A Multi-Faceted Approach
John and Susie Wall, of “The” Dive Shop in Fairfax, Virginia, run one of the most successful travel programs of any single-location dive store in the country. In any given year, they’ll run an average of 20 to 25 or more week-long group vacation trips — nearly one every other week. They also book custom dive travel for dozens of individuals, couples, families and small groups every year.
The key to John and Susie’s success is commitment. Promoting dive travel is an integral part of everything they do. John and Susie also do not rely on a single means of promoting dive travel. In the balance of this article, we’ll take a look at the steps they take to keep their travel schedule full.
Staff Involvement For John and Susie, travel promotion begins with getting the staff involved. Nearly every one of their full-time employees has either led or gone on several of the store’s group trips. This has given the staff an above-average familiarity with popular dive travel destinations, plus an enthusiasm for dive travel that’s infectious. Building on this, John and Susie train their staff in specific techniques for integrating the promotion of dive travel in classes, activities and sales presentations.
The Travel Board When you walk in the door to “The” Dive Shop, among the first things you notice is a large white board, mounted prominently above the sales floor and visible from almost every corner of the shop. On it, in bright, colorful letters, are the dates, locations and prices of all upcoming trips. (By the way, you’ve most likely seen pictures of this board in a recent issue of Dive Center Business magazine.) The message the board conveys is clear:
- We offer dive travel.
- We have choices to fit every interest and budget, and…
- If you can’t accompany us on one of our group trips, we can help you with your individual travel arrangements as well.
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