At Watersports Guru Worldwide, we just can’t seem to get ourselves away from the water! It’s our greatest passion, and we want to share it with as many people as possible – exactly like you. Sometimes, however, this is easier said than done as the marketing side can be difficult to get around. But, trust us, we’ve been there before and know how hard it is to succeed.
In 2018, the number of people participating in any water activity in the UK shot to nearly 32%, the highest on record! This is excellent news for anyone within the watersports & marine industry. And with the uptake mainly focused on standup paddleboarding, kayaking, surfing and boating experiences, the demand for watersports equipment hire has increased ten-fold.
As a watersports hire business, it is your job to entice these people in before any competitors do. Otherwise, you will be missing out on pure income potential and falling behind your competition – you don’t want to be doing that!
Therefore, to encourage more watersports equipment hire sales, take on these five marketing top tips:
Take your social media in another direction
If you are struggling to create a digital presence on social media, then it is about time you change tack. Social media is a platform where people collaborate and discuss; therefore, it shouldn’t really be used too much for advertising. People will see straight through you if you put out the same posts, which are clearly adverts and nothing more.
Instead, look to discuss watersports with people. Encourage conversations about certain topics. And bring some light humour into the mix as well. Hashtags are perfect for tapping into various communities where people can see your posts and interact with them. Be creative with it and go outside the box. Then you will fit in and start to grow properly.
Show how you stand out from the crowd
There are thousands of businesses out there that offer some sort of watersport; just take a look at our trusty map of locations as a guide. But although this may sound scary and daunting, it will actually push you to be unique and innovative. What can you provide that the others don’t? Competition is good for business.
In the least, add some of these tips to your repertoire:
- Give Phenomenal Customer Service. Going above and beyond to make your customer feel happy, comfortable and valued will ensure a good reputation and increase the chances of word of mouth recommendations – by far the cheapest form of marketing!
- Design Branding That Stands Out. Looking and sounding professional will equate your business to trust, quality and worth. Nervous customers will find this type of branding particularly reassuring and are far more likely to pick you as a result. And these days, it’s not hard to do this yourself using free design websites such as Canva.
- Build A Strong Online Presence. You’ll have heard digital marketing is now more important than ever, and it’s true! Build yourself a strong website – even if it’s just one page – and create a business page on Facebook, Instagram and, of course, list yourself on Watersports Guru Worldwide! Make sure you fill out all your bios with the most basic yet essential information. This is the minimum people will want to know before even considering choosing your watersports business. Include your business name, location and contact details, a description of what you offer, and a photo or logo.
- Reward Customer Loyalty. Offer discounts for signing up long-term. For example, after hiring a paddleboard five times, they get the 6th for free.
- Give Back. Customers love a business that gives back. It helps to show you’re not out there just to make money from them. Supporting local charities, community projects, and other businesses close to customers’ hearts is a great place to begin. Don’t forget to include this on your social media posts, so people see all the good you are doing!
Let the visuals do all the talking
Considering how visually appealing and fun watersports are, you should already use this to your business’s advantage. Pictures and videos can themselves tell a story without any need for text. Base your website and social media campaigns on this, and people will be blown away.
Either invest in the photography equipment yourself or hire some professionals to get the job done for you. The higher quality of the footage, the more immersed the customers will be watching it. If any of this is done inadequately, they will be put off and go somewhere else.
So, remember to SHOW, don’t TELL. And always ask yourself: “Would I rather be watching sports or reading about it?” The answer is obvious.
Build up a library of reviews
Having a tonne of reviews is only ever good for business. They help in many ways: getting you found online, giving your business credibility, impacting purchase decisions, allowing you to reply, making you look responsive, and building trust with customers. In essence, without these reviews, your business automatically loses out to other competitors on the market.
How do you get customers to review, though? Throw some incentives in there. If they leave a review, then maybe you can offer a discount next time, or they can enter a draw for a free prize. But make sure to encourage honest reviews as it will give credibility to your business in the long term. Invest here and benefit from new customers.
Create a community
Lastly, creating your own community will, in turn, inspire others to join. If you have formed one and people have fun online and in-person, people will notice and want in. Word of mouth can spread, and naturally, you will find people in the area who are passionate about all things watersports. It shows you care about it as a hobby and not just a business.
Challenges can be set, with the winners receiving a watersports prize. Not only that, but you can end up gaining public recognition and perhaps even end up in the local news! This will only further increase your chances of success due to the credibility received following this.
And, of course, join the Number 1 Global Watersports Community! Watersports enthusiasts come to Watersports Guru Worldwide every day to find businesses just like yours – so don’t get missed! Add your business here.
