If things are feeling a bit flat right now, know that you’re not alone. During the immediate post-pandemic recovery period, there was a rebound effect with people feeling liberated from being pent-up and business surged in many areas. But then this flattened in much of the world – and not just for the dive industry. Why?

My feeling is that in our post-pandemic world, outside influences are reshaping consumer psychology, confidence, behaviors and priorities. Much of the world is dealing with unsettling noise inclusive of economic slowdown, conflict and inflationary pressures causing consumers to be less “spendy.”

We live in an age where a 24-hour intense media cycle bombards us through all our devices like never before. Much of the content in these messages can be alarming and disruptive. Considering the impact on consumer confidence that messaging about conflicts, war, political divides, social unrest, price of food, housing and energy have, it seems like we cannot get a break from it compared to the past. Thankfully it’s not all like that, but it’s enough that various studies found that about 20% of the adult population measured suffers from anxiety, and (not surprisingly) anxiety correlates with technology use. Under stress people behave differently and make different choices, and that includes what they buy, how they engage, and when.

This isn’t new. The “noise” volume is higher than before, but consumer behavior is always changing, so to stay relevant and prosper, we have to adapt and change with it as we always have. Whether they’re real, imagined or exaggerated, you and I have no meaningful control over any of these outside influences – but we can absolutely control how we respond to them. One of diving’s “superpowers” is stress relief, which almost everyone – you, me and those we serve – needs, especially now. Among other ways, diving provides these documented stress reducers*:

Exercise and activity. Being active has been shown to improve mental health.
Reduce device use. Too much screen time is associated with increased stress; when you’re diving, you’re certainly not “devicing.”
Time with friends and family. Diving is a social sport that inherently brings people together. Not only is this directly associated with better mental health, but attacks one underlying problem as a bridge that brings together peoples and cultures with different perspectives – something society surely needs.
Stay in the moment. Stress results from worry – fear of what might happen. Diving gives us a break by making us pay attention to here-and-now instead of tomorrow or next month.

Take these doable actions to put this diving superpower into play with your customers and potential divers:

Emphasize all the positivity diving offers. Camaraderie and new friends, learning new things, making a difference in the ocean, citizen science, unique adventures, visiting new places, imaging and creativity – and this list goes on – are all part of diving’s positive healing power and ability to drown out the negative noise.
Help and encourage your customers to share their diving superpower with their friends. By giving divers a convenient way to bring others into the fold, the Seek Adventure. Save the Ocean Together referral campaign helps you do exactly that.
Think short and sweet. Current trends suggest consumers are looking for faster and shorter commitment options when trying something new. Highlight Discover Scuba Diving, Discover Freediving and/or Discover Mermaid to get people started, and from there into the full courses.
Leverage the PADI brand. Make use of all the tools available to you as a PADI Member in reaching customers. The PADI training you offer is the most recognized and sought after in diving, so be sure that’s highly visible and connected to your messaging.

In the big picture, you and I can’t control much – but we don’t have to. By focusing on the basics and the things we can control, we can nonetheless make a meaningful difference for our customers, our businesses and the ocean’s future.

Sincerely,

Drew Richardson
President & CEO

*To be clear, these are reducers that can give all of us much-needed relief, but someone with anxiety disorder should seek professional help.

The post Straight Talk From PADI CEO: Diving Superpower – Stress Relief and Escape from Noise and Clutter appeared first on PADI Pros.

President’s Desk, Drew Richardson, PADI CEO, save the ocean, seek adventurePADI Pros