Zenister 0 #26 August 30, 2003 Quote Also, where you aware that in most airports, there is a special version of CNN running JUST for airlines? Yep, all references to airplane crashes are left out. musnt frighten the sheep....____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phonics1981 0 #27 August 30, 2003 Quote If I were a DZO I would try to downplay anything negative, (even accidents at a competing drop zone!), just to keep a potential student from becoming scared of skydiving. But dont you think that students should be made aware of skydiving dangers before they fork out loadsa cash for a course? It can a fairly dangerous sport and I think students would prefer to have all the correct details then make their choice. That doesnt change the point of this thread though, some DZ's use these skydiving dangers and try to make themselves look better by saying they dont happen at their DZ. ------------------------------------------------------ "Ive given up on sigs cos I make a mess of them!" ------------------------------------------------------ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smiles 0 #28 August 30, 2003 I question when d.z. has more happening than others and "compare" themselves to others on their website. Eager to "prove" they are the best choice. For example the flash intro is hype to great website but over done: http://www.skydiveranch.com/ then Compare Page where they compare themselves to 2 other d.z.'s by how long they've been established, aircraft, parachutes, video and facilities.. This I find very confusing and do not understand politics involved. Why not just list how great they are to advertise??? http://www.skydiveranch.com/browser.html I am not from this province, nor jumped anywhere there. If travelling would be anxious to check elsewhere to jump. SMiles Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pds 0 #29 August 30, 2003 QuoteBut dont you think that students should be made aware of skydiving dangers before they fork out loadsa cash for a course? It can a fairly dangerous sport and I think students would prefer to have all the correct details then make their choice. ummm, before any money changes hands or asses hit the otter, there are an average of 23 paragraphs saying 'you might die and it aint our fault' that require initials and a signature at the bottom. maybe i didnt understand your statement/question. edit: p.s. google only uses the first ten words of any query, including logical operators and excluding wildcard operator. i know it doesnt really affect your dz query as it is only 11 words, but it caught my eye as being on the long side. take care.namaste, motherfucker. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot90 0 #30 August 30, 2003 QuoteI don't need anyone telling me how to run my business or how to advertise. but if my membership dues is going to help your group member drop zone then I have a problem with that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
algboy 0 #31 August 31, 2003 //That's pretty lame. Any business that needs to trash their competition is bad business IMO. And if they're so professional, they should learn how to spell "you're". // Right arm!! That's a huge pet peeve of mine. If you can't even use the King's English properly in a print ad/web site . . . where's the "professionalism", HUH?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chuteless 1 #32 September 1, 2003 Yes....a good idea....and while your at it, tell them that the nude jumpers are a detriment to the sport and any dropzone. Some people have no shame . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pubwoof 0 #33 September 1, 2003 Even a positive-sounding claim like "No student fatalities," can trigger all the wrong thoughts in the mind of a prospective jumper. The smart ad will avoid these subjects in favor of things like, "Full altitude jumps," "The largest landing area in the area," or even something like, "The closest dz to downtown (wherever)." It's hard for me to imagine a dropzone anywhere that wouldn't have something unique and positive to say about itself after they really thought the matter through. When all else fails, though, DZOs can still emphasize a positive safety record in their ads/websites without sounding overtly negative or excessively competitive. By using phrases like "The most experienced staff," "The latest in student gear," or "FAA Master Rigging," a DZO can communicate the positive aspects of their DZ without implying that the other DZ is somehow alligned with the dark side of the force. Aside from how safety issues are addressed, the rhetorical approaches used by DZs in many markets could use a substantial attitude adjustment. After having visited the websites of competing DZs in several markets accross the country (yes, I'm a loser), it's pretty clear that many DZs approach their marketing with a "zero-sum-game" philosophy. This philosophy generally goes, "any jumper I get is one less for the other guy and vice versa." Ads using this approach will state or imply things like, "we're the coolest DZ," "we're the area's friendliest DZ," or, "we've got the best parties." This philosophy neglects the fact that DZs are not just competing with each other, but also with things like skiing, scuba diving, gambling boats, and dozens of other leisure activities. When the marketing approaches used by DZs in a given market resemble those used by political campaigns, potential jumpers can get turned off in just the same way voters often are on election day. In an election, a voter might not vote for your opponent after you call him a liar, but they might not want to vote for the son of a bitch who called your opponent a liar either. Same goes in skydiving. Is the skydiving market a zero-sum game? No. Do efforts that promote one DZ at the expense of another DZ hurt our sport in general? Yes. Do the marketing approaches of most DZs take these realities into account? Doesn't seem so. Is it the skydiving community's responsibility to influence how DZs promote themeselves? I can't think of anyone else. The glass isn't always half-full OR half-empty. Sometimes, the glass is just too damn big. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,647 #34 September 1, 2003 Quote>the "questionable" drop zone has done alot for skydiving in your > area. it is just too bad that you cannot stay out of somones > buissness polatics and enjoy what they have built for you.... a > skydiver.. The previous poster has every right to jump wherever he chooses, and has taken the high road by not listing the name of a DZ, just stating that he does not wish to jump there. He's voting with his dollars, and that's the right way to do it. That's not business politics. The advertizing seems to be targeted at the tandem market, which is where most DZs make their money. An experienced jumper taking his business elsewhere probably won't make the slightest bit of difference - you only have to see SDLV's attitude to experienced jumpers to realize that.