Liven Up Your Facebook Page with Facebook Live!

Your Facebook page is one of many marketing tools that help promote your business. This fun- and FREE!- entity boasts 1.94 billion monthly active users. That’s a lot of potential customers to target! Facebook offers some unique features that can help you reach your target market, while also providing additional content to utilize across other social platforms. One of the latest and greatest additions to Facebook’s toolbox is Facebook Live.

Facebook Live allows page owners to produce live, streaming videos from their locations. With the simple click of a button, you can transform your page from a static representation of your business to a lively, interactive opportunity to engage customers and build content. Facebook users love watching videos, and the added ability to comment on what they are watching means users stay on the page longer. Future customers can ask questions and make comments about what they are watching and you can interact with them while you are broadcasting!

 An example of how to take advantage of this option is to check out what Clear Lounge’s Javier Fortunato has been doing with Facebook Live. Javi has been recording awesome videos from Clear Lounge Cozumel for several weeks. When Clear Lounge held a dance party recently, Facebook viewers had the opportunity to watch as participants danced and played in Clear Lounge! They were able to ask questions, which gave Javi the chance to build a report with potential customers. Facebook Live videos also create permanent content by automatically saving to your Facebook videos tab. This content can then be copied and shared with other online entities like YouTube and Instagram.

 

Want to try Facebook Live? It’s easy! All you need is a smartphone and the Facebook app. Log into your business page via the app, and the “Live” option is under your post field. Click on “Live”, type in a description for your video, then click the blue “Go Live” button at the bottom of the screen. You’re ON! Get more details at https://live.fb.com/.

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Important side note: ensure guests are comfortable with being on your live video by posting a notice about the activity in a prominent location at the video site. Give customers the opportunity to “opt out” of being recorded if they choose.

 

Have you done a live event? What did you gain or learn from recording live? Share with us your experiences below! 

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It's National Safe Boating Week!

Next week is National Safe Boating Week. Sponsored by the National Safe Boating Council and the National Weather Service, this endeavor seeks to inform and remind boaters on the best practices to ensure boating safety. One of the key elements to a safe boating experience is to ensure life jackets are available to all on board, and worn by even the most experienced swimmers.

While statistics show that boating accidents are on the decline, the numbers still reflect an alarming number of incidences on U.S. waterways. In 2015, over 1,000 boating accidents were reported; the most frequent were due to collisions with other recreational vehicles, followed by collisions with a fixed object. There were 428 drowning deaths reported in 2015, and out of those accidents, 352 were not wearing life jackets.

A life jacket doesn’t just dramatically increase the chances of survival in an unexpected event, it also buys time. Falling into the water without a life jacket requires one to exert energy to keep afloat while awaiting assistance. Wearing a life jacket nearly eliminates expending that energy. Even experienced swimmers can become tired in the water or can suffer injuries that may make swimming difficult.

Fortunately, life jackets are easy to obtain and are fairly inexpensive. A really great resource is Dick’s Sporting Goods, which also offers tips on how to ensure you are buying the correct life vest for your body type and activity. You can read their recommendations on their website. 

Here are some additional reminders about life jackets, from the U.S. Coast Guard:

• Make sure your life jacket is U.S. Coast Guard approved.
• Double Check that your life jacket is appropriate for your favorite water activities. Read the label!
• Take the time to ensure proper fit. A life jacket that is too large or too small will not offer you complete protection. 
• Check to ensure that your life jacket is in good, serviceable condition, with no tears or holes. Test it to make sure it works properly.
• Life jackets meant for adults do not work for children. If you are boating with children, make sure they are wearing properly fitted, child-sized life jackets based on their weight. Do not buy a life jacket for your child to ‘grow into.’

Want to ensure you have all the required equipment, including life jackets, onboard your boat before getting underway? Download the new Coast Guard boating safety app and utilize the ‘Review Safety Equipment’ feature – depending on the size and propulsion equipment for your vessel, the app will create a customized list of what equipment is required onboard.

Have a safe and fun boating season!

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Appreciating Incredible Moms!

This week, Sub Sea Systems honors mothers everywhere by utilizing social media to post a variety of images that reflect wildlife “moms” and their babies, with interesting facts about each species. (you can read the interesting facts and view the beautiful photographs here.) However, we have not forgotten the human side of this very important day, and would like to honor one of our favorite human moms, Melissa Mayfield.

Melissa is the CFO of Sub Sea Systems; spouse of Jim, our founder; and Mom to Kyle, Hannah and Keenan, who all hold key positions at SSS. She is also a new grandmom to baby Wyatt, an adorable new addition to the team!

