tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68493792279035457462024-03-14T03:54:38.659+00:00Islands In The Sea - PADI UK, Ireland, Malta & CyprusRichard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-83506559632663899052010-03-02T10:52:00.010+00:002010-03-02T11:16:09.018+00:00Project AWARE 100% PIC Online - Thank You<span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" >A big thank you to the following PADI International Ltd Dive Centres who are signed up to the 100% Project AWARE PIC Online Shceme.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">By joining this new programme you ensure that all your students whose cards are processed online receive the Project AWARE version of their PADI certification card. You also show your commitment to the protection of aquatic resources by raising vital funds to help Project AWARE complete its mission.</span><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Aqua Divers, Anavissos Greece S32289 <a href="http://www.aquadiversclub.com/">http://www.aquadiversclub.com/</a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Capenwray Diving, Carnforth Lancashire S3632 <a href="http://www.dive-site.co.uk/">http://www.dive-site.co.uk/</a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Marine Divers, Paphos Cyprus S32431 <a href="http://www.pwmarinedivers.com/">http://www.pwmarinedivers.com/</a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Waterhoppers, Rhodes Greece S3431 <a href="http://www.waterhoppers.com/">http://www.waterhoppers.com/</a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Ocean Turtle Diving, Basingstoke Hampshire S32106 <a href="http://www.oceanturtlediving.com/">http://www.oceanturtlediving.com/</a><br /><br />If you'd like to sign up to the 100% Project AWARE PIC Online scheme, simply download the registration form <a href="http://www.padi-islands.com/files/docs/PIC%20Online%20Agreement%20Letter.doc">located here</a>, and </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">fax to Project AWARE Foundation (International) : +44 (0)117 300 7270</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-21566804044598732792010-03-02T10:06:00.001+00:002010-03-02T10:13:37.949+00:00Digital Option for The Undersea Journal and Sport Diver<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKg3BaoM1BkV7BLHF2UBvRE5XbuUt1VjcdhKnNVwqpyEkrvNp4HLej4yLezKoYh-OlmBbK1NtFtBG0g1x4PtyisNwQDeZB8Ag8ga4Zu5J40b4eG6LQSIM8x3MBh4Z6LQToV9IEXQ3rIk/s1600-h/092quj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKg3BaoM1BkV7BLHF2UBvRE5XbuUt1VjcdhKnNVwqpyEkrvNp4HLej4yLezKoYh-OlmBbK1NtFtBG0g1x4PtyisNwQDeZB8Ag8ga4Zu5J40b4eG6LQSIM8x3MBh4Z6LQToV9IEXQ3rIk/s320/092quj.jpg" border="0" width="130" height="179" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">While you're on the PADI Pros site </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.padiinstructorinfo.com/2010/02/padi-instructor-manual-now-available.html">downloading the 2010 PADI Instructor Manual</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> you can sign up to receive </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">Sport Diver</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> and / or </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">The Undersea Journal</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> electronically. This is a free service for PADI Members.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Switch to the electronic versions and you'll receive an email when the latest issue is available online. What you'll get is an electronic version of the magazine provided through a system called </span></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.zinio.com/whatiszinio/">Zinio</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> -</span><b style="font-family: verdana;"> it's not a .pdf</b><span style="font-family: verdana;">. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Not sure if you'll like an electronic magazine?</span></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"> I found a link on Zinio's site where you can </span></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.zinio.com/browse/publications/free-samples.jsp">download a magazine for free to try it out</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">. FYI you have to create an account to get the free magazine. Looks like there's also </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.zinio.com/iphone/">an iPhone app</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3xpr1RtHLMy9FLJqmGn6gojnAFM8rl3uJ-THU0jHPcKDCgkGaUIttbpuTazCRwauwnm-2V_5LLNJuiEzueRhutLGaxnAGMQ7KePXX7W0ITsfPM-1LbgIwaSR3ypbU-T7raaAdN7cM8OI/s1600-h/08+Oct+SD+cover.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; font-family: verdana;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3xpr1RtHLMy9FLJqmGn6gojnAFM8rl3uJ-THU0jHPcKDCgkGaUIttbpuTazCRwauwnm-2V_5LLNJuiEzueRhutLGaxnAGMQ7KePXX7W0ITsfPM-1LbgIwaSR3ypbU-T7raaAdN7cM8OI/s320/08+Oct+SD+cover.PNG" border="0" /></a></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If it were me - I'd continue getting the paper copy of </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">Sport Diver </i><span style="font-family: verdana;">and go digital with the </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">UJ.</i></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><i style="font-family: verdana;">Sport Diver</i></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> magazine is a great marketing piece. Leave it at the dentist, the gym, anywhere it might find a curious reader. Attach a business card or two to the inside cover and on the back cover. You never know, right?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"> This is just my personal opinion, I'm as crunchy granola as they come and of course the more we can do to reduce our paper consumption the better. </span></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVdCSKyFmtYhoflGRQjwHt62UrpPHx8CSrHGN2XRXI61Pq0kqFY20qMsZfo1X6p8Kq_1B1ocJB6oEDQNL65onS_HrCFswuiKoqkfMDfieU3iSdUk2JZ-71mR4H_7ER4RuxnJXujX_JZE/s1600/digitaloption.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; font-family: verdana;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVdCSKyFmtYhoflGRQjwHt62UrpPHx8CSrHGN2XRXI61Pq0kqFY20qMsZfo1X6p8Kq_1B1ocJB6oEDQNL65onS_HrCFswuiKoqkfMDfieU3iSdUk2JZ-71mR4H_7ER4RuxnJXujX_JZE/s320/digitaloption.png" border="0" width="210" height="205" /></a></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you're ready to go digital with </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">Sport Diver</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> or </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">The Undersea Journal</i><span style="font-family: verdana;">, here's how to do it:</span><br /></span> <ol style="font-family: verdana;"><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Log on to padimembers.com</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Click on Members Toolbox</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Scroll down to <b>Member Services</b></span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Click on the first link:<br /><i>Go Digital! Manage Your PADI Subscriptions here</i></span> </li><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Click next to the picture of each magazine to opt in for a digital copy.<i> </i></span></li></ol><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Once you choose the electronic option we will no longer send you a paper copy of the magazine. Address labels are run approximately six weeks before the magazines get mailed, so there's a chance you'll get one more paper copy after opting in for the electronic option. Currently it's not possible to receive both an electronic and a paper copy - just one or the other.</span></span>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-38213498123825635632010-03-02T09:58:00.002+00:002010-03-02T10:04:15.600+00:002010 Instructor Manual Available Online<div style="text-align: center;font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>2010 Instructor Manual Available as a Free Download</b><br /><b>for Renewed PADI Members</b></span> </div><div style="text-align: center;font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Renewed PADI Members (Instructors, DMs, AIs, etc.) can now download the 2010 PADI Instructor Manual from padimembers.com. The 1.25 MB .pdf is the first link in the right hand column. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a alt="new PADI instructor manual download link" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXLDgipRK8Pgyj5LZ5_8oS_50jZJuuMyOONUj3YMRNEHzCpvQ3bNQk5rqXLZst9RZVoMS9WKNu_I1WtqiO8X24KVm9h9t6VWSgfVt45W5wmxc6vRPnGwGeMvT_lFbST4AaUT6VixfsuU/s1600-h/2010+Instructor+Manual.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Enriched Air Prescriptive Lesson Guides"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXLDgipRK8Pgyj5LZ5_8oS_50jZJuuMyOONUj3YMRNEHzCpvQ3bNQk5rqXLZst9RZVoMS9WKNu_I1WtqiO8X24KVm9h9t6VWSgfVt45W5wmxc6vRPnGwGeMvT_lFbST4AaUT6VixfsuU/s320/2010+Instructor+Manual.png" border="0" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"> If you are not renewed, please call us at +44 (0) 117 300 ext. 7281 (Monday - Friday) to get renewed.</span></span>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-13520497362245488972010-03-02T09:44:00.003+00:002010-03-02T09:50:26.825+00:00<div style="text-align: center;font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:large;"><b>Dive Theory Online is the newest PADI eLearning course</b></span></span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><a alt="PADI Prescriptive Lesson Guides for Enriched Air Dive Computer version" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizQUASDOgDXROCcs9mhA_sdln_hM3y_pJS9TseC5ulfPC9s_GQrZdo7hrn7-GSFjwR6Egp4peVtaH8LHbfRkAG-VJglAQOyNh5GOZNNKzVCnbE_SY8XfkzwwIW0Nv4gFlI_dV5v6AGhA/s1600-h/dive+theory2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; font-family: verdana;" title="PADI eLearning Dive Theory online"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizQUASDOgDXROCcs9mhA_sdln_hM3y_pJS9TseC5ulfPC9s_GQrZdo7hrn7-GSFjwR6Egp4peVtaH8LHbfRkAG-VJglAQOyNh5GOZNNKzVCnbE_SY8XfkzwwIW0Nv4gFlI_dV5v6AGhA/s320/dive+theory2.png" border="0" width="200" height="100" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">Dive Theory Online is now live at </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.padi.com/elearning">padi.com/elearning</a><span style="font-family:verdana;">. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"> Student cost: $100.</span></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><b style="font-family: verdana;">What is Dive Theory Online?</b><br /></span> <ul style="font-family:verdana;"><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><b style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">For Divemaster, AI, and OWSI Candidate</b><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">s</span> - an exam study tool<br /><br /></span> </li><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><b style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">For Instructors</b> -<br />Offer students the opportunity to try Dive Theory online in lieu of attending the dive theory lectures.<br /><br />Or - use Dive Theory Online to brush up on Boyle's Law (and other dive theory topics) before teaching a DM course. </span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span> </li></ul><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Dive Theory Online gives a comprehensive overview of dive physics, dive physiology, dive skills, environmental considerations,* dive equipment specifics and decompression theory & the RDP. Each section consists of multi-media instructional sections followed by study questions. End-of-section assessments verify eLearner mastery of each section.</span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:x-small;" >* What was once a single topic - dive skills and environment – has been broken down into two separate presentations – dive skills and environmental considerations. </span></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><b style="font-family: verdana;">What <i>isn't </i>Dive Theory Online?</b></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"> Dive Theory Online is not a substitute for any required materials. All PADI Divemaster candidates are still required to own a personal copy of the DM manual, DM slates, Instructor Manual,* Diving Knowledge Workbook, and Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving (included in the </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.padiinstructorinfo.com/2009/11/2010-padi-instructor-manual-revised.html">Divemaster crewpak</a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> - product no. 60020). Dive Theory online is supplemental study material.</span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:x-small;" >* Instructor manual required for all DM candidates beginning 1 June 2010</span></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"> Dive Theory Online is not a prerequisite for professional-level PADI courses. It is optional study material.</span></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"> Dive Theory Online is not a substitute for Divemaster exams, or any other candidate exam. </span></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><b style="font-family: verdana;">Want to take a peek?</b></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"> PADI stores and Instructors who've previously purchased an Access Pass can preview Dive Theory online (or any of our other eLearning courses):</span><br /></span> <ol style="font-family:verdana;"><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Visit <a href="http://elearning.padi.com/">elearning.padi.com</a></span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Click on User Maintanence</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Next - click on Preview Course Sections</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Choose Dive Theory online from the drop down menu</span></li></ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a alt="Study for Divemaster Exams online" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5_MsNdyCFi1ehUHunyi-t1DGIDJ6DvXllK82j-T0yzscbk_QWLjmNMuDS2tAjCT2HOQUldibBEQt3UMCNYe8olehjhytp18k9v_PxAhONlDiTKVcZod48oHm_XZBsdVqbanHMxLebDo/s1600-h/Dive+Theory.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Enriched Air Prescriptive Lesson Guides"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5_MsNdyCFi1ehUHunyi-t1DGIDJ6DvXllK82j-T0yzscbk_QWLjmNMuDS2tAjCT2HOQUldibBEQt3UMCNYe8olehjhytp18k9v_PxAhONlDiTKVcZod48oHm_XZBsdVqbanHMxLebDo/s320/Dive+Theory.png" border="0" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><b style="font-family: verdana;">Registration and Website Info</b><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"> When signing up for Dive Theory online through padi.com, the student will select a PADI member to affiliate with; however, </span></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">the Dive Theory Online program does not have an in-person component. It is online training only</b><span style="font-family:verdana;">. The student should affiliate with the PADI Member that is completing their DM, AI or IDC training.