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marks 0 #35 September 2, 2003 Quote>the "questionable" drop zone has done alot for skydiving in your > area. it is just too bad that you cannot stay out of somones > buissness polatics and enjoy what they have built for you.... a > skydiver.. The previous poster has every right to jump wherever he chooses, and has taken the high road by not listing the name of a DZ, just stating that he does not wish to jump there. He's voting with his dollars, and that's the right way to do it. That's not business politics. yes you are 100% correct.. and i appreiciate him not saying the name..... my argument is that he has never been there!..... he is listening to all the dz polatics and rumours going around at othere dz's... stay out of the polatics and you may acctually find you like it there....... dont listen to the angry dz owner because he is mad that this dz took 10 tandams from his market area..... it isnt any of our buissness...... it is theres..... ive been there since the day they opened and have never felt like i was "decieved" or "ripped off".... i cant say i agree with everything that they do as a "buisness".. but i agree 125% with what they have done with me as a skydiver...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peek 20 #36 September 2, 2003 Phonics: But dont you think that students should be made aware of skydiving dangers before they fork out loadsa cash for a course? It can a fairly dangerous sport and I think students would prefer to have all the correct details then make their choice. G.P.: Sure, but I was commenting strictly from the marketing viewpoint of a drop zone. Unfortunately, I think a prospective skydiving student is going to need to do a bit of research about skydiving to get the "truth" about the risk of skydiving. And that means going to places other than a drop zone's web site! Can any of you point us to any _commercial drop zone's_ web site that has a page about "Here are the risks, the numbers, etc.? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #37 September 2, 2003 How about the sign in the office back in SPARTA? " If your check bounces...so will you! " ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
goose491 0 #38 September 2, 2003 Quoteyes you are 100% correct.. and i appreiciate him not saying the name..... my argument is that he has never been there!..... The post is about the advertisement.... he may go there and LOVE it there but it's not the point... I LOVE my home DZ but if they had "questionable" advertising... I'd be questionning myself with the same thoughts : "Should I make it my point to say something about the negativity?" Quotehe is listening to all the dz polatics and rumours going around at othere dz's... No, he is refering to the negativity he has found in the advertisments he has read. Quotedont listen to the angry dz owner because he is mad that this dz took 10 tandams from his market area..... it isnt any of our buissness...... it is theres..... Again, he is refering to the advertisment, asking if it is his business or not... some seem to think it is..... The angry dz owner? Unless it's him typing bad stuff about other dzs then, this post is not about him either. Personnaly, I agree wholheartedly with taking part in trying to reduce any mud slinging in this sport... I mean, we all go nuts when we see the media 'getting it wrong' but here I see some people defending another DZO trash talking other DZs?? Don't make much sense to me. I could say I'm real safe by listing certain threats and commenting on what I do to reduce the risk... but as soon as I start saying "So and So's equipment is not up to date."... well, isn't this a step below slander? I agree with the poster who says that any bad words spoken about any DZ is bad for the sport... and A money-hungry DZ operator who slanders other DZs is most definately not doing his/her part to promote the Sport... there are other ways to sell your product. My Karma ran over my Dogma!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChasingBlueSky 0 #39 September 3, 2003 Quote Why would anyone want to mention _anything_ negative while trying to sell skydiving?!!! If I were a DZO I would try to downplay anything negative, (even accidents at a competing drop zone!), just to keep a potential student from becoming scared of skydiving. In other words, if you sling mud, you are going to wind up with mud on you. Know one of the best sales tactics? Don't oversell and let the customer sell you on why they want this. When you start getting into these detailed reasons of "why" they need or should want your product, you have given the customer all the power in the sale again._________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marks 0 #40 September 3, 2003 QuoteQuoteyes you are 100% correct.. and i appreiciate him not saying the name..... my argument is that he has never been there!..... The post is about the advertisement.... he may go there and LOVE it there but it's not the point... I LOVE my home DZ but if they had "questionable" advertising... I'd be questionning myself with the same thoughts : "Should I make it my point to say something about the negativity?" Quotehe is listening to all the dz polatics and rumours going around at othere dz's... No, he is refering to the negativity he has found in the advertisments he has read. Quotedont listen to the angry dz owner because he is mad that this dz took 10 tandams from his market area..... it isnt any of our buissness...... it is theres..... Again, he is refering to the advertisment, asking if it is his business or not... some seem to think it is..... The angry dz owner? Unless it's him typing bad stuff about other dzs then, this post is not about him either. Personnaly, I agree wholheartedly with taking part in trying to reduce any mud slinging in this sport... I mean, we all go nuts when we see the media 'getting it wrong' but here I see some people defending another DZO trash talking other DZs?? Don't make much sense to me. I could say I'm real safe by listing certain threats and commenting on what I do to reduce the risk... but as soon as I start saying "So and So's equipment is not up to date."... well, isn't this a step below slander? I agree with the poster who says that any bad words spoken about any DZ is bad for the sport... and A money-hungry DZ operator who slanders other DZs is most definately not doing his/her part to promote the Sport... there are other ways to sell your product. i would like to see the add he is refering to then,..... because he is not refering to one..... i can guarentee that....// show me the add that this "questionable" dz says anything negatve about another drop zone in particular and i will stand corrected Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MakeItHappen 15 #41 September 6, 2003 [reply ] Can any of you point us to any _commercial drop zone's_ web site that has a page about "Here are the risks, the numbers, etc.? http://www.freefallexpress.com/qanda.htm I have read a LOT of FAQs pages of dzs. This one is the BEST one. .. Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