We interviewed Melissa so that we could learn more about her background, what she likes to do when she’s not busy managing the finances of SSS, and what kind of advice she could offer to budding entrepreneurs. Here is what we learned about Melissa!

Melissa Mayfield

Q: What is your favorite thing to do during your off time?

M: Spend time with my husband, family, and especially our first grandchild, Wyatt!

Q: How would you describe Sub Sea Systems to someone who you just met?

M: Our business is unique in a couple of ways: 1. We are in the business of providing fun products for all to enjoy. 2. We get to do that everyday with our three adult children, who each have an integral role in assuring the continued success of our business.

Q: What kind of music do you listen to?

M: I enjoy all genres of music (except RAP), from classical to country, folk to rock.

Q: What countries have you visited, and which is your favorite?

M: Raising a family of three did not afford me too many opportunities to travel. However, in more recent years, I have had the opportunity to travel to Canada, Curacao, Cayman Islands, and Mexico. And although we have a condo on the Riviera Maya in Mexico where we spend a lot of time, my favorite country/place to visit….is in the good ‘ole USA….HAWAII!

Q: What is your favorite charity and why?

M: My charity of choice is the El Dorado County Food Bank in Cameron Park, California.  No one should go hungry, especially not in my own community.

Q: What do you know now, that you wish you knew when you were younger?

M: There are no guarantees. Live each day to its fullest. Be patient. (Invest in cute shoes and nice lingerie, too ;-)

Q: What are you most proud of?

M: My three amazing children - Kyle, Hannah and Keenan!

Q: What is the best advice your Mom ever gave you?

M: My mother taught through her actions - be kind and generous, show compassion, live your life with honesty and integrity, be strong and stand up for what you believe…and laugh!

Q: What do you think is the best advice you have given to your children?

M: I hope that I have passed on to my children the same advice as my mother did to me.  And, we LAUGH A LOT!!

Q: What words of encouragement would you give to a friend who wants to start his or her own business?

M: It’s not for the weak of heart!  Do your homework, know your customer base, commit for the long haul and most importantly, have a passion for what you do. 

Q: Wine or beer?

M: Depends…a nice Pinot Noir or Merlot.  But my boys would say that you can’t go wrong with an ice-cold can of Coors Light.

Those of us who have the pleasure of working with Melissa on a daily basis can add this – Melissa’s smart business sense, down-to-earth personality and caring heart make working at Sub Sea Systems a true pleasure. 

Happy Mother’s Day to all Moms!

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PART 2: Tips & Tricks for Travel Savings

Continuing our series, our next entry focuses on points programs. Points and loyalty programs are great for vacationers who have the time and patience to save up points.

Persistence with points systems can pay off in big rewards toward your next trip of a lifetime! While some loyalty programs require stays at hotels or accumulation of miles via paid flights, many programs offer consumers points for simply taking surveys, or purchasing from online retailers that you may already be utilizing.

The gold standard for points programs – Mypoints – offers members the chance to earn in a multitude of ways. Take a survey, read an email, click an ad, utilize their search tool, or shop at sites you’re likely already frequenting, via their affiliates program. Points can add up fairly quickly, and you can  “opt in” to receive emails that offer points daily just by clicking on them and reading the contents. If you’re an online shopper, simply start on the Mypoints website and click through to some very popular online shopping sites like Groupon, JC Penney, Home Depot, even amazon.com! You are only one extra click away from earning points that can be redeemed for gift cards to a wide variety of restaurants you might visit while on vacation. They also offer the option of raking in United MileagePlus points! Check out Mypoints here.

Fairly new to the points game, Plenti offers consumers the chance to earn points via purchases. You can earn points by shopping online from the Plenti website, or by registering your free Plenti card and signing up for their auto points program. Points can accumulate when you shop at the grocery store or dine at a local restaurant. Additionally, if you click through to hotels.com, expedia.com, or priceline.com via links on the Plenti site, you can earn up to 4 points per dollar spent. Points can be utilized for Enterprise car rentals, and for gas purchases at both Mobil and Exxon. Plenti does not offer the bells and whistles of the Mypoints program, but it is easy to use. Read about the Plenti program here: https://www.plenti.com/earn-points/how-to-earn-points

Participants in the e-Miles program accrue e-Miles by spending a few minutes each week reading and reacting to marketing messages and emails that are specific to their interests. Participants are required to respond to at least one message per month to maintain their miles. e-Miles can be redeemed for Rapid Rewards Points, Hilton Honors Points, United Airlines miles, American Airlines miles, or several other great partners. Impatient? You can redeem a lower level of points for a Starbucks gift card to use while you’re waiting at the airport for your next flight!