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"> PADI stores who already have an eLearning link on their website are </span></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">automatically set up to offer Dive Theory online</b><span style="font-family:verdana;">. As with the other eLearning programs, the student will click through to padi.com and select the course from a drop-down menu.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"> If you do not wish to offer Dive Theory online, use the </span></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">eLearning course selector tool</b><span style="font-family:verdana;"> found on the PADI Pros homepage (about halfway down).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"> For assistance modifying your eLearning course offerings, or to get your eLearning.padi.com login information, contact Training Department at: +44 (0) 117 300 7234 ext. 7339 </span></span>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-39062136109251005422010-02-22T07:59:00.003+00:002010-02-22T08:10:07.061+00:00PADI eLearning<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">By James Stockdale - UK and Ireland Regional Go Pro Challenge Winner 2008</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I was extremely sceptical of 'eLearning' at first! I felt terrible about the idea of losing the personal interaction with a student. I was very closed-minded. I felt robbed of "MY" students. But, as things have progressed, so too has my attitude to the course. <br /><br />First I found that increasingly the idea of sitting in a classroom for 2 hours at a time doesn't appeal to every potential student. I’ve seen a huge increase in the number of younger divers - most of them computer savvy – and, for many of them, sitting at home doing theory in their own time with a cup of tea in their hand is far more alluring than the alternative. <br /><br />There's also the advantage of them spending as much time as they want on an area that they are having difficulties with. There is nothing worse than when you have a student in a classroom, who finds it hard to grasp the idea of something - you are restricted by giving fair and equal attention to everyone as well as making sure everyone progresses at a similar pace. This is a perfect example of how eLearning removes time constraints. And if the student is still unable to understand through eLearning, they are more than welcome to contact me for some 1-to1 help in person. <br /><br />I've started looking at the eLearning as an opportunity on my part to focus on the practical side of things more. We have a great time utilising every shred of time in the water, and we can talk to our hearts’ content afterwards. It's more than enough time for me to find out the students’ interests and diving ambitions. They also see how easy it is to get certified as a diver.<br /><br />I expect to see eLearning become more and more popular and it'll be a positive step forward for the dive industry.</span></span>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-91919708424679492582010-02-09T21:27:00.000+00:002010-02-09T21:27:49.984+00:00SHOW OFF YOUR SUPPORT<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">NEW Project AWARE Card</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The new limited edition AWARE certification card is now available</span>.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
<img src="http://projectaware.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/aw_ccard_turtlefish_2010_hi.jpg" /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Your student divers can now choose the new 2010 AWARE version of their PADI certification card or replace their card and support underwater conservation. For a minimum donation of £5, any diver can sport the new sea turtle card and know 100 percent of their gift supports protection for the environment they love most.</span></div><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://projectaware.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/aw_showoffsupport_poster-lo1.pdf">Download a copy</a> of the Project AWARE Limited Edition Card options poster for 2010</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
To find out more about Project AWARE Foundation’s ongoing conservation efforts and to become directly involved visit <a href="http://www.projectaware.org/">www.projectaware.org</a>.</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1f497d;"><o:p></o:p></span></span>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-61017729113928324542010-01-22T20:35:00.002+00:002010-01-22T21:45:24.354+00:0015 Minute Marketing Idea - QR Codes<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>15 Minute Marketing Idea</b></span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What<i> is</i> this thing?</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.qrstuff.com/generate.generate?type=TEXT&text=http%3A%2F%2Fpadi-islands.blogspot.com%2F" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="QR Code Preview" border="0" height="116" hspace="0" id="qrcode-preview" src="http://www.qrstuff.com/generate.generate?type=TEXT&text=http%3A%2F%2Fpadi-islands.blogspot.com%2F" vspace="0" width="116" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">It's a QR code.... and in 2010, you'll start seeing a lot more of them. Google really likes QR codes, so you can pretty much guarentee that they'll become mainstream (<a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/explore-whole-new-way-to-window-shop.html">http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/explore-whole-new-way-to-window-shop.html</a>). </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">A QR code is a special barcode that acts like an internet hyperlink. When scanned by a smart phone (such as an iPhone) it will display a webpage, business card, or message.<br />
</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> QR codes are an easy, cheap and fun way to promote your business.<br />
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<b>Read on!</b> By the end you'll know how to create these codes and use them for nefarious guerilla marketing purposes.<br />
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That funny-looking box above represents a link to padiinstructorinfo.com. Scan it with a smartphone, and PADI Desert Chronicles will appear on the screen.<br />
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The code isn't doing much sitting on this webpage - but imagine if I printed out 300 of these codes on sticker paper and put them in every bathroom stall at DEMA? Besides a possible misdemeanor for me, it would be a sly marketing move: capturing the attention of smartphones users - anyone with an iPhone, Android phone, Palm Pre, etc.<br />
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This is pretty powerful marketing - that costs next to nothing. Additionally, you reaching customers who don't mind spending money on cool gizmos. According to ComScore - <a href="http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/330360/apple_iphone_takes_no_2_user_base_slot_u_/">over 38 million Americans own smartphones</a> already and 64% plan to purchase a smart phone in the near future. <br />
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Creating a QR code is extremely easy. Pasted below is a screengrab from <a href="http://qrstuff.com/">qrstuff.com</a> - one of many free QR code generators.</span> <br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>As you can see it's three short steps.</b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEias30tVzp4cel5M6FC68vI37SxH0rwlFaA1xPZ4YXbSyuJc-E3wAgAIGBFdf9kuhFZlFwM1-emx24LzQtO8ZRLQoIHgD2RqqhbhA9bZt_uDHGNFj2u6aQUqdJ3CN4zFhscmqAkcx_ui6o/s1600-h/QR+code.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEias30tVzp4cel5M6FC68vI37SxH0rwlFaA1xPZ4YXbSyuJc-E3wAgAIGBFdf9kuhFZlFwM1-emx24LzQtO8ZRLQoIHgD2RqqhbhA9bZt_uDHGNFj2u6aQUqdJ3CN4zFhscmqAkcx_ui6o/s320/QR+code.png" width="265" /></a></span><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
#1 Decide where you want the user to be directed to: (website, telephone number, etc). <br />
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#2 Type in the web address (or phone number) into the box<br />
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#3 Print!</span> <br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>How to utilize QR Codes</b><br />
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<b>Step 1: What is Your Goal?</b><br />
</span> <br />
</div><ul style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Increase membership in your dive club?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Book more divers into an upcoming dive trip or charter?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Promote a new product?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Spread the word about your internship opportunity?<br />
<br />
</span> </li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Step 2: What do you want people to see?</b><br />
When the QR code is scanned, it will bring up a webpage link, virtual business card, phone number, or a few lines of text - your choice. Whatever you choose will display on the phone's screen.<br />
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Let's say your goal is to bring new people into your dive club.</span><br />
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</span> <br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The QR code should point at a webpage (or text) describing your next dive club meeting date, time, location and topics. Be sure to say why your dive club meeting will be <b>the most exciting night of the year</b>. Maybe you're having an interesting guest speaker. Maybe there will be manufacturer-sponsored prizes. You've got a new customer's attention, make it as exciting as possible.</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Additionally, you may wish to hide the link that you want the visitor to click, thereby getting them to your web page through curiosity. For example, if a customer scans the QR codes and it displays the link 'http://www.learntoscubadive.com' the customer will immediately make a conscious decision as to whether they will click the link, as the URL is quite descriptive of the content.</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Try shortening the URL through <a href="http://tinyurl.com/">TinyURL</a> to hide the</span><span style="font-size: small;"> ultimate destination, thereby ensuring the end user has to click through to your site. Try this example: <br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.qrstuff.com/generate.generate?type=TEXT&text=Come%20on%20in%2C%20the%20water%27s%20lovely%21%0A%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2Fdlm9hx" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="QR Code Preview" border="0" height="200" hspace="0" id="qrcode-preview" src="http://www.qrstuff.com/generate.generate?type=TEXT&text=Come%20on%20in%2C%20the%20water%27s%20lovely%21%0A%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2Fdlm9hx" vspace="0" width="200" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Step 3: Go Nuts!</b><br />
Create your QR code (see recommended websites below) and distribute!<br />
</span> <br />
</div><ul style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">If <b>promoting your business or dive club</b>: place the QR codes (responsibly) in and around places where divers hang out. Is there a breakfast spot near a training site that attracts divers? Print out the codes and put them on index cards - under car windshield wipers, stashed in the menus, around the dive centre, or on your website etc.<br />
<br />
</span> </li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">To <b>promote a new product</b> such as a safety whistle or underwater camera in your store, post a QR code next to the product and link to a video of the product in action (on the manufacturer's website, or something you've made).<br />
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</span> </li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Need to <b>fill up an upcoming dive trip?</b> Put a QR code on your trip flyers and have it point to a youtube video of the destination. <br />
<br />
</span> </li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Print off a sheet of QR codes and <b>use them as a calling card</b>. Leave one with your restaurant bill or in the waiting room of the dentist's office. Maybe write an intriguing message on the back, <br />
"Are you Curious?"</span> <br />
</li>
</ul><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<ul style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><li><span style="font-size: small;"></span>Print them onto stickers and plaster them over your dive kit / friends dive kit / interesting and unusual place.<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
</span> </li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Some of the websites below will <b>print your QR code on a t-shirt</b>. Walk around town, a convention center, or your favorite outdoor concert and invite people you see using their smartphones to scan your shirt.* )</span> <br />
</li>
</ul><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<ul style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Hide QR codes amongst your shop merchandise, and offer discounts or added extras for those customers that can decipher them.<br />
</span> </li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGwHQwgBzSI" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2487/4070919057_720b66190b.jpg" width="179" /></a></span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The QR code is still new to many folks which makes it a great conversation piece. <i>Esquire</i> magazine and <i>Fast Company</i> recently did issues spotlighting this new technology. <br />
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Also, take my word on this one: people who own smartphones love to show off what they can do.<br />
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<b>Are you QRious? Ready to Get Started?</b><br />
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<b>Try out the QR code experience (see below)<br />
</b><br />
Using a smartphone with a QR barcode reader, scan the QR code below. If it doesn't work for you right off the screen, try printing the image out on a piece of paper.</span> <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.qrstuff.com/generate.generate?type=TEXT&text=http%3A%2F%2Fpadi-islands.blogspot.com%2F" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="http://www.qrstuff.com/generate.generate?type=TEXT&text=http%3A%2F%2Fpadi-islands.blogspot.com%2F" border="0" height="200" src="http://www.qrstuff.com/generate.generate?type=TEXT&text=http%3A%2F%2Fpadi-islands.blogspot.com%2F" width="200" /></a></span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>No barcode reader?</b><br />
</span> <br />
</div><ul style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Here's CNet's list of the <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10412329-2.html">best barcode readers for the iPhone</a>. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">For Android I use the app called Barcode Scanner (it's free).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.neoreader.com/alias0.html">NeoReader </a>is a QR reader app for Blackberry, Palm and other phones - though I haven't personally tested it.</span></li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <b>Ready to Make Your Own?</b><br />
