What's the Most Popular PADI Open Water Crewpak?

PADI Members have four basic options for open water training materials:

• RDP table
• eRDPML
• Dive computer
• eLearning

The other day I wondered, "which crewpak do PADI Members use the most?" The results may surprise you.

(email subscribers, please click through to view pie charts below)

The information above is based on sales from the PADI Americas region which (generally speaking) includes: North and South America excluding Canada.

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The Next Generation of Divers

Back to School Time is here, which means it's time for the annual Mindset List. Created in the mid-90's to enlighten college professors about their new students, the Mindset List includes interesting and sometimes depressing facts about this year's college freshman - the class of 2014.

Here are some examples:

• This year's college Frosh have never used a telephone with a cord
• Czechoslovakia has never existed
• Clint Eastwood is better known as a sensitive director than as Dirty Harry.
• Nirvana is on the classic oldies station.
• Children have always been trying to divorce their parents.
• They have never seen a carousel of Kodachrome slides

Nirvana is on the classic oldies station?!? Now I really feel old. Some kid is probably wearing my old Doc's and talking about how totally vintage they are - UGH.

Here's another fun fact: Pizza Hut reports: half their orders come from mobile applications. Instead of phone calls, they're getting orders via text message, iPhone app or website accessed from a smartphone.

This is our next generation of divers! They are wired, mobile and use their phones for everything except making phone calls.

Here are a few ways you can appeal to this new consumer:

#1 Students can earn college credit for taking PADI courses. Promote this opportunity on your website, enewsletter and give it a mention on your Facebook page.

#2 Find a college intern - in many areas the internship can be un-paid so long as the student is earning college credit. Read our hire an intern article for additional info. A "digital native" can help you effectively market to their generation.

#3 Give them the opportunity to buy something from you online. If you don't have an eLearning link - add one. Young adults have been shoppers / consumers since infancy.

#4 Go where they are. Set up a Facebook page and link to it from your website. If you don't have time to set up a Facebook page, see idea #2...


Read the complete Mindset List at Beloit College's website.

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Reminders: Lefty Poll and We're Closed on Labor Day

Two Quick Reminders

Next Monday 6 September, PADI Americas is closed in observance of Labor Day.
You can place orders online during the holiday. Online orders will be processed when we re-open for regular business hours on Tuesday 7 September 2010.

Time is Running Out to Vote
Have you voted in our "Are You a Lefty?" poll? Only a few hours remain to represent for your southpaw or righty brethren. So far, this highly scientific study shows that scuba instructors tend to be more left-handed than the general population.

To vote or view the results, go to padiinstructorinfo.com. The poll is on the top right side of the page.

Scuba Professionals Only: Are you left handed?

Updated PADI Rescue Diver Materials Now Shipping

PADI has recently updated our Rescue Diver materials in conjunction with the release of Rescue Diver online.

The changes were cosmetic, so if you've got rescue materials in stock don't worry. It's unlikely anyone will notice the difference because the cover artwork stayed the same.

The changes in a nutshell
We updated the images, some of the DVD footage, and a bit of the wording. For example, we updated references to the open water rescue practices which changed from four exercises to two scenarios.

Here’s what you need to know:

• All changes were cosmetic, any Rescue Diver materials you have in stock are still valid for teaching. 
• Our product numbers stayed the same.
• The knowledge reviews / answers have not changed.
• The exam questions / answers have not changed
• Packaging stayed the same - the rescue exam got a new cover. 
• Only English-language materials were updated

Updated Rescue Products Blow-By-Blow


Rescue Diver Student DVD 70853 - NOW SHIPPING
Incorporates new footage, references to The Wheel removed.

Rescue Prescriptive Lesson Guides 70877 - NOW SHIPPING
Content matches manual and online content.
Background of the slides changed.
Videos no longer auto-play.

Rescue Pro-Edition DVD 70854 - NOW SHIPPING
New footage incorporated.
References to The Wheel removed.
Updated for standards change to two open water scenarios.

Rescue Diver student manual - COMING SOON
The revised manual includes some new images and also wording changes ("exercises" to "scenarios" for example). We'll continue to ship the prior version of the rescue manual - which is still valid for teaching - until we run out.

Un-Changed Products

Rescue exam - 70305
The cover changed to match the look of our other exams.
Exam questions and answers remain the same.

Rescue Instructor cue cards - 60205
(already updated in 2009 - new version now shipping).

Rescue Diver Emblem - 21008


Rescue Diver Certificate - 40083

PADI to attend Blue Ocean Film Festival

Blue Ocean Film Festival 24-29 Aug Monterey, Ca

PADI will attend the Blue Ocean Film Festival in Monterey next week.

A team from PADI will be on-site to help introduce ocean lovers to scuba diving along with DEMA's Be a Diver pool. PADI staff members will also offer TecRec seminars for underwater filmmakers and, in partnership with Olympus America, Digital Underwater Photographer seminars and inwater experiences.

For more info, read our Divenewswire press release.

Try Google Adwords FREE

What is Google Adwords?

Google Adwords is:

a) targeted advertising for the 21st century
b) a great option if you have a small ad budget
c) a much better investment than the phone book
d) simple, easy to use and - FREE (read on)
e) all of the above

The answer is of course - all of the above. If you've been thinking about trying online advertising now is the time. Don't wait until that ucky back-to-school slow period. Be proactive!

