Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Starting Your Own Dive Shop

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By Vicki Diaz


There are numerous diving enthusiasts who enjoy the diversified beauty of the waters. This opens a new horizon for them while they take in the wonders of nature. As such, a dive shop Atlanta can be a flourishing business. Even when there is no ocean, sea or other bodies of water nearby, this enterprise can still grow tremendously. Most divers will have to travel to their respective destinations after all. You just need to provide them the equipment they will need.

Before engaging into any type of enterprise, it is wise to do exhaustive research on the business that interests you. Many successful dive operators are divers themselves. This helps them understand the industry and gain general knowledge on managing the shop. However, you do not have to be a diver yourself. There are available resources you can turn to that may come in handy.

Finalize your decision. Since you will be investing your time, money and effort, you need to be sure of your decision. Making wrong choices is unacceptable. Decide if you have sufficient resources, time and dedication to manage the enterprise. Lack of commitment can cause the business to topple down. Only you can decide for yourself.

If you wanted to carry one, arm yourself with the necessary knowledge. You can reinvent the wheel and start your own way to success, but this could be too risky. For beginners, it is more prudent to follow the track of those who were before you. You can learn a lot from their experiences, and perhaps from their mistakes as well.

Come up with a business plan. The plan will serve as a guide while you go along. A properly contrived plan includes the estimated start-up cost, the operating expenses, marketing strategies and the potential revenues. The data will show you where your business is heading to. Furthermore, a well prepared business plan can draw in more investors to help your business grow.

Decide whether you start from a scratch or take over an existing dive shop. This will depend on your feasibility research. Assuming an existing shop can save you the time, hassle and frustration of starting from nothing. Yet, you have to make sure that the reason the shop closed down is because of poor location, bankruptcy or limited clientele.

Choose a reliable business partner. You need to look for providers of good quality diving gears. Some of the equipment a diver needs are the buoyancy control device, wetsuit, snorkel, fins and masks among others. You will be held responsible for the products that you provide, so you have to gauge its quality beforehand.

It is not always that a diver would come by to buy diving gears. During off-seasons, generate a steady income through offering diving lessons. Hire a qualified diving instructor to hold the training. Make sure that you check his credentials beforehand. Decide the programs you will offer, the available packages and the location for the training.

Do not strive to offer the lowest rates. Diving is not your usual type of recreation. This is an expensive interest. Hence, divers are more concerned with the quality rather than the price. A good dive shop Atlanta offers top-grade equipment and training for a reasonable and fair price. Finally, treat the customers right. Positive customer experience is a top driving force for customer loyalty.




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