Social media is behind the sales and marketing revolution of the 21st century because it is the go-to place if you want to get recognized and drive your business forward. The average age of people interested in diving is decreasing by the day so you need to be hot on the likes of Instagram and Facebook if you want your business to appeal to millennials. The beauty of social media is that you can showcase the diving that your customer will do with fantastic videos of the bright and colorful depths and you can highlight the wonderful wildlife that your clients will come across whilst indulging in their hobby.
Cross-sell
The beauty of the diving business is the ability to cross-sell your offering with other related products. You can join forces with local hostels and hotels so that you can offer a discount to people who take advantage of both offerings. If you make yourself known to the big travel companies then potential customers can book their diving experience at the same time as they book their holidays meaning that you have business before the holidaymakers even set foot in your resort, and you have spent very little of your marketing budget! Always look for potential synergies with other local businesses and then you can take advantage of each other to help promote tourism in your areas. Tourists don’t just want to lie on the beach during their holidays, they want to take part in activities, so link up with boat operators, dive companies, hostels, bars, and word of mouth will soon spread about what a great business you have.
As we have learned, managing a diving equipment business is not easy, but it is perfectly possible with a little bit of application and hard work. Make sure that you have a great website that is promoted using social media and find the right supplier that can offer you all of your gas needs at a competitive price. Cross-sell your rental business with other local companies such as dive schools, hostels, and boat operators and then you will be in the best possible position for your rental business to succeed.