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<b>Useful websites:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.qrstuff.com/index.html">Print out one or several QR codes</a> at qrstuff.com. You can print the codes on regular paper or make stickers on Avery labels). You can also create fabric QR patches at <a href="http://p8tch.com/">p8tch.com</a> (attach to a dive bag, jacket, etc).<br />
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<b>15 minute QR code project</b><br />
</span> <br />
</div><ol style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Go to qrstuff.com</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Choose "text" as the data type</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Update the sample text below.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Paste the text into the website's text box.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Print.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Distribute.<br />
</span></li>
</ol><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>To: The Curious One!</b><br />
</span> <br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>From: [your dive business name here]<br />
</b><br />
</span> <br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Fate is telling you to become a scuba diver. Email us at [your email here] or call us at XXX-XXX-XXXX. Mention you found our QR code and you and a friend can try scuba for free in our pool. Already a diver? Come to our next dive club meeting. We'd love to meet you. </span><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Email us for details.<br />
</span></span><br />
<b>One last really important thing:</b><br />
You've got the customer's attention. Make the payoff compelling. Rather than simply linking to your homepage, consider a short message of simple text that references your website. For example: <br />
<br />
<i>Hi there, we like your style. We're scuba divers, and like you, we're curious. We like to explore and try new things. Here's our website: xyzdivecenter.com - we hope you'll stop by.</i><br />
<br />
Alternately, you could have the QR code point to a special page on your website inviting the customer to leave their contact info to receive a special offer. Or, if you have a short promotional video already produced, you could link to the video's URL. Be sure and watch your video on someone's phone first to make sure it looks okay.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;">Competition:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">This year, I expect to start seeing more and more of these weird little hyroglyphics all over the place. Send me a photograph of your QR Code advertisement via email, and a winner will be selected at the end of the year to receive a special prize. The more interesting, innovative and unusual the QR code and its placement, the higher your chance of winning.<br />
</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">One final QR Link for you to try:</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <br />
</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="QR Code Preview" border="0" height="320" hspace="0" id="qrcode-preview" src="http://www.qrstuff.com/generate.generate?type=TEXT&text=You%20seem%20curious%3F%20You%20seem%20like%20the%20type%20of%20person%20that%20we%27d%20like%20to%20entertain.%20%20Want%20to%20find%20out%20more%3F%0A%0AFollow%20the%20link%20and%20see%20how%20exciting%20life%20can%20become%3A%0A%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2Fyc7jgkj" vspace="0" width="320" /></span><br />
</div><br />
</div><br />
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</div>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-19920870102316025412010-01-15T11:46:00.000+00:002010-01-15T11:46:15.354+00:00Beating the big chill - Above and Below go Ice Diving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCVVM1XTXJN634zZvRg_dGscgOqMlMDbEnjW0j_c_X4TCffo6b1Eu38iutc8_U5oHV58RhAEOcHQPOjTWw68fONuxjWaHmPmn7-kONPZizd1JHLHsKU6EcCDr-HyDPal7ufODK7vvQz8/s1600-h/25_heavy_shower_night.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCVVM1XTXJN634zZvRg_dGscgOqMlMDbEnjW0j_c_X4TCffo6b1Eu38iutc8_U5oHV58RhAEOcHQPOjTWw68fONuxjWaHmPmn7-kONPZizd1JHLHsKU6EcCDr-HyDPal7ufODK7vvQz8/s320/25_heavy_shower_night.gif" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Unless you've been hibernating over the past month (or you're fortunate enough to reside outside of the UK), you'll have noticed that we've been experiencing a little snow and ice around our island in the Atlantic.</span></span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Most of us (me included) decided that this would be a good oppourtunity to stock up the kitchen shelves with hot soup and bread rolls, wrap ourselves in a duvet for a few more minutes each morning, and generally try to get through the snow storms as best we could. </span><br />
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</div><div class="" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">The team at Above and Below Dive Centre, Pontefract decided differently however. Martin and Sharon Ainsworth saw this as an oppourtunity to provide training to their customers that wasn't usually available in the UK, and often cost quite considerable amounts of money to complete elsewhere...PADI Ice Diver.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC8WdjFpQV73iH27tI_GIeTBcSwSVRSSeAGVkXyHQMdqGe9oP5VsamedOvo18do1Tsd6q2Hr3qWYoyjJ2iYrP9joL65xC1ub6D6r_CY3ZlMT68Oea3Li6xVwdkiK-J-OtvyzX1qNZ9EzA/s1600-h/20976.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC8WdjFpQV73iH27tI_GIeTBcSwSVRSSeAGVkXyHQMdqGe9oP5VsamedOvo18do1Tsd6q2Hr3qWYoyjJ2iYrP9joL65xC1ub6D6r_CY3ZlMT68Oea3Li6xVwdkiK-J-OtvyzX1qNZ9EzA/s320/20976.jpg" /></a></span><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'll not try to explain the psychology behind their decision to jump into freezing water in January (I'd be there myself if I didn't have a dislocated shoulder...honest!). Therefore I'll let Sharon Ainsworth explain in her own words how they went about this endeavour:</span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span>"As you know, Martin, not backwards in coming forwards, decided to take advantage of the sub zero temperatures, (and the fact that Blue Lagoon has completely iced over) and promote the ice diver speciality – a first for us here in the UK!!!! - here’s how it went:<o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnivaAGqbMyKXBsRKHnyybXE-4Rpmb662JpatBvxpNnq-zBL3_-nsBmrWvzhoJHTD_P7G9wUFyDQEM6UTDLACD2RTC89yRPWDnMQ1cHu3eF416laKHmeSonBp2VSyexwJgwLcIOFyBH8/s1600-h/20977.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnivaAGqbMyKXBsRKHnyybXE-4Rpmb662JpatBvxpNnq-zBL3_-nsBmrWvzhoJHTD_P7G9wUFyDQEM6UTDLACD2RTC89yRPWDnMQ1cHu3eF416laKHmeSonBp2VSyexwJgwLcIOFyBH8/s320/20977.jpg" /></a></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span>We started at 8am, preparing the site prior to divers arriving – what a surprise this was – you can see by the photo, the chunk of ice we took out was several inches thick, remarkable considering the lake is over 16 acres, and all frozen! It was so heavy that one of our team had to get in and smash it up into smaller pieces!!<o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span>After refreshing everyone on knot tying, we began to assign roles as divers, rope tenders and safety divers working as a team. This was a challenge in itself, as EVERYONE wanted to be first in! Anyway, after the biggest, most senior, superior, etc, etc won, they got kitted up, roped up and descended through the hole into the crystal clear water. AWESOME was the response from the first diver on surfacing!<o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span>We had so many divers wanting to go in, by mid afternoon, we had cut 3 separate entry/exit holes through the ice, with 3 separate dive teams around the lake.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span>Anyhow, 6 ice diving instructors and 15 new ice divers later, and lots of excited and smiley faces – the day was a ‘titanic’ success, (excuse the pun), so much so, we can’t wait to do it again later this week (weather permitting)<o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><i>The air temperature was 2 degs C, water temp 0 degs C."</i></span></span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNhzC6vxZncWGaDUTUh3EvGMfu3vQqKwO9hcYVMKMkPm4jxbRXYIQokhH5-dWGHZBgxpMJTFM3CdUPnQGLWpFAspLnUxkNXh2F_X9hYVH6cGZK8bja_AtDeQ9mNuQFI5bT8ZwgGp56QV4/s1600-h/20975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNhzC6vxZncWGaDUTUh3EvGMfu3vQqKwO9hcYVMKMkPm4jxbRXYIQokhH5-dWGHZBgxpMJTFM3CdUPnQGLWpFAspLnUxkNXh2F_X9hYVH6cGZK8bja_AtDeQ9mNuQFI5bT8ZwgGp56QV4/s320/20975.jpg" /></a></span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">I think you'll agree that this looks like great fun, and is a great example of PADI Members taking advantage of the change in weather to get divers learning some new skills, completing further training and having a great time whilst doing it.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">If any other PADI Members have been doing anything interesting over the previous months (BCD Sledging?!!!) please send your article and photographs through to me at <a href="mailto:richard.howes@padi.co.uk">richard.howes@padi.co.uk</a> and I'll get the posted on this blog.<br />
</span><br />
</div>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-57704530788609459942010-01-13T16:32:00.000+00:002010-01-13T16:32:23.933+00:00Happy New Year<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Happy New Year to all PADI Dive Centres and PADI Instructors. I trust that you all had a great break over the winter period, and not too many of you are suffering due to the chilling winter snow in the UK.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">2010 has now officially started, and we're into a new season. For those of you wanting to know how your centre performed during 2010, we'll be sending your centre ranking via email shortly.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For those members wanting to know what is in store for the coming year with regards to PADI, Standards Updates and ideas for increasing customer uptake and retention, the member forums will be running in the next few months. Check back here for updates on dates.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In the meantime, as a new years present grab a coffee and check out some of the Scuba Related Advertisements from yesteryear:<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/search?q=scuba">http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/search?q=scuba</a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">See you all soon!<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYrXPqYYRr6oz7cqiWaZJ3yOcMLLVc7xDcZCPsZZRmSZzjdobKFzSBihwN61_r6utrn0KruUMzB4cOIfvZmN_ZFdNh5-7trVFIKGQYHHv7_rp71hV1C4mDJwLf67A3ydzP5Pt4k2Dt1s/s1600-h/wjmn06z2zdu7vr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYrXPqYYRr6oz7cqiWaZJ3yOcMLLVc7xDcZCPsZZRmSZzjdobKFzSBihwN61_r6utrn0KruUMzB4cOIfvZmN_ZFdNh5-7trVFIKGQYHHv7_rp71hV1C4mDJwLf67A3ydzP5Pt4k2Dt1s/s640/wjmn06z2zdu7vr.jpg" /></a><br />
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</div>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-23867485601143788342009-12-16T13:48:00.001+00:002010-01-20T12:55:45.602+00:00Eve – Practical advice on e-mail marketing<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix-a6vTY8epXHP2aMGvl6f6MG2RsYGU-kpzZ-YZ9O_Cj-3GNSOUT-4x442HKFBZNFMj_w2aFKkoaAex4lc4otVG5veUaAVehq_tKbWyT3JxnOKuPy2sxECzJe5SiAcQ-SeATceFX2bkRI/s1600-h/EVEAutoEmailAgent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix-a6vTY8epXHP2aMGvl6f6MG2RsYGU-kpzZ-YZ9O_Cj-3GNSOUT-4x442HKFBZNFMj_w2aFKkoaAex4lc4otVG5veUaAVehq_tKbWyT3JxnOKuPy2sxECzJe5SiAcQ-SeATceFX2bkRI/s320/EVEAutoEmailAgent.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>By Ian Sykes, ISSYS</i><br />
<br />
As time goes on, spam and junk filters run by ISPs – Internet Service Providers – get tighter and tighter. <br />
<br />
Avoiding being marked as a spammer depends on as many variables as there are grains in a handful of dust but the following should help:</span><br />
</div><ol style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Make the e-mails you send out a mixture of plain text and HTML. By that I mean that some of the e-mails you send out should be plain text and some HTML. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">The easiest way is to keep those e-mails that say, for example, "yes, Friday's good for me" should be sent as plain text.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Avoid using "Dear" as the salutation. Similar to the physical junk mail we all receive which starts with "Dear", spam filters look for this greeting and score it highly. Hi, hello, etc. are better options. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Keep sentences relatively short. 76 characters is one cut off point that spam filters look for.<br />
Avoid using the bcc field as much as possible. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Ideally, send e-mails individually rather than using the multiple recipients option, as much as possible. This means that the receiver's ISP sees that the e-mail is addressed to the recipient only and so marks the e-mail as being much warranted.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Sending out bulk – i.e. bcc or multiple recipients – e-mails day after day will eventually result in an increasing number of ISPs marking your address as being a spammer.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Attachments also gain a few more points on most spam tables, particularly in conjunction with multiple recipient e-mails. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Logo files not properly embedded into your Outlook stationery can also flag up on junk filters, particularly if the original file size is large.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">If the vast majority of your "send-outs" are to groups or using bcc address fields this will also count against you. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">A balance of individual e-mails versus group e-mails is preferable. </span></li>
</ol><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Practically:<br />
<br />
I'd suggest using tighter search criteria in the Customer Search Wizard as one step forward. <br />
<br />
I'd send the e-mails individually. Depending on the version of Outlook you're using, you may need to download and install a small piece of software that eliminates all the annoying "allow permission" messages from Outlook. </span> <br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
You can download, install and run a small piece of software called Express Click Yes that runs in the background simulating any of the "Click Yes" commands that Outlook expects.<br />
<br />
There are many places to download this from – one such site is <a href="http://www.contextmagic.com/express-clickyes/" target="_blank">http://www.contextmagic.com/express-clickyes/</a> . Click Yes contains no adware or spyware and only simulates those "Click Yes" for Outlook, not for any other applications. On my own PC I have Click Yes running in the background constantly for just such a purpose <br />
<br />
