Marketing basics for dive shops that hate marketing
Most dive shop owners didn't get into this business to write Instagram captions. Good news: you don't need to. Here's the smallest amount of marketing that actually moves the needle.
The three things that matter
If you only do three things, do these:
- Show up on Google for your town + "scuba diving".
- Make it trivial to book and to ask a question.
- Stay in touch with past customers.
Everything else is a bonus.
Show up on Google
Your two free, high-leverage assets are your Google Business Profile and your website.
Google Business Profile
- Fill in every field. Hours, services, photos, the lot.
- Reply to every review, good or bad, within 48 hours.
- Post at least one update per week during season.
Website basics
- Page title with the city and "scuba diving".
- Real photos, not stock.
- Show your prices where visitors can find them.
- Contact form + WhatsApp/phone link above the fold.
Make it trivial to book
Every extra click is a customer you lost. Aim for: land on site → choose activity → book → confirmation. No account creation, no friction.
If you can't shorten it, at least keep a "Just message us" button visible everywhere.
Stay in touch
The cheapest customer is one who already dove with you.
- Collect emails at booking.
- Send a short note 4 weeks after their last dive.
- Send a longer note at the start of each season.
That's it. Three emails per customer per year, max.
What not to do
- Don't pay for Instagram followers.
- Don't run paid ads before your website converts.
- Don't write blog posts no one asked for.
A small measurement habit
Once a month, write down two numbers:
- New customers this month.
- Repeat customers this month.
Watch the ratio. If repeat customers are a small share, work on retention before you spend more on acquisition.
That's marketing.