If you’ve got the time, watching videos, playing games online and taking surveys via Swagbucks can net you some pretty awesome rewards. Use swagbucks.com as your internet search engine, and you’re making money while doing something you’d be doing anyway. Additional opportunities to earn via taking surveys or shopping via affiliate links can lead to decent points payouts, and Swagbucks even has coupons on their site that you can use for double savings. Like many rewards programs, you can utilize your points for gift cards for travel entities like Southwest, Uber, Delta and Royal Caribbean. Additonally, Swagbucks offers a cash payout option via Paypal!

  

Many airlines and hotel chains have their own loyalty programs and do not require users to sign up for a credit card. Free miles are there for the taking if you know where to go and remember to use these sites before shopping:

While there are a lot of benefits to flying Virgin, one of the best is their flying club. Earn frequent flyer miles by…you guessed it…flying Virgin! But, there are other ways to earn coveted miles. Utilize their “shops away” affiliate program, with over 1,000 top online retailers for you to choose from, such as iTunes, Nike Store, and Apple. A simple click from the Flying Club site to a shopping site nets you freebie points. 

One of the biggest benefits to TrueBlue is the ability to use points for Jet Blue miles, which can be used anytime. Jet Blue does not have blackout periods or seat selection limitations, and you can pool your points with other family members. Added bonus- Blue points never expire! Ready to earn? Sign up here (https://trueblue.jetblue.com/web/trueblue/how-it-works-start-earning) and shop on sites like the ever-popular amazon.com, or take a survey or two to start accruing for your next Blue journey.

Earn Hilton Honors Points nearly everywhere. Use them for almost anything - from staying at Hilton hotels and resorts to dining at restaurants and making purchases, there are thousands of ways to earn Honors Points. One of the unique ways to earn HH points is via Hilton Honors Dining, an associated program that gives points for grabbing a drink at your neighborhood bar, celebrating a special event at your favorite restaurant or trying out a new place for dinner. Sign up for the dining program, and you will get welcome bonus points and notifications when new restaurants are added to the program.

These are merely a few of many programs available that will help you accumulate the miles and points you can use for your next adventure - simply by reading emails, taking a survey here and there, and doing your online shopping with a single additional click. What are your favorite programs? Share in the comments section!

Terrie Carrozzella is the Web Designer & Social Media Manager for Sub Sea Systems. Want to contact Terrie about Sea TREK helmet diving, Clear Lounge underwater oxygen bar, or FunCat electric catamarans? Email her here!terrie@subseasystems.com

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National Week of The Ocean

This week, Sub Sea Systems celebrated National Week of the Ocean by posting facts about sea life to our social media audiences. Utilizing Sea TREK, Reef Alliance, and SSS social pages, we reflected on the beauty of our oceans and the sea life within.

Taking this opportunity to teach others about our oceans aligns with the messaging promoted through Reef Alliance. Reef Alliance is an evolving program that promotes sustainable diving practices and environmental education. Primarily delivered to individuals who participate in Sea TREK helmet diving tours, Reef Alliance focuses on educating individuals who may be encountering marine life for their very first time. The goal of Reef Alliance is to create awareness of conservation efforts, ocean life protection, and reef restoration through a variety of messaging.

Conservation

Reef Alliance is committed to conservation efforts. Embracing the slogan “think locally; act globally”, the Alliance promotes Reef Alliance Day, an event that coincides with Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup. All over the world, thousands of volunteers work together to remove trash and debris from beaches, lakes, and rivers. Reef Alliance Day brings together a team, which included SSS staff, to clean up local waterways. Participants can “sign up to clean up” online, and the event is promoted via social media campaigns.

Several Reef Alliance members also participate in annual Earth Day cleanups. This year volunteers from Coral World Ocean Park recovered more than 50 bags of trash and debris from a 1-acre plot of mangroves!

Additionally, visitors to the Reef Alliance’s website are encouraged to take a pledge to commit to conservation. The pledge involves a commitment to respect the ocean, reduce waste by recycling, and to “take only photos and leave only bubbles” during ocean exploration. You can take the pledge here. 

Protecting Wild Fish Populations

Photo Courtesy Wikipedia

Reef Alliance and Sea TREK are proud to partner with Rising Tide Conservation; a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of coral reefs and wild fish populations through sustainable aquaculture. Rising Tide collaborates with research universities and public aquariums to discover new methods to captive-breed saltwater aquarium fish, in order to reduce the negative impact of fishing on coral reefs.

