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of International Scuba in the Dallas market and is also a DEMA Board member. “Divers want to be associated with dive centers that are present and supportive.” Thomas cautioned that dive centers need to be selective on which events to participate in as some won’t be a good “return on investment (ROI)” in terms of time and money invested. He said some event promoters want too much money for participation or to have the dive center do most of the event promotion. Thomas said he has participated in “good exposure” events where the dive center was treated as a draw to the event, given media spots, and provided a platform to engage new divers. An example of this was an annual city festival that allowed his center to set up a pool for free and allow him to charge a small amount per diver to try scuba diving. Sometimes the event is something the dive center created to promote a facet of their service offerings. One such event is held during the coldest winter months in Iowa, the Ice Hole Diving Festival that is now in its eighth year. This event was not created by a dive center in Iowa, but instead by Thomas from his Carrollton, TX business to create a cold- water dive culture that leads to year-round divers. In this case, the networking involved bringing in many other dive centers across the country to partner with the event, as well as scuba equipment manufacturers, a major training association (PADI), many media outlets to cover the event including one case where the television reporter tried out ice diving and broadcasted the experience. “Developing a strong working partnership with other dive centers located around the country has been rewarding,” Thomas said. “The networking among the dive centers is the reason I have kept doing the festival. The amount of social media coverage and the extreme nature of the event really created a buzz.” Cinciripino also concurred with the importance of establishing great relationships with dive retailers and other industry pro- fessionals from around the world. He said you never know when you might need some help with spare parts, products, or other services. “All this networking is like planting seeds,” he said. “It may take a while for some of those seeds to sprout but when they do, you’ll feel pretty good about it.” When attending an event or festival to foster new contacts or to re-establish connections with people you have met before, be a “walking billboard” for your business with not only your dive center name on your shirt but something no- ticeable (like “Scuba Instructor”) that will prompt other at- tendees to approach you and ask about the sport or your
business. Bring plenty of business cards to hand out to your new contacts and collect theirs because the key to good net- working is follow-up after the event and not let these oppor- tunities slip through the cracks due to inaction. “Discover Scuba” events held outside of your dive center can be a good return on investment if the event is held at a country club or neighborhood pool where it is promoted as a benefit to the club members or residents to try scuba. The dive center could print up posters (with QR codes included) about the event to be placed in the pool area a few weeks in advance to promote participation, but also to get your business name and contact information posted where current divers will notice it and possibly come check out your dive center to refresh their skills, update their equipment, or see where your next dive trips are going. Most of these clubs and residential associations also have online bulletin boards where the event can be posted for all members and residents to see. Networking can also mean staying in touch with your current customers on a regular basis, so they feel appreciated and to keep scuba diving from falling to the “back burner” of their busy lives. “Sometimes the best networking isn’t prospect- ing for new leads at a booth but rather spending that energy wowing the clients you already have,” suggested Thomas who created the concept of keeping his customers involved with a “Dive Tribe” community. These happy customers can then become ambassadors for your business and help promote your dive center to their family, friends, and co-workers, or even help create a company or community-based dive club that your business could help support. Besides in-person networking, dive centers need to also concentrate on social media interactions and ensure their center has a strong online footprint that will attract web searches. Thomas, whose center has both scuba and swimming classes, reported that many of those in the 25-38 age range that book classes online don’t often speak to a human being first, but instead research online (or use artificial intelligence) and then book online at night after their family is settled in. “It’s crazy how many online sales (class bookings) we get at night,” Thomas said. “We are definitely dealing with a shift in values and culture!” “Without networking, your company only has a closed
loop of contacts, but with it, the opportunities are endless,” said Zeimer. “After all, you never know who you will meet at an event that might significantly affect your business.”
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