Use all of the above in conjunction with the EVE Auto E-mail Agent and the EVE Customer Search Wizard to mine your database and target-market your clients.</span> <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qgNDZTkk9dVvYCkoJk7KDlwv2yzUHs_kFi6o1isnLT26IOjU2yf81HjO5tBXBmwnMo3sfYwFkTZyWDIgyL2sTV74Wjuv6Hycd5wU1gFqpUWRNyXT-SONh0Y2Mprnw-npnHmjii2UAco/s1600-h/EVEAutoEmailAgent2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qgNDZTkk9dVvYCkoJk7KDlwv2yzUHs_kFi6o1isnLT26IOjU2yf81HjO5tBXBmwnMo3sfYwFkTZyWDIgyL2sTV74Wjuv6Hycd5wU1gFqpUWRNyXT-SONh0Y2Mprnw-npnHmjii2UAco/s320/EVEAutoEmailAgent2.jpg" /></a></span><br />
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</div>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-45180545373794538982009-12-16T13:41:00.000+00:002009-12-16T13:41:22.662+00:00PADI and National Geographic Renew PADI National Geographic Diver Program<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA – 16 December 2009 -- Extending their commitment to the popular PADI National Geographic Diver program and support for PADI National Geographic Dive Centers, PADI and National Geographic have renewed the program agreement through 31 December 2011. The PADI National Geographic Diver program combines the PADI Open Water Diver course with National Geographic specific content in special PADI National Geographic Diver course materials. Since 2003, PADI is the only international training organization to work closely with National Geographic to provide such training, as well as a network of PADI and National Geographic Dive Centers around the globe. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“We’re committed to continuing this relationship with National Geographic,” said PADI President and COO Drew Richardson, “because the PADI National Geographic Diver program establishes an explorer-scientist mindset. It’s a great way to start out in diving, it gives people reasons to keep diving, and it brings new faces into PADI National Geographic Dive Centers.” </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Besides renewing PADI National Geographic Diver, National Geographic also recently invited PADI, DAN and other dive industry entities to participate in their National Geographic Live Speaker series. The series features key photographers, naturalists and speakers in high profile venues throughout the US, with participants helping publicize the events. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“It’s gratifying that National Geographic thinks enough of diving to call on our industry to participate,” said Richardson, “This speaker series will definitely get the attention of divers and potential divers, so it’s to everyone’s benefit to participate.” Richardson also noted that PADI National Geographic Dive Centers will particularly benefit because those attracted to diving by the speaker series will be attuned to the “National Geographic” of their PADI National Geographic Dive Center status. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For more information about the PADI National Geographic Diver program, contact your </span><a href="http://www.padi.com/scuba/open-a-dive-shop/contact-your-padi-team/" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">local PADI office</a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Others promise … PADI delivers. </span></span>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-76020913589201480702009-12-16T09:29:00.002+00:002009-12-16T09:29:09.327+00:00PADI Dive Center and Resort Members earn $2 million in shared revenue with PADI eLearning®<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>PADI Dive Centers and Resorts have earned shared revenue for every diver associating with their store since the launch of PADI eLearning.</i><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj280bbad-X2GL2DvrHMBWyqP59Cpw3KqQ9-tgjjiYYC3NaVMTwLqvnJtg7ta71StLwmM5SKVe8quPQzJLjJcr48XqAIsx9Jd4h2bI5YE3UlYXoIrJeBIK2YxnwRr_2_Yq1dFERfhcWfjI/s1600-h/header.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj280bbad-X2GL2DvrHMBWyqP59Cpw3KqQ9-tgjjiYYC3NaVMTwLqvnJtg7ta71StLwmM5SKVe8quPQzJLjJcr48XqAIsx9Jd4h2bI5YE3UlYXoIrJeBIK2YxnwRr_2_Yq1dFERfhcWfjI/s400/header.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA –16 December 2009 – PADI Dive Centers and Resorts worldwide are reaping the rewards – and the earnings – from <a href="http://www.padi.com/elearning">PADI eLearning</a>. To date, more than 33,000 consumers have enrolled in PADI eLearning and this has generated more than $2 million US in revenue for PADI Members.<br />
<br />
Since adding PADI eLearning as a delivery method, PADI Dive Centers and Resorts are seeing more student divers coming through their doors. This means more repeat customers and equipment sales along with a check for every student who affiliates via PADI eLearning with their store. Many members have also leveraged the Get your Link, Get Your Money campaign by placing the PADI eLearning web banner – available from the <a href="http://www.padimembers.com/">PADI Pros’ site</a> - on their websites. <br />
<br />
Here is how PADI eLearning has helped these PADI Members trim costs and increase profits: <br />
<br />
<i>“[PADI] eLearning does not require me to spend money first on open water student materials and then sell to my students. In financially challenging times this has helped my cash flow considerably, allowing me to manage costs more effectively. Plus I never run out of stock now!”</i> <br />
<br />
- Phil O'Shea, Manager of Pavilion Dive Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates <br />
<br />
<i>“Because we use [PADI] eLearning, it has given us the ability to do the open water course in a weekend which has the add-on savings to wages, equipment and staff flexibility. A large proportion of our customers choose Feet First Dive because of the time limitations, so this reflects in our bottom line with increased numbers of students. We are teaching more students and we are selling more gear, it is as simple as that.” </i><br />
<br />
- Shane Murtagh, PADI Master Instructor, Feet First Dive Centre, Nelson Bay, New South Wales, Australia <br />
<br />
With the PADI Open Water Diver Course Online now available in English, Spanish, German, Japanese, French, Italian and Dutch, PADI eLearning provides PADI Dive Centers and Resorts more ways - in more languages - to reach potential customers online. PADI Dive Centers and Resorts can also use PADI eLearning for continuing education with the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course Online and the PADI Enriched Air Diver Course Online now available, and the PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Course Online available in second quarter 2010. <br />
<br />
Earn your share of PADI eLearning revenue. For more information on taking advantage of PADI eLearning - along with all of the other benefits of PADI membership - contact your <a href="http://www.padi.com/scuba/open-a-dive-shop/contact-your-padi-team/">PADI office</a> today. <br />
<br />
Others promise … PADI delivers.<span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span><style>
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</div>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-49200590217868082992009-12-15T15:58:00.002+00:002009-12-15T16:26:03.038+00:00PADI Executive Appointed President of EUF<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWgMfwh-K7bUGE4pUYTMkNNeD7C8kD7-p_LrJqo3huy2rfKCBFvHO8_DdwSzURdPhJyOpZmG2Tc2xXzyOz789OTGehREVZVWoX2DNbCs4SixLEl0qcYN0ga25IHoeGmXtyBlRljEuOMyk/s1600-h/Mark+Caney+EUF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWgMfwh-K7bUGE4pUYTMkNNeD7C8kD7-p_LrJqo3huy2rfKCBFvHO8_DdwSzURdPhJyOpZmG2Tc2xXzyOz789OTGehREVZVWoX2DNbCs4SixLEl0qcYN0ga25IHoeGmXtyBlRljEuOMyk/s320/Mark+Caney+EUF.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">During the European Underwater Federation’s recent General Assembly in Amsterdam, Mark Caney was elected President. He will serve in this position until the end of 2012. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The European Underwater Federation (EUF) is a body representing the interests of over three million divers in the European region and has a membership consisting of a broad range of European training agencies, including both for-profit and non-profit organisations. CMAS Europe and RSTC Europe are represented in the EUF, as well as other diving related organisations such as DAN Europe, and the Egyptian CDWS. The EUF serves as a forum allowing such organisations to meet, exchange ideas and speak with a common voice on important issues like diver safety, and is truly representative of the European scuba diving market place. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The EUF has become a highly influential body within world of diving, in part through its involvement in EUF Certification International; a separate body that audits training systems and, where appropriate, certifies them as being compliant with European and ISO Standards for Recreational Diving. Such certification has become a legal requirement for dive operations in several countries such as Egypt and Greece. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Mark, who is Vice President, Training, Education and Memberships at PADI International Limited in England, is now serving for the second time as President of the EUF. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For more information about the EUF visit </span><a href="http://www.euf.eu/" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">www.euf.eu</a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> . </span></span>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-39378411037533809742009-12-15T10:52:00.001+00:002009-12-15T10:53:07.802+00:00Now available – Tec Diver Course Instructor Guide in digital format<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYoWEQb2oivCqflHljYvdM5NwvqoO7yX7pWMyVtT_4Ea7H0zI2yqjOJHc87_3KKXzarQXa2cVD-ivfVwhN1N_3RzKda6WLuZbrLsiFh3TcmLLXHWNtH8H3L0WCzBN6SkLrATTPbpsl7XQ/s1600-h/guide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYoWEQb2oivCqflHljYvdM5NwvqoO7yX7pWMyVtT_4Ea7H0zI2yqjOJHc87_3KKXzarQXa2cVD-ivfVwhN1N_3RzKda6WLuZbrLsiFh3TcmLLXHWNtH8H3L0WCzBN6SkLrATTPbpsl7XQ/s320/guide.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Tec Diver Course Instructor Guide (CDROM 70911, Paper 70605) is now available as a digital product, ready to be loaded directly onto your laptop, enabling travelling instructors to offer the courses wherever they are. Besides the course guides, the CD ROM also includes a PDF of the Appendix, with course forms, applications answer keys, answer sheets, handouts and other support materials used during the course. TecRec Instructors can now simply contact their Product Consultant for details on how to purchase this item.</span><br />
</div>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-33464601712839533572009-12-11T12:08:00.007+00:002009-12-15T10:10:54.167+00:00Using website video to enhance the customer experience<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Let's face it, by the time you get halfway through reading one of my blog posts you'll get bored or distracted. The phone will ring, a customer will walk in or you'll realise that some of my rants are just not worth reading...</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Stick with it...and I'll try to help you change the way you pass your company message to your customers.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/D29NgGRaJWo&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/D29NgGRaJWo&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />
</div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Is you website visual. By that, I mean does it contain far more pictures than text? No? Why not? Most people respond more to visual representations of what you provide than to textual descriptions. If you've read this far, you're doing better than your average customer, they'll have given up a paragraph ago (around about where I asked you to 'Stick with it').</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">How do you solve this problem? Easy; you start using video and imagery to compel your existing and potential customers to delve further into your offerings. If we take an example of a high street product, and in this case I'll choose a very popular one, the Apple iPod. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzSUd0nRR_adOCnlFCa7zKMM0AIQuX6P8Bg2JAKiStCc9SKIjy69wB2BFICUrRQrTD16A4c8IDGHnxECTD_2-JHBZkxl6GFcPOqS-vY83dag6cMRFXMYoABABgsOtd1cPXr-CNATjlzYo/s1600-h/apple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzSUd0nRR_adOCnlFCa7zKMM0AIQuX6P8Bg2JAKiStCc9SKIjy69wB2BFICUrRQrTD16A4c8IDGHnxECTD_2-JHBZkxl6GFcPOqS-vY83dag6cMRFXMYoABABgsOtd1cPXr-CNATjlzYo/s320/apple.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="border: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Essentially it's a consumer product with a cult following; everyone knows what it is, what it does, and roughly how it works. Now take a look at the web page for the iPod Classic <a href="http://www.apple.com/ipodclassic/">http://www.apple.com/ipodclassic/</a> </span><br />
</div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It's not until I start to scroll down the page that I get any 'real' chunks of text. The first thing I see is a massive picture of the product, I can then dig deeper if I wish to find out a little more about the product (tech spec, features & benefits).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Now head across to your web page and look at your Open Water Diver Course details...lots of pictures and a little bit about key features, or vice versa? Time to review that webpage and update it if it doesn't contain more pictures than words!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Second example: Head across to play.com and look at the most popular computer game of the year; 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2' (<a href="http://www.play.com/Games/Xbox360/4-/8771809/Call-Of-Duty-Modern-Warfare-2/Product.html">http://www.play.com/Games/Xbox360/4-/8771809/Call-Of-Duty-Modern-Warfare-2/Product.html</a>).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Scroll down the page and you'll find a video box that you can use to watch the actual game footage, and expereince what it's like to play the game yourself. Why is this placed there? The customer wants to know what it looks and feels like to be part of this product, what do they see? what do they feel? how amazing is it?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Video on web pages provides a great oppourtunity to provide 'a million words' in a 2 minute clip, and you can use these on your web pages to help your customers understand what diving feels like and how it changes your life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b>Things that customers don't really want to know about a PADI Course:</b></span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">How many confined water sessions are there?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Is it cheaper than the centre down the road?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">How much will the equipment cost?</span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b>Things that your customers would like to know:</b></span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Is it fun?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">What am I going to see?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Is it social?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Who am I going to meet?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Can I go diving anywhere in the world?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Can I keep learning and become a better diver?</span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My apologies, I understand that this reads like question 9 of Open Water Diver Knowledge Review 5, but our customers aren't interested in the details (when did you last book a holiday based on the colour of the bathroom suite in the hotel?). Our customers are interested in the experience and how their life will change after becoming a diver.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijly5vWjFSybRS-YQHZ638ok89sBLc3UNvNFqcx-nfhjCmS_EbAjUba1977WgEMv16qiRibEBf-JF4w1IEzLQae3I-8qGSKMI1uAysRZ-59Zn49v2cmgwWVaJy7tiO_6W9oUl0gVVmjXc/s1600-h/padicom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijly5vWjFSybRS-YQHZ638ok89sBLc3UNvNFqcx-nfhjCmS_EbAjUba1977WgEMv16qiRibEBf-JF4w1IEzLQae3I-8qGSKMI1uAysRZ-59Zn49v2cmgwWVaJy7tiO_6W9oUl0gVVmjXc/s320/padicom.jpg" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="border: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Take a look at PADI.com for an example. How many clicks does it take you to get to the real 'nuts and bolts' of the Open Water Course (the text about what's involved)? I've counted two clicks, that's two pages into the site before I get the real information about what is involved. The main page at PADI.com is media rich to give consumers and idea of what diving feels like.</span><br />
