RETAILING continued
customer who’s researching learning to dive. I might: discover scuba on TikTok; watch a how-to video on your YouTube channel; explore your Instagram account; read comments on your Facebook page; visit your website; message you through WhatsApp. Then, visit your dive center to get more information and schedule a course. Our customer might move through various social media mediums while on a decision-making journey. The job of social media isn’t necessarily to close the sale on every platform. Sometimes its job is simply to move the customer one step closer. Baby Boomers (1946-1964): Facebook, YouTube and the Power of Trust: For Baby Boomers, Facebook remains an important social platform, while YouTube has enormous cross-generational reach. But the bigger opportunity may be understanding what kind of content works for this audience. Boomers don’t necessarily need to be entertained into buying scuba diving. They may need to be reassured. Remember the questions from my previous article: Can I trust you? Are you experienced? Is diving safe? Will I be comfortable? Will I enjoy traveling with your group?
That suggests a social-media strategy based heavily on trust- building content. Use Facebook for community and credibility. Examples in- clude customer stories, trip announcements, trip photos, club activities, and congratulating students. Don’t make every post an advertisement. Show that your dive center is a real community populated by real people. Use YouTube to answer questions and provide how-to ex- amples. YouTube is particularly valuable because it can function as both a social platform and a search engine. Potential YouTube topics that would appeal to all customers, especially Boomers, include: What should I expect on my first scuba dive? ▪ What does scuba certification actually involve? ▪ What should I know before my first dive trip? ▪ For this audience, social media should frequently answer one fundamental question: “Why should I trust you with my diving experience?” Generation X (1965-1980): Facebook, YouTube and In- stagram - But Make It Useful: Marketing to Gen X is less about choosing one platform and more about choosing the right content. Give Gen X information that saves time, because their time is often limited. Use Instagram to entice Gen X by combining beautiful photos with practical information. Use Facebook for community building. Use YouTube for Q&A and how-to videos. For Gen X, ask, “How can our social media make the decision to dive easier?” Make sure booking information is concise and easy to understand. And remember to create “getting back into diving” content, because this generation might have put scuba on pause when work or family com- mitments required it. Millennials (1981-1996): Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Community: Millennials are an especially important audience for dive centers because many are now at an interesting intersection of career, disposable income, travel and experience-seeking. They may be planning adventure va- cations. They may be introducing their partners to diving. They may be looking for new experiences and for communi- ty. When marketing to Millennials, ask, “What story can we tell that makes someone want to be part of this experience?” Instagram is where you can sell the dream with beautiful imagery and stories that create emotional connection. Use TikTok to make scuba discoverable with bite-sized point-of-view content. Examples include:
If your marketing message isn’t CLEAR, all you’re making
is NOISE. I can help. Hi, I’m Cathryn. I specialize in branding and marketing strategies for the scuba industry. Visit my website for a FREE Brand Messaging Guide. Email me at hello@clearstorycoach.com to schedule a call.
CLEARSTORYCOACH.COM
28 | SCUBA DIVING INDUSTRY
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