Google Adwords allows you to directly reach the most qualified customer for your business. It's easier than ever - practically set it and forget it.

Let's say you're a dive center in El Cajon (just outside San Diego) and you want to promote the Boy Scout Scuba Diving Merit Badge.

Several years ago, you'd have to fork over hundreds of dollars for a mailing list and stamps, or a costly radio ad that reaches the entire San Diego market.

Google Adwords allows you to target new customers with 10 or 20 miles of your store - and only customers who do a Google search for "scuba merit badge" or "boy scout merit badges."

The ad runs alongside Google's search results. You get four lines of text (see example below).

Once your ad starts, it will keep running until your credit runs our or you exceed the pre-determined budget. Google

I have a handful of promo codes for $70 in free Google Adwords credit. The credit must be redeemed before 30 September 2010 and you must be a new adwords customer. Email your Google Adwords campaign ideas to megan dot denny at padi dot com.

To be eligible for consideration, you must have an eLearning link on your website and send me a thoughtful explanation of your Google Adwords ideas along with your PADI Member number.

Please do not register for Google Adwords until I've sent you the promo code.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

#1  A dive center Maui who wants to attract more families, could target the San Diego market (which has daily flights on Alaska Airlines). During the ad-creation process, choose keywords such as "family activities Maui" or "Maui home rentals."

#2  A retail dive store who wants to grow their EFR business might create a Google ad for the search terms "CPR training" or "corporate CPR training" within a 15 mile radius from the store.

#3  A store with a strong photography program might run an ad promoting PADI's digital photo online class and the text "on site photo pro." Possible search terms: "online photo class,""outdoor photography," "photo tips."

I look forward to your ideas! If you're looking for a little more info: watch a video describing how Adwords works or read a small business success story.

P.S. If you're interested in free money for TV advertising, co-op funds from PADI are still available.

PADI Rescue Diver Online

Rescue Diver now available as a PADI eLearning course

Student cost - $120

PADI's Rescue Diver eLearning course is online now. The online material mirrors the student manual and DVD and is an optional substitute for these items. The student also completes their knowledge reviews and the rescue exam online.

To complete their knowledge development, the instructor must administer an in-person quick quiz. The quick quiz is a free download from the eLearning Toolbox on the PADI Pro's site. 
Click on: Toolbox - eLearning - Teach eLearning - Rescue Quick Quiz.

Required Materials
Here are the required materials for a student who's complete the Rescue Diver eLearning course:

1. Rescue Diver quick quiz.
2. Accident Management Workslate
3. A pocket mask.

The accident management workslate and pocket mask are available in our Rescue Diver eLearning "enhancement pak" - product no. 70820. Member price is $39.65. The quick quiz is a free download from the PADI Pro's Site.

Registration and Pricing
Student cost is: $120

Divers must affiliate with a PADI Dive Center or Resort during the registration process. Independent instructors may pre-purchase eLearning Gift Passes to associate divers with their member number.

During registration, the student is notified that certification requires in-water training is required at an additional cost. When promoting the eLearning option for Rescue Diver, it's a good idea to explain what this additional cost is.

We also have web banners for Rescue Diver online. If you're viewing this article as an email you may need to click through to see the Rescue Diver banners. 

To view the banners on the PADI Pro's site click on:

Toolbox - eLearning -Market eLearning - eLearning Banners and Buttons - English (scroll down to the bottom for the Rescue banners)

Preview Any eLearning Course
PADI Stores and Instructors who've previously purchased an eLearning Gift Pass can preview any of our eLearning courses online. Here's how:

1. Visit elearning.padi.com
2. Click on User Maintanence
3. Next - click on Preview Course Sections
4. Choose the course you want to preview from the drop down menu

Visit padiinstructorinfo.com for an overview and FAQ's for all our eLearning programs.

Welcome Nick

If you've placed an order recently, you may have noticed we have a new sales consultant. Welcome (back) to Nick Buskirk!

Nick worked for PADI Travel Network several years ago. After working in Thailand and Hawaii he's returned to lovely Rancho Santa Margarita. It must be for the weather? Possibly In N' Out Burger.

I asked Nick for some vital stats (see below). If you get him on the phone, please give him a warm, "aloha."

Name:   Nick Buskirk  

           

Hometown: Dana Point, CA

Location Where You Got Certified:  Channel Islands, California Coast

First Concert:  U2 in 1992

Dive Industry Experience: 9 years

Sea Creatures You Hope to Meet Underwater One Day:  Whatever is feeding on the Sardine Run off the South African coast

A Great Moment Under Water: Watching another Divemaster get his Mask smacked off his face by the tail of a 25 foot Whale Shark….don’t get to close.

Are You a Lefty?

I was reading an article in Wired the other day about the surprising random connections between people and their habits. For example:

• If you are an only child, you're more likely to be a cat person.
• If you have an MBA, you're more likely to prefer blue ink pens then black ones.

This got me thinking: it seems like there are a lot of left-handed people here at PADI. I wondered if - for whatever reason - there are more left-handed scuba instructors than the general population.

So, if you're a Divemaster, AI or Instructor, please take a moment to vote in my quasi-scientific study. I'll post the results in September.

Scuba Professionals Only: Are you left handed?