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<div style="border: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ksq_MDODGi2eXKh99nuBDhrvv8S8kbiD5Ezw80UDTAj4B7JScdTCi5XLTTx7-Z7vy4_qPn2-xLlM0RdfhNl3bcR8nuvzLd4mj4eNoEIc0FtjJgEtIMhEN_XQGrKZNfsiJ4oV8MGU8Fs/s1600-h/youtube.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ksq_MDODGi2eXKh99nuBDhrvv8S8kbiD5Ezw80UDTAj4B7JScdTCi5XLTTx7-Z7vy4_qPn2-xLlM0RdfhNl3bcR8nuvzLd4mj4eNoEIc0FtjJgEtIMhEN_XQGrKZNfsiJ4oV8MGU8Fs/s320/youtube.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Video will relay this feeling better than any words or pictures, and gives a real feeling of what diving is like as an activity. PADI has produced a library of video available for you to use on your website (make sure you try some on the homepage). The video is available through normal channels such as YouTube, and via the PADI.com website.</span><br />
</div></div><div style="border: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For video stored on YouTube of PADI courses and training:</span><br />
</div><div style="border: medium none;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/PADIProducer"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">http://www.youtube.com/user/PADIProducer</span></a><br />
</div><div style="border: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For video and photographs stored at PADI.com community pages:</span><br />
</div><div style="border: medium none;"><a href="http://www.padi.com/scuba/scuba-community/media/default.aspx"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">http://www.padi.com/scuba/scuba-community/media/default.aspx</span></a><br />
</div><div style="border: medium none;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This type of media does not just extend to the courses you sell. Manufacturers will also have promotional video available for their equipment, explaining the features and benefits (far easier to absorb than a list of spec sheets).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">By using this media rich method of delivering the messages of your dive centre, you'll attract customers to the lifestyle of diving, instead of baffling them with pages of text. Get the video camera out, get your staff talking about diving, and get it online!</span>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-39777798980743320502009-12-10T10:04:00.006+00:002009-12-10T10:07:18.756+00:00Business Tips – Indirect Marketing, Using the PADI Certificates Effectively<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMleeRFHyv6EtqSId8reDDbbNWzYMdUCqbg9aibHGa-CEYuA0bG2EvWSOR8IRTkINVkbXJvvq68Lyz6eRKhPqETgaGhbANkaDYPagv4RuRpX1T8_4mSXonPhpYWHU_h5dSVAWLUDQ6t8/s1600-h/DRI_1573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a></span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHo0iDEZjMYgIbKMHFygLQDl0sDuNZpYt7YOVksfGVA8lspCvYI3MzJjwRD_fxe-PoWXt7b_har2esCQ7cSKRIVK4yeD1fec99gg2l-crzM5z9qLRwgUJpvMNI7dFXUEnOArXRimZ2Vw/s1600-h/Gold+Frame,+Blue+Mount,+Gold+Plaque.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHo0iDEZjMYgIbKMHFygLQDl0sDuNZpYt7YOVksfGVA8lspCvYI3MzJjwRD_fxe-PoWXt7b_har2esCQ7cSKRIVK4yeD1fec99gg2l-crzM5z9qLRwgUJpvMNI7dFXUEnOArXRimZ2Vw/s320/Gold+Frame,+Blue+Mount,+Gold+Plaque.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-size: small;">Many successful PADI dive centres hold a certification evening on their premises or in a local restaurant where they award their new divers with a PADI certificate of the various courses they have completed - holding the event directly after pay day (approximately 25th f each month here in the UK), also pay dividends towards further equipment purchases and signups.</span><br />
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We know that this has always been positive as students from various courses get to mingle and promote the course that they have just completed to other attendees; we also know that invited non diving family members and friends are often turned onto the idea of scuba diving.<br />
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With all this said, have you ever given any consideration to the certificate presentation?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMleeRFHyv6EtqSId8reDDbbNWzYMdUCqbg9aibHGa-CEYuA0bG2EvWSOR8IRTkINVkbXJvvq68Lyz6eRKhPqETgaGhbANkaDYPagv4RuRpX1T8_4mSXonPhpYWHU_h5dSVAWLUDQ6t8/s1600-h/DRI_1573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMleeRFHyv6EtqSId8reDDbbNWzYMdUCqbg9aibHGa-CEYuA0bG2EvWSOR8IRTkINVkbXJvvq68Lyz6eRKhPqETgaGhbANkaDYPagv4RuRpX1T8_4mSXonPhpYWHU_h5dSVAWLUDQ6t8/s320/DRI_1573.JPG" /></a><br />
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During many of these evenings dive centres give out both framed and non-framed certificates. This got me thinking, how you can build a framed certificate that a diver would be proud to hang on the wall of their office or within their home. My solution was to include the certificate, course title, for example, Open Water Class of 2009 and a photograph with all the names of the recently qualified divers (ensure the shot is pre-dive in order that hair looks beautiful and mascara hasn't run - check that the women look OK also!).</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Having a certificate like this will immediately add the professionalism to your course that our products and materials already portray.</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">In my opinion the most important factor in the presentation is that, you can be sure that the receiving diver will hang their certificate thereby creating interest for all that look at it. I would even recommend that you insert a few business cards, on the rear of the certificate, as discussed in the article: <a href="http://padi-islands.blogspot.com/2009/10/divers-bring-divers.html">Divers Bring Divers</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Take a browse here for internet suppliers of cheap picture frames to add a little more value and sparkle to your award ceremonies.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.picturesframe.co.uk/"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.fastframes.co.uk/acatalog/A4_Picture_Frames.html</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.picturesframe.co.uk/"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.picturesframe.co.uk/</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.4x90.com/"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.4x90.com/</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.cheapframes2u.com/">http://www.cheapframes2u.com/</a><br />
</span><br />
</div>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-636420921412886332009-12-10T09:59:00.000+00:002009-12-10T09:59:03.706+00:00PADI Achieves Global Certification as ISO Recreational Diving Services Standards Compliant<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: 28pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">As of 1 December 2009, PADI Offices globally are certified as compliant with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards for Recreational Diving Services by an independent auditor, EUF Certification International. The ISO standards relate to five levels of diver, two levels of instructor and a service provider or dive centre. Each of these standards equate to a PADI certification or member level, which means that in effect, a diver or member holding one of these qualifications can also be said to have met the requirements of the relevant ISO standard – as though they had gained two credentials at once.</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: 28pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: 28pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">The eight standards are listed here with their PADI equivalencies:</span><br />
</div><div style="margin-left: 28pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div style="margin-left: 34pt;"><table border="0" height="242" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 580px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 313px;"></col><col style="width: 103px;"></col><col style="width: 192px;"></col></colgroup><tbody valign="top">
<tr style="height: 13px;"><td style="border: 0.75pt solid; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">ISO Title</span><br />
</td><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 0.75pt 0.75pt 0.75pt medium; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">ISO Reference</span><br />
</td><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 0.75pt 0.75pt 0.75pt medium; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">PADI Equivalent</span><br />
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;"><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Introductory training programs to scuba diving</span><br />
</td><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt medium; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">ISO 11121</span><br />
</td><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt medium; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Discover Scuba Diving (In open water)</span><br />
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;"><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Diver Level 1 - Supervised Diver</span><br />
</td><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt medium; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">ISO 24801-1</span><br />
</td><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt medium; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">PADI Scuba Diver</span><br />
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;"><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Diver Level 2 - Autonomous Diver</span><br />
</td><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt medium; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">ISO 24801-2</span><br />
</td><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt medium; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Open Water Diver</span><br />
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;"><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Diver Level 3 - Dive Leader</span><br />
</td><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt medium; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">ISO 24801-3</span><br />
</td><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt medium; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Divemaster</span><br />
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;"><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Training programs on enriched air nitrox diving</span><br />
</td><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt medium; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">ISO 11107</span><br />
</td><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt medium; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Enriched Air Diver</span><br />
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;"><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Instructor Level 1</span><br />
</td><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt medium; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">ISO 24802-1</span><br />
</td><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt medium; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Assistant Instructor</span><br />
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;"><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Instructor Level 2</span><br />
</td><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt medium; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">ISO 24802-2</span><br />
</td><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt medium; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Open Water Scuba Instructor</span><br />
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;"><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Recreational scuba diving service providers</span><br />
</td><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt medium; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">ISO 24803</span><br />
</td><td style="border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: medium 0.75pt 0.75pt medium; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 7px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Dive Center or Resort</span><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="margin-left: 28pt;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: 28pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Because PADI, on a worldwide level, is certified as ISO-compliant, it means more international recognition of PADI certifications. PADI credentials are already the most recognised in the diving industry, but this will make it even easier for them to be understood internationally. The ISO standards will become an international benchmark that can be used to compare divers' qualifications. This means it will be easier for divers to travel and easier for PADI professionals to work internationally. <br />
</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: 28pt;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: 28pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">The value of PADI becoming certified as being compliant with the new international standards is hard to overestimate. For example, governmental bodies may not be familiar with PADI credentials, but they will certainly be familiar with ISO standards. They are used as measures of quality for a huge range of things in most of the world. In many countries where it had been traditionally difficult for PADI instructors to work, local regulations have changed as a result of the introduction of the standards. This is particularly important in certain market areas such as Greece, South America and Asia.</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: 28pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: 28pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">PADI underwent a rigorous audit of its training programmes, standards and procedures in 2004 and gained certification at that time for several offices (Europe, Nordic and PADI International, Ltd.). The audits were conducted by the leading global certification body for the recreational diving ISO standards, EUF Certification International, which is jointly operated by the European Underwater Federation and the Austrian Standards Institute. </span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: 28pt;"><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: 28pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">In December 2009, PADI underwent a re-audit of its programmes relating to existing ISO standards, as well as a new audit of the two latest ISO standards (Introductory Dive and Nitrox) on a global level. This means that now every PADI Office is certified as ISO compliant.</span><br />
