Are you thinking of adding the new watersport activities to your list of offerings and uncertain of steps to take to ensure everything is done right? Listen to this week’s episode to learn all the details about the steps to take for adding new watersport activities.
Are you thinking of adding the new watersport activities to your list of offerings and uncertain of steps to take to ensure everything is done right? Listen to this week’s episode to learn all the details about the steps to take for adding new watersport activities.
Hey everyone, welcome to episode 15 of the Weekly Wave podcast presented by WaveRez. I’m your host Greg Fisher, and today we’ll be talking about choosing the right watersport activities to offer at your location.
Now before you sign a lease and open up your business, you should already know what you’re going to offer. But what happens when you’re ready to expand and offer different options? Let’s talk about some steps you should take before making these big purchases.
The first thing you need to do before adding a new activity is check with your marina manager, and the city or county you are operating in. I’ve seen many situations where the equipment was purchased before getting approval or permits. There are some activities such as kayaks and paddleboards that don’t have as much red tape, but they are still considered a vessel in some states. Once you have approval, you will have the peace of mind that your operation won’t get shut down before you sell your first seats.
The second thing is understanding whether your waterways are a good choice for the activity you are adding. If there is high boat traffic, non-motorized equipment might not be a great idea. There also might be dangerous conditions such as underwater trees, thick grass beds, hidden sandbars, which make powered rentals dangerous and costly due to the high maintenance. Also, do your waterways make for an enjoyable experience for the customer? Are there interesting things to see such as marine wildlife, and historical landmarks? It will be much easier to market your new activity if there are some highlights and itineraries you can sell as part of the rental or tour.
Next, consider the type of maintenance and upkeep that is required for this new activity, and what type of personnel will be needed to maintain it. Tour boats typically have diesel engines, and mechanics are not easy to come by. You will also need a licensed captain to operate the vessel, which can be difficult to find depending on the capacity and type of tour. There are times where you can make the same amount of profit renting kayaks compared to running a chartered vessel, so my advice is to never do something stressful unless you absolutely love doing it.
Lastly, focus on adding activities that are popular, but not currently offered in your area. It might be a little slow at first as you build demand for it, but after a short while you’ll be able to reap the benefits of being the only operator with this product. There is also something to be said about offering an existing activity that offers a better price and product than your competitors. Just be prepared to experience a higher level of entry as your customer acquisition costs might be more expensive as most competitors will be advertising in the same spaces as you.
Adding new activities is a vital part to growing your watersport business. At the end of the day, I recommend adding activities that identify with your brand, and make your job more enjoyable. Good luck on choosing the new activity for your watersport business.
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