Donations raised through the SeaTREK program at Discovery Cove Orlando have contributed nearly $50,000 to Rising Tide Conservation - enough to fully fund the research of one Ph.D. student. A portion of every payment for a Sea TREK adventure at Discovery Cove is donated to Rising Tide.

Restoring and Enhancing Our Reefs

Photo Courtesy Nick Hobgood

One method of maintaining healthy reefs and healthy tourism is to take pressure off the natural reef through artificial enhancements. The Alliance promotes these enhancements, which allow sea life populations to thrive. Reef balls, 3D printed modular reefs, and decommissioned, stripped down vehicles are several ways to enhance an underwater area; thus not relying on neighboring natural reef environments for entertainment. These manmade structures can convert a once barren area to a thriving home– providing surfaces for new coral growth and hiding places for fish while offering an interesting scene for human visitors to observe. 

Many Sea TREK locations incorporate artificial enhancements, which not only give visitors fabulous photo opportunities, but also improve reef health and growth.

If you would like to learn more about
Reef Alliance and how you can help protect our oceans and waterways, check out http://www.reefalliance.com

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Safety on the Water: Keeping Things Fun, While Maintaining a Safe Environment

May is National Water Safety Month! The purpose of this campaign is to bring into focus the importance of water safety in all types of swimming and aquatic environments. Swimming and other water-related activities are increasingly popular this time of year, so it’s helpful to be reminded of safe water practices. The American Red Cross, World Waterpark Association, National Recreation and Park Association, and the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals are partners in coordinating the awareness campaign.

Statistics make it clear how important it is to communicate information regarding water safety. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), from 2005-2014, there were 3,536 fatal, unintentional drownings (non-boating related) annually in the United States. Additionally, over 300 people die each year from drowning in boating-related incidents. About one in five people who die from drowning are children 14 and younger. The following recommendations will help your family have fun on the water while staying safe.

Learn to Swim!

Surprisingly, over 50% of Americans can't swim. Learning to swim is one of the most important ways to prevent water safety accidents. Getting kids into formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88%. Check with your local YMCA facility or swim school for a list of upcoming classes and sign up! Adults should not only learn basic swimming skills, but should consider adding water safety training to their repertoire of parenting skills. The Red Cross offers a variety of classes and life-saving training opportunities, from first aid to CPR. Check out some of the programs here.

Friend and Family Time

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The water is more fun with friends! Always swim with at least one companion. Don’t allow anyone to swim alone, even at pools or beaches with lifeguards. It’s a good idea to keep a cell phone nearby, in case there is a need to call for help. When you’re boating, be sure to go with a friend or two. Equip your boat with appropriate life jackets - and wear them! Even good swimmers should be properly equipped with life jackets. While boating and swimming, stay alert for dangerous waves or signs of rip currents. Some visual signs of potentially unsafe water include: water that is discolored and choppy, foamy, or filled with debris and moving in a channel away from shore.

photo courtesy boat-ed.com

Monitor Children In And Around Water
Never leave a child unattended around the water. Appoint a responsible adult as the “water watcher” so children are monitored at all times. Stay within arm’s reach of little ones and stay focused. Remove toys from the water when the kids are not playing with them. Toys can be a powerful attraction to inexperienced or untrained swimmers. Train children in safe practices such as walking – not running – at the pool. Always brief babysitters on water safety, emphasizing the need for constant supervision. Additionally, remind those in charge that not all water accidents include splashing and noise. Relying on sound to assure safety is not adequate.

Create a Safe Pool Environment

A safe pool is a fun pool. There are many things you can do to improve the safety of your backyard pool. Start with a professionally built swimming pool that meets local codes. If you have an existing outdoor pool, it should be enclosed with a four-sided, sturdy fence that completely separates the pool area from the house and yard. The fence should be at least 4 feet high. Use self-closing and self-latching gates that open outward with latches that are out of reach of children. Additional barriers such as automatic door locks and alarms can prevent access or alert you if someone enters the pool area. Add a safety cover, and upgrade to a pool pump with a safety vacuum release system (SVRS). Maintaining your pool on a regular basis will also go a long way to keeping the environment safe. Added safety measures should include keeping a phone within easy reach, and having a first aid kit nearby, whenever the pool is in use.

Boating Safety Measures
Take a course and know the signs! Most states require a boating license, but even if it is not required, taking a class or two to learn about boating safety can prevent unnecessary accidents. Understanding the signs you will see along waterways, such as the various markers and signals, can prevent accidents and ensure that you have a fun and memorable experience. Check out these boating safety tips from the US Coast Guard.

Spending time on the water, having fun, and enjoying time with loved ones in a safe environment can create lasting, happy memories. What are you doing to promote safety in and around the water?

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