</div>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-35056385406291994842009-12-09T11:36:00.002+00:002009-12-09T11:39:39.969+00:00Starbucks and the pricing conundrum<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There's a great article stored <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2133754/">here</a> by Tim Harford regarding the economics behind the pricing structure at Starbucks. I know many of the centres I have visited during the latter months of this year have already reviewed their pricing level for courses, and some have even seen a a price increase as an effective method of relaying the value of the PADI Open Water Diver Course to their potential students.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">You may also wish to take onboard the tactics that are used by stores such as Starbucks when pricing equipment. Many of you already understand the ideas between packaging equipment into 'Beginners Packs' and 'Professional Packs'. Hint: No customer wants a beginners pack, when a pro pack is on offer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">You can also hit the mark with customers on a more regular basis by structuring your course prices to attract differing demographics to each course level. For example, a young professional with regular income, but little spare time will be more willing to pay premium price for a course. However, a family of 4 with their weekends free may be more price conscious. Therefore you'll need to ask yourself the question: How many differing course options can I offer for open water diver, and what price do I place them at?</span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'd recommend that you start simple, and offer 3 options; Bronze, Silver and Gold.</span><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_IA1tD1ahi0VZqwXfJT4LaIALD7B9gi0PIyYNNBceP15vuUxNpHE3yrMyfq2_qreLURL0eXefou3AzeJow96IaQ-zS2IMExM_3_cYkJpf-hUEdZSKlKoMpHCgGYpUDbTMLlXfIr6Sj8/s1600-h/bronze.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_IA1tD1ahi0VZqwXfJT4LaIALD7B9gi0PIyYNNBceP15vuUxNpHE3yrMyfq2_qreLURL0eXefou3AzeJow96IaQ-zS2IMExM_3_cYkJpf-hUEdZSKlKoMpHCgGYpUDbTMLlXfIr6Sj8/s320/bronze.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">Bronze: This lower price point package appeals to price conscious customers who have flexibilty in their scheduling. It includes the base materials, but nothing extra. Customers who want a little more flexibility or additional value can upgrade to the silver package. </span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAx2Y7wFoZI77OBo32aKRoaj_Cy77qKguitx6Rj6JVp4DCCMDRsWontTOurkLN6EXlmfRuOntfR3jKsm-3VL1I7ObTnjQDeFK_RhazGncZJsjQlBJVpfX7HbCJEvm4RmbAdXz8k0MNhj4/s1600-h/silver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAx2Y7wFoZI77OBo32aKRoaj_Cy77qKguitx6Rj6JVp4DCCMDRsWontTOurkLN6EXlmfRuOntfR3jKsm-3VL1I7ObTnjQDeFK_RhazGncZJsjQlBJVpfX7HbCJEvm4RmbAdXz8k0MNhj4/s320/silver.jpg" /></a>Silver: Ideally aimed at couples, who want an easy way to get started in diving. This package will usually include more enhanced materials (eRDPml instead of RDP), and can include vouchers to provide discount on equipment. You may offer the <a href="http://padi-islands.blogspot.com/2009/09/ok-divers-its-time-for-quick-quiz_24.html">eLearning option</a> for customers to start at home straight away.<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3zzRWIs1HpgZa_oGvKTYfua4uGhFvc22FsyE4Sn9HN4FRjwriQ6WS8Ycbw4aZKvw5JPjly_IwVsR5fsRdr8dYtfrhJEi8OZZCf_CXi8fpmE7CMsPN-vV8eplDv8kYAwRD8wQvOA00yY/s1600-h/gold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3zzRWIs1HpgZa_oGvKTYfua4uGhFvc22FsyE4Sn9HN4FRjwriQ6WS8Ycbw4aZKvw5JPjly_IwVsR5fsRdr8dYtfrhJEi8OZZCf_CXi8fpmE7CMsPN-vV8eplDv8kYAwRD8wQvOA00yY/s320/gold.jpg" /></a>Gold: The ultimate package. Flexible to meet the customers scheduling requirements, it will generally include the <a href="http://padi-islands.blogspot.com/2009/09/ok-divers-its-time-for-quick-quiz_24.html">eLearning </a>access pass. Includes all required materials and all recommended materials (enhancement packs). You may wish to include free mask, fins and snorkel with this package or additional equipment that is taken into account when pricing this package.<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">By creating a tiered structure to your course pricing options, you enable you business to capture customers from each price point. You also capture additional revenue from customers who would generally be prepared to pay more for additional value, yet drop their expenditure to meet your course price. <br />
</span><br />
</div>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-39194989301824923072009-12-08T13:30:00.047+00:002009-12-08T14:25:08.362+00:002009 Christmas Promotional Ideas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXyRZzsVnYGXOnXH3YC8YjE90OzStEUXUi_NPWRkT7FjRaQcq5p31v2UoQ-VV12AaUu_aTIBYQNLDMMaW1jHVzpYjwlUC_wpwvDEgVwehwERKwSjZll_EmxXXA8KwKPCuF1qe2RvUPOes/s1600-h/50080_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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</div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As the holiday season approaches, you're probably looking for ideas to fill the dive centre with customers and increase sales over this busy period. Traditionally the Christmas period is a 'start-stop' affair for most of the retail sector; Plenty of trade during the early parts of December. It then all stops on 24th December, and doesn't restart until the January sales kick in. Over one quarter of the December retail period see stores closed or not busy due to Xmas. Therefore it's of great importance that PADI Dive Centres utilise the time available to maximise their customers and return on those customers.</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">During the previous months, your PADI Regional Managers Graham Owen and Richard Howes have made visits to your centres, and will continue these visits during 2010. Apologies in advance if you've not met us yet, and we will endeavor to visit you during 2010 to spend time discussing the opportunities for growth in your business. In the meantime, and in the lead up to Christmas, we've compiled a 'best of' list for promotional ideas this Xmas. You can make use of theses suggestions in order to maximise your potential customer base during the remainder of 2009, and to increase both course and equipment sales during 2010.</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">5. Rescue Diver Course</span></b><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Invite your recently certified PADI Open Water Divers to enroll straight into the PADI Rescue Diver Course. They can start straight away with knowledge development and confined water sessions during the winter months in a pool or confined water, before continuing their education during the early months of next year. Students will welcome the opportunity for advancement of their skills and it will be especially welcoming if its conducted in confined water during the cooler winter months.</span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFhGwCskwdjwU0GcYBufdyNkv0nSPR_W5qHoz1M10G6KTvxijWWVd-IlRldS9bBy1wh0UdBNUqgLdYkyiMldLpkL-S53-CFB3O10tpcneQXVfzc_tisURj0TiG29Vuk4ETLGxcGOwIlw/s1600-h/60327_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFhGwCskwdjwU0GcYBufdyNkv0nSPR_W5qHoz1M10G6KTvxijWWVd-IlRldS9bBy1wh0UdBNUqgLdYkyiMldLpkL-S53-CFB3O10tpcneQXVfzc_tisURj0TiG29Vuk4ETLGxcGOwIlw/s320/60327_m.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Stocking fillers for the student:</span></i><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Rescue Diver Crew with Pocket Mask (60327),</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Rescue Diver DVD (70853MUL)</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Stocking fillers for the instructor:</span></i><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Rescue Diver Instructor Cue Cards (60205)</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Rescue Diver Professional Edition DVD (70854)</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Rescue Prescriptive Lesson Guides (70877)</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">4. Emergency Oxygen Provider and Enriched Air Package </span></b><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Around this period of the year time is premium for most people. Deadlines at work, Christmas shopping, visiting relatives, they all eat into our time during December. You can therefore package courses in such a way that time will no longer becomes a problem. Both the PADI Enriched Air and PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider courses can be classroom based and therefore scheduled at the dive centre around the students time commitments. Try running a Saturday as 'exotic gas day'; students complete the practical application and final exams for Enriched Air in the morning, and then the PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider Course in the afternoon. Class scheduling can be rotated on consecutive weeks in order that students who can only attend during the morning will be able to complete the other specialty during the second Saturday.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDnEcO80ZoQN4Lp99UR8OMI2pz0fLBZqogI1ihZr9Dp8A5cs7o8WZrhrOrWKKWl3MpeEMd0ITxkVgEfxDL2In4WP5unKGVx6CbzryiPze8lqf3Vl-ejm_Mq3UOvptY2nE-JaJbnAWeuMU/s1600-h/70092_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXyRZzsVnYGXOnXH3YC8YjE90OzStEUXUi_NPWRkT7FjRaQcq5p31v2UoQ-VV12AaUu_aTIBYQNLDMMaW1jHVzpYjwlUC_wpwvDEgVwehwERKwSjZll_EmxXXA8KwKPCuF1qe2RvUPOes/s1600-h/50080_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXyRZzsVnYGXOnXH3YC8YjE90OzStEUXUi_NPWRkT7FjRaQcq5p31v2UoQ-VV12AaUu_aTIBYQNLDMMaW1jHVzpYjwlUC_wpwvDEgVwehwERKwSjZll_EmxXXA8KwKPCuF1qe2RvUPOes/s320/50080_m.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Stocking fillers for the student:</span></i><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Enriched Air Diver Crewpak Metric (61044)</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Enriched Air Diver DVD (70870MUL)</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Emergency Oxygen Provider Crewpak (60032)</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Pocket Mask with 02 Port in Hardshell case (50080) </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Stocking fillers for the instructor:</span></i><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Emergency Oxygen Provider Specialty Outline (79118)</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">EAN Prescriptive Lesson Guides CD-ROM (70873)</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">3. Bubblemaker and Seal Team as Xmas presents</span></b><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Bubblemaker and Seal Team programmes provide an opportunity to get young people into the water from as early as 8 years old. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3sedVB2R9EaLA0AnLV0a-wZf5MWeiHKBgxcna-LpKmid-YgeW5-OS2vPE9tW6tu_GoIdk10BDAl-b3iGGrNpo7fNU0DK69nH3N-9bgghZbLLfTlx19czhR_C8Eec2iuisOljmythhvw/s1600-h/60310UK_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3sedVB2R9EaLA0AnLV0a-wZf5MWeiHKBgxcna-LpKmid-YgeW5-OS2vPE9tW6tu_GoIdk10BDAl-b3iGGrNpo7fNU0DK69nH3N-9bgghZbLLfTlx19czhR_C8Eec2iuisOljmythhvw/s320/60310UK_m.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">They also provide a perfect Christmas present at this time of year when the weather is less than comfortable for younger children to be outside. What better way than to help them get started in the world of diving with a experience or programme conducted in a swimming pool. Children will be looking for activities over the Christmas period, and parents will be looking for a break from the festive excitement.</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Your customers will be seeking presents for their sons, daughters, nephew's and niece's, so why not get them started with an experience programme or crewpak for Christmas.</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Stocking fillers for the student:</span></i><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">PADI Seal Team Crewpak with DVD (60310UK)</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">PADI Seal Team Hat (50266)</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">PADI Master Seal Team Recognition Kit with Application (50272UK)</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Bubblemaker Crewpak (50258)</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">2. Digital Underwater Photographer</span></b><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We all know that the PADI Digital Underwater Photography Dive 1 can be conducted in a swimming pool. Just like the PADI Rescue Diver Course, this course allows you to get started over the winter months in a confined water environment with buoyancy and camera skills, before progressing to the open water at a later date to complete the specialty. The Digital Underwater Crewpak makes a perfect compliment to a divers new underwater camera, and allows the student to start studying right after Christmas lunch (usually when grandad has fallen asleep in front of the Queen's speech...again).</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDnEcO80ZoQN4Lp99UR8OMI2pz0fLBZqogI1ihZr9Dp8A5cs7o8WZrhrOrWKKWl3MpeEMd0ITxkVgEfxDL2In4WP5unKGVx6CbzryiPze8lqf3Vl-ejm_Mq3UOvptY2nE-JaJbnAWeuMU/s1600-h/70092_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDnEcO80ZoQN4Lp99UR8OMI2pz0fLBZqogI1ihZr9Dp8A5cs7o8WZrhrOrWKKWl3MpeEMd0ITxkVgEfxDL2In4WP5unKGVx6CbzryiPze8lqf3Vl-ejm_Mq3UOvptY2nE-JaJbnAWeuMU/s320/70092_m.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Those divers who are ready to get in the water straight after Christmas will find some superb visibility in the UK inland sites, and some stunning shallow water locations around the coast. Perfect for Digital Underwater Photography practise.</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Stocking fillers for the student:</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Digital Underwater Photographer Pack (70092)</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Digital Underwater Photographer Manual (70015)</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">White Balance Slate (69231)</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Stocking fillers for the instructor:</span></i><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Digital Photographer Specialty Outline (70215)</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1. DVD Box Sets</span></b><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Discover Scuba Diving programme provides an accessible and easy option for those interested in diving as a hobby or career. The programme can be conducted in confined water (ideal for the colder winter months), and generally takes no more than a few hours.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKL5TRn80980DaQfjmnkH8DSwFVWzUTX2le6kX6geteGLPSh45_FrPI4HG8TYKNZtcddeFG8TIhn_yLgHkMAb85nhzhTnvQHw3-iPSjJFiDUZiZeht6ebJYMBAvZaPy6z04DnL1qJTFNE/s1600-h/DSD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKL5TRn80980DaQfjmnkH8DSwFVWzUTX2le6kX6geteGLPSh45_FrPI4HG8TYKNZtcddeFG8TIhn_yLgHkMAb85nhzhTnvQHw3-iPSjJFiDUZiZeht6ebJYMBAvZaPy6z04DnL1qJTFNE/s320/DSD.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-size: small;"><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">By turning the Discover Scuba Diving Programme into a tangible product, you make it a perfect stocking filler for any member of the family. Priced at the correct level, this product should not only cover your costs, but also return a healthy profit for your centre, both in cash flow, and increased entry level certifications in the coming months.</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here's how it works:</span></span><br />
<ol><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Take one DVD Box (</span><a href="http://www.dvdshoponline.co.uk/Black_DVD_Cases.html" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">http://www.dvdshoponline.co.uk/Black_DVD_Cases.html</a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">) </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Create a dive centre cover to insert into the outside of the box. This should detail the experience, the limits of the programme and provide a little detail regarding your centre and the product. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Create a colourful insert for the inside of the box. This can be your dive centre flyer, a leaflet of your latest promotions, or even the </span><a href="http://padi-islands.blogspot.com/2009/10/connecting-discover-scuba-divers-with.html" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Scuba Connect Card</a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> for your dive centre. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Include the PADI Discover Scuba Diving booklet (70254UK) for the student to read and complete prior to attending. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Include the PADI Go Dive DVD (82069UK) in the box set to ensure that your customers have something interesting to watch on Christmas Day.</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /></span></li>
</ol><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Packaging all these items together and placing adverts on your website and displaying the item in your shop will ensure that you have a steady stream of revenue for the winter period from this product, alongsie a steady stream of interested divers wishing to sign up for the full Open Water Diver Course once they've tried this programme.</span></span>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-10582923813322386142009-12-03T12:50:00.036+00:002009-12-04T09:30:09.319+00:00Free EVE Email Templates<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsob_VVHxrvzEUcQ2E72GfpMBtWXoxaCfzNeezwV6kJ9Ia-UFqBwLll-Ph0C31Y2berRCD25ZFhP16ehckGLkuuQjyabcVZhGx6qQ0eVvgQos5taM1fKdUGpxtUvXJeu8l1JQxo0Awl8/s1600-h/new_EVE_Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsob_VVHxrvzEUcQ2E72GfpMBtWXoxaCfzNeezwV6kJ9Ia-UFqBwLll-Ph0C31Y2berRCD25ZFhP16ehckGLkuuQjyabcVZhGx6qQ0eVvgQos5taM1fKdUGpxtUvXJeu8l1JQxo0Awl8/s320/new_EVE_Logo.jpg" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We all know that in everyday business life it can be difficult to find time to communicate effectively with our customers. Ironically, these are the people that we should be focussing most of our business hours on. Providing to their needs, staying in regular contact with them and find out what they want form your business.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">EVE is one tool that will take the strain out of staying in touch, and tracking the requirements of your customers (alongside many other task that you carry out on a daily basis). Many EVE users take great advantage of the Customer Search Wizard to contact their students and store visitors with regfular emails promoting their courses and equipment, but many struggle to find the words to convey what is available.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">To help you make a start, and to hopefully save you a little time, we have grouped together the most common email templates relating to PADI Courses that a propsective or current student may be interested in. These can be downloaded as Microsoft Word documents and pasted into your EVE template emails. The templates contain the required field to link with EVE data, and also point the students to the relevant page of PADI.com for further course information.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Of course you'll want to customise these to fit your business (dive centre logo, links to your contact information, emaili address), but hopefully they should take some of the strain out of sitting infront of your email programme with a blank page, and wondering where to start. Should you have any suggestions on how to make these templates better, don't forget to provide feedback on this blog.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.padimembers.com/si_pil/Bulk_Emails/EVE/Promote%20Open%20Water%20Diver%20Course.doc"><span style="font-size: small;">Promote the PADI Open Water Diver Course</span></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.padimembers.com/si_pil/Bulk_Emails/EVE/Promote%20Advanced%20Open%20Water%20Diver%20Course.doc"><span style="font-size: small;">Promote the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course</span></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.padimembers.com/si_pil/Bulk_Emails/EVE/Promote%20Rescue%20Diver%20Course.doc"><span style="font-size: small;">Promote the PADI Rescue Diver Course</span></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.padimembers.com/si_pil/Bulk_Emails/EVE/Promote%20MSD%20and%20Divemaster%20Courses.doc"><span style="font-size: small;">Promote the PADI MSD and Divemaster Programmes</span></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.padimembers.com/si_pil/Bulk_Emails/EVE/Promote%20Scuba%20Review.doc"><span style="font-size: small;">Promote the PADI Scuba Review Programme</span></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.padimembers.com/si_pil/Bulk_Emails/EVE/Promote%20Enriched%20Air%20Diver%20Course.doc"><span style="font-size: small;">Promote the PADI Enriched Air Diver Specialty</span></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.padimembers.com/si_pil/Bulk_Emails/EVE/Promote%20Dry%20Suit%20Diver%20Course.doc"><span style="font-size: small;">Promote the PADI Dry Suit Diver </span><span style="font-size: small;">Specialty</span></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.padimembers.com/si_pil/Bulk_Emails/EVE/Promote%20Deep%20Diver%20Course.doc"><span style="font-size: small;">Promote the PADI Deep Diver </span><span style="font-size: small;">Specialty</span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.padimembers.com/si_pil/Bulk_Emails/EVE/Promote%20Wreck%20Diver%20Course.doc"><span style="font-size: small;">Promote the PADI Wreck Diver </span><span style="font-size: small;">Specialty</span></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.padimembers.com/si_pil/Bulk_Emails/EVE/Promote%20Digital%20Underwater%20Photographer%20Course.doc"><span style="font-size: small;">Promote the PADI Digital Underwater Photography </span><span style="font-size: small;">Specialty</span></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.padimembers.com/si_pil/Bulk_Emails/EVE/Promote%20Boat%20Diver%20Course.doc"><span style="font-size: small;">Promote the PADI Boat Diver </span><span style="font-size: small;">Specialty</span></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.padimembers.com/si_pil/Bulk_Emails/EVE/Promote%20Underwater%20Navigator%20Course.doc"><span style="font-size: small;">Promote the PADI Underwater Navigator </span><span style="font-size: small;">Specialty</span></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.padimembers.com/si_pil/Bulk_Emails/EVE/Promote%20DPV%20Course.doc"><span style="font-size: small;">Promote the PADI Diver Propulsion Vehicle </span><span style="font-size: small;">Specialty</span></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.padimembers.com/si_pil/Bulk_Emails/EVE/Promote%20Peak%20Performance%20Buoyancy.doc"><span style="font-size: small;">Promote the PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy </span><span style="font-size: small;">Specialty</span></a><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.padimembers.com/si_pil/Bulk_Emails/EVE/Promote%20Night%20Diver%20Course.doc"><span style="font-size: small;">Promote the PADI Night Diver </span><span style="font-size: small;">Specialty</span></a><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.padimembers.com/si_pil/Bulk_Emails/EVE/Promote%20National%20Geographic%20Diver%20Course.doc"><span style="font-size: small;">Promote the PADI National Geographic Diver </span><span style="font-size: small;">Specialty</span></a><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">All of these templates contain high quality PADI branded banners to give you email a little extra impact, and wording conducive with the message provide to millions of PADI Divers worldwide through regular channels.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Should you require any assistance in customising or implementing these templates please contact your PADI Regional Manager Richard Howes (<a href="mailto:richard.howes@padi.co.uk">richard.howes@padi.co.uk</a>) or Graham Owen (<a href="mailto:graham.owen@padi.co.uk">graham.owen@padi.co.uk</a>).<br />
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</div>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-14738809128347820702009-12-03T10:48:00.000+00:002009-12-03T10:48:24.602+00:00Joe Perry, Aerosmith Rock Icon, supports Project AWARE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Project AWARE Foundation is thrilled that rock icon, multi-platinum, multi- award-winning recording artist, and keen PADI diver, </span><a href="http://www.joeperry.com/" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Joe Perry</a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">, has chosen Project AWARE as the beneficiary of an </span><a href="http://laptops.toshiba.com/gq" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">eBay auction.</a> <br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" />Toshiba<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> teamed up with GQ Magazine and four men of innovative talent to create a series of customized, limited-edition laptops that reflect their lifestyles and personalities. To support the four men’s chosen charities, these unique collector’s items will be auctioned off on eBay. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Let the bidding begin! With only six custom Joe Perry laptops in existence – four to be auctioned – it’s the perfect holiday gift for you or any Admiral Perry fan. Joe’s “street art” Toshiba Qosmio X505, features custom art of the multi-platinum, multi-award-winning recording artist – and all proceeds benefit Project AWARE. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Bidding concludes on December 21st – just in time for the holidays. </span><a href="http://laptops.toshiba.com/gq" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Click Here </a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">to follow the current auctions and bids. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Joe Perry Project will be performing a select number of dates in the UK as special guest to Bad Company. </span><a href="http://http//www.joeperry.com/index.cfm/pk/view/cd/NAA/cdid/403932/pid/400042" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Click Here </a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> for more information!</span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Qosmio X505 Details: With unmatched sound, this laptop is loaded with 4 harman/kardon® speakers, a 1-bit digital amp and an 18” diagonal 1080p screen for an eye-popping, heart-thumping experience. Joe’s street art laptop design is worthy of holding your lighter up for. Toshiba Laptops along with GQ Magazine teamed up with Joe Perry to create this custom Qosmio® X505 18.4″ laptop. The same laptop featured in GQ’s December issue.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3e-rLvk5OFCi36Dwjtb3dOLBA1YRqXCAPwzrigAecLoflR6CXEAZvmUNfAh4Q4G-h52hZoxxx3qc-08WQkumTOo4a7kDUYNUKs2VMNX4Aqc4M4b-9Pm9NeOn8Ch0AlGF836mfL9sLDSQ/s1600-h/qyto2v1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3e-rLvk5OFCi36Dwjtb3dOLBA1YRqXCAPwzrigAecLoflR6CXEAZvmUNfAh4Q4G-h52hZoxxx3qc-08WQkumTOo4a7kDUYNUKs2VMNX4Aqc4M4b-9Pm9NeOn8Ch0AlGF836mfL9sLDSQ/s320/qyto2v1.jpg" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><i>Joe Perry Toshiba Limited Edition Laptop </i><br />
</div><div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_1751" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; width: 310px;"> </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://laptops.toshiba.com/gq." target="_blank">Place a bid and win Joe Perry’s limited-edition laptop!</a><br />
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All proceeds to go to Project AWARE<br />
4 laptops are available to the public<br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><strong>Happy bidding!</strong><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><strong>and THANK YOU JOE</strong><br />
</div>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-56422532188448453272009-12-01T17:03:00.000+00:002009-12-01T17:03:42.361+00:00PADI eLearning Welcome Email Idea<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">15 Minute Marketing Idea </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">PADI eLearning welcome email</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I</span>t's common knowledge in the dive industry that word-of-mouth is our most powerful marketing tool. Start building a relationship with your eLearners from day one by drafting a welcome email.<br />
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The next time you receive an email from webmaster@padi.com alerting you to a new eLearner, send your new customer a welcome email. Everyone appreciates a friendly greeting saying "thanks for doing business with us."<br />
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Here's a <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/13028653/Sample-eLearning-Welcome-Email">sample PADI eLearning welcome email</a> to get you started.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">You could also create a "congratulations" email that will be automatically sent by our eLearning system. Some key points to mention:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><ul><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Invite student to visit the store / we look forward to seeing you soon.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Request a testimonial for use on your website</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Offer an incentive for the student to refer a friend to diving</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Add a link or promotion for </span><a href="http://padi-islands.blogspot.com/2009/09/padi-enriched-air-diver-course-online.html" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Advanced Open Water and Enriched Air (now offered online)</a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">.</span></span></li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">(right click and "save as" to grab these images)</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9Fnc9jODMkD-ocGlwO6oTHXp8OckZO-14TSdcyP6jMvRbdDQvd6ofg7MZ8nM0y4G7rcjnwthnKJfVfbJ2KGwSIaPfYch8LnSAnxfZOt_OHNhb9Wwa9eIuhNHBk26lrXrYQ2XP8DsKkiP/s1600/EANxeLearningBannerMain.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9Fnc9jODMkD-ocGlwO6oTHXp8OckZO-14TSdcyP6jMvRbdDQvd6ofg7MZ8nM0y4G7rcjnwthnKJfVfbJ2KGwSIaPfYch8LnSAnxfZOt_OHNhb9Wwa9eIuhNHBk26lrXrYQ2XP8DsKkiP/s320/EANxeLearningBannerMain.gif" /></a><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwI2dMTdm_yLjWsWBRiFPrpEHUKCZlMFvL1xiwx4gQzOOi73ISfF2siNHHXaVlZomkyce-KTmLxVymhirgzOX6xqbhmHNspcnSRFGDLFpdaKSvSdzNOE0sdfE3jpNfwJj7TAJuQFTuYgmZ/s1600/EANxeLearningBannerMain2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwI2dMTdm_yLjWsWBRiFPrpEHUKCZlMFvL1xiwx4gQzOOi73ISfF2siNHHXaVlZomkyce-KTmLxVymhirgzOX6xqbhmHNspcnSRFGDLFpdaKSvSdzNOE0sdfE3jpNfwJj7TAJuQFTuYgmZ/s320/EANxeLearningBannerMain2.gif" /></a><br />
<img alt="PADI Advanced Open Water online eLearning" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309802690337042178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7BuOvUKSAvXrikWOJXsl6BQNIlKBqsf-ariJGVP2dOkhEJeArSpJcH5XlSqw84J4uAaHoA7NVItPKW-kg66dhlO0e7a6onMTd9167fRmsfaH-KgDPhaw6mlpTgcJ_5-lI5ojSrm1/s400/AOWonline_Bnr_09-468x60.jpg" style="float: left; height: 51px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 400px;" /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkbi-r3R4vXXZMRBzcScJbCOlDjuqXwy8wL3Wk9Jn76IwvvQK0SEfpG7rb3OprtV7ubHOYmsiFCmxBliPeJMhMnh8m2teNvSwhcmWJicG3kI7tihTP0CUIWLG5JY_Q85uJ8PrbnGj/s1600-h/AOWonline_Bnr_09-144x44.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="PADI Advanced Open Water online eLearning" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309802691008622578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkbi-r3R4vXXZMRBzcScJbCOlDjuqXwy8wL3Wk9Jn76IwvvQK0SEfpG7rb3OprtV7ubHOYmsiFCmxBliPeJMhMnh8m2teNvSwhcmWJicG3kI7tihTP0CUIWLG5JY_Q85uJ8PrbnGj/s400/AOWonline_Bnr_09-144x44.jpg" style="float: left; height: 44px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 144px;" /></a><br />
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<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once you've composed your email, log on to <a href="http://elearning.padi.com/">elearning.padi.com</a><br />
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</div><ul style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Click on: User maintenance</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Click on: Student course completion email</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Then choose which course (Open Water, AOW or Enriched Air)</span></li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Your message will automatically be sent out whenever a student completes eLearning.</span><br />
</div>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-39937499108384656522009-11-25T20:16:00.000+00:002009-11-25T20:16:17.975+00:00Project AWARE Special Offers with your PADI Member Renewal<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Project AWARE are calling for all PADI Professionals to show their support for aquatic conservation in 2010 with these exciting offers.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1. Free Project AWARE Divers Turtle Mask Strap<img alt="" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-465" height="148" src="http://padicdnewsbristol.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/turtle-mask-strap.jpg?w=300&h=148" title="Turtle Mask Strap" width="300" /><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Receive a free Project AWARE Turtle Mask Strap with a donation of £25 or more when renewing your PADI Membership*. Donors of £25 or more become Patrons and receive a year’s subscription to the Foundation’s email bulletin and action alerts. Patrons will receive the unique Project AWARE turtle mask strap as a token of appreciation for their support. Visit the PADI Pros’ Site today to renew online or contact the PADI Member Services Department.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">2. New – 2010 Turtle AWARE Certification Card.</span> <img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-466" height="178" src="http://padicdnewsbristol.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/aw_ccard_turtlefish_2010_hi.jpg?w=283&h=178" title="AWARE C-card 2010 turtle" width="283" /></span><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Replace your member level card with the new 2010 Project AWARE Turtle card. Order this limited edition certification card by completing the replacement card section on your renewal application, or by contacting the Member Services Department.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">THANK YOU FOR YOUR VALUABLE SUPPORT!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">* Whilst stocks last. Renew your PADI Membership today to avoid disappointment (contact the Member Services department on <a href="mailto:memberservices@padi.co.uk">memberservices@padi.co.uk</a> or +44 117 300 7280).</span><br />
</div>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-90254955899647568192009-11-13T09:54:00.000+00:002009-11-13T09:54:15.936+00:00PADI Delivers Business of Diving Training Directly to Retailers<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>PADI Delivers Business of Diving Training Directly to Retailers</strong><br />
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<em>New webcasts make it easy for retailers to continue their business education</em>.<br />
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<a href="" name="OLE_LINK1">Rancho </a>Santa Margarita, CA – 29 October 2009 -- PADI Americas will launch the first in a series of nine new Business of Diving program webcasts shortly after DEMA Show 2009. Available exclusively to PADI International Resort and Retailer Associations (IRRA) Members, these programs - which will continue into the first quarter of 2010 - are designed to maximize business knowledge while respecting the time and costs involved in attending a traditional business seminar.<br />
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“The membership is understandably focused on their businesses right now," says Bob Coleman, Vice President of Sales and the International Resort and Retailer Associations for PADI Americas. "They don’t have time to sit through days of seminars or the need to spend precious capital on travel, meals and accommodations to receive quality business training. Plus, in the past, this training was limited to only the owner or manager because someone had to stay home and mind the store. Now, it’s convenient and accessible for all.”<br />
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Once online, renewed IRRA Members can access the one-hour webcasts via the PADI Pros' Site free of charge. Plus, members who have viewed a webcast will be invited to attend a follow-up, PADI-moderated web conference along with other like-minded IRRA Members.<br />
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“Over the years, participant surveys following Business of Diving programs have indicated that interaction with other PADI Members is one of the most important parts of the program,” said Jeff Nadler, International Resort and Retailer Associations Manager at PADI Americas. “The follow-up programs built into the new webcast structure are fantastic because members can interact with each other to develop new ideas and ways to implement them. This is all based on the training they receive and something they can do without leaving their businesses. Even better, they can also include their instructional and sales staff, so the information isn't limited to just one person.”<br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Initial series topics includes:</span><br />
</div><ul style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Building Your Business (Business and Marketing Plans) </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Business of Instructor Development </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">PADI eLearning® </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">The Internet and eCommerce </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Managing Your Business (Core Management Principles) </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Point of Sales Systems (EVE) </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Sales 101 </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Sales 102 </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">PADI Survival Training </span></li>
</ul><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Others promise … PADI delivers.</span></span>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6849379227903545746.post-47217313359788389212009-11-13T09:52:00.003+00:002009-11-18T17:13:18.228+00:00New PADI Instructor Manual, Revised Divemaster Crewpak<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b> <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUngOfaaLn_drt3rMKNilmbAWKsWnhXllMaWKufqaJaAoe0wNfVy21FO5ry0b0nG3FKkixdU8iNsggM6QUuAAeXp3WalPo79KTuTvIqDcdX0MCdjKAOd6SsOWiDQH1-yIk35ei1uWQi4cv/s1600-h/70120m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUngOfaaLn_drt3rMKNilmbAWKsWnhXllMaWKufqaJaAoe0wNfVy21FO5ry0b0nG3FKkixdU8iNsggM6QUuAAeXp3WalPo79KTuTvIqDcdX0MCdjKAOd6SsOWiDQH1-yIk35ei1uWQi4cv/s320/70120m.jpg" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%; line-height: 115%;"></span></b><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span> <br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p>Streamlined and Simplified 2010 PADI Instructor Manual<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
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</div><div align="center" class="ListParagraph" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 115%;">- </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 115%;">Available from PIL January 2010 -</span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 115%;">PADI’s Instructor Manual in 1972 was under 100 pages. Over the next thirty-seven years, the manual swelled to nearly 1,000 pages.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p>Our 2010 Instructor Manual has been simplified, alphabetised and binder-ised to make key standard easier to find. For a more extensive explanation of each course, instructors can refer to the 2009 manual* and/or the new <i>Guide to Teaching</i>.</span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 115%;">*and subsequent Training Bulletins</span></i></span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 115%;">All renewed instructors and divemasters will receive an email with a link to download the new manual in the <b>first quarter 2010</b>.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p>The produce (number 70120 comes with the binder and instructor manual pages only. It does not come with the other items shown in the photo above.</span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 115%;">The <span style="color: #333333;"><a href="http://www.padimembers.com/Members/shared/trainingbulletins/trainingbulletins/english/International/pdfs/01226_4Q09TrainingBulletin.pdf" title="http://www.padimembers.com/Members/shared/trainingbulletins/trainingbulletins/english/International/pdfs/01226_4Q09TrainingBulletin.pdf">fourth quarter training bulletin</a></span> has some information on familiarising yourself with the new manual (pages 2-3). If additional hints and tips become available, I’ll publish them to this blog.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span>Translations to the new<i><i> PADI's Guide to Teaching</i></i> will be considered for translation in the following languages, Arabic, Polish, Czech, Hungarian and Turkish in late 2010 for production in 2011.<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><br style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /> <span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 115%;">PADI’s <i>Guide to Teaching</i> replaces the<i> IDC Candidate Workbook</i> and can be used as a companion reference to the 2010 Instructor Manual. It includes the teaching techniques and recommendations that were previously found in the Instructor Manual.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">Translations to the new<i> PADI’s Guide to Teaching</i></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> will be available in Arabic, Greek and Polish during the <b>third quarter of 2010</b>. Translations into Czech, Hungarian and Turkish are under consideration in 2010 but not confirmed.</span><br />
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</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-ZA"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 115%;">Changes to the PADI Divemaster Crewpak<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
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</div><div align="center" class="ListParagraph" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 115%;">Product number 60020</span><br />
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</div><div align="center" class="ListParagraph" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 115%;">The new manual is part of the revised PADI Divemaster crewpak – <i>which will be available from PIL late December / early January 2010</i>. The product number stays the same (60020). Please see chart below with a list of what’s in the revised PADI Divemaster crewpak (available in English only, for now).</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p>If you have Divemaster kits in stock – don’t worry. The previous version of our Divemaster crewpak is still valid for use through 31 May 2010 (ref. Pages 4 and 6 in the </span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.padimembers.com/Members/shared/trainingbulletins/trainingbulletins/english/International/pdfs/01226_4Q09TrainingBulletin.pdf" title="http://www.padimembers.com/Members/shared/trainingbulletins/trainingbulletins/english/International/pdfs/01226_4Q09TrainingBulletin.pdf"><span style="line-height: 115%;">4th Quarter Training Bulletin</span></a></span><span lang="EN-ZA" style="line-height: 115%;">). After that date, Divemasters must purchase the new instructor manual if they’re buying a “2009” Divemaster kit.</span></span> <br />
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</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN-ZA" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">What’s in the PADI Divemaster crewpak?</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUGELYQEfsPBo4yUSTKQ-DL3zDBJc5Evg_B8DMxEaqEpWrxDzmG9pWFEA0a4ZP-aesCR3u4J1Q7NQm0SFMiPZ30H2G_XbgPThoj7CppNdmE0mP2CzEY4LI0XSEuTUPRGcdkkgX4nkMTMI/s1600-h/Divemaster+Changes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUGELYQEfsPBo4yUSTKQ-DL3zDBJc5Evg_B8DMxEaqEpWrxDzmG9pWFEA0a4ZP-aesCR3u4J1Q7NQm0SFMiPZ30H2G_XbgPThoj7CppNdmE0mP2CzEY4LI0XSEuTUPRGcdkkgX4nkMTMI/s320/Divemaster+Changes.png" /></a><br />
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</div>Richard Howeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03528496614431049378noreply@blogger.com