It can be difficult to maintain marketing momentum through the summer months. All that great winter content and event stories dry up, and only the die-hards are thinking snow. Yet, you have to look for ways to keep that hook set for the next season.
Here are five ideas to consider this summer.
1. Keep the content flowing via Social. Do you have capital improvement projects in process? Cutting trails, putting in lifts, adding buildings – these are activities that a good photographer and videographer can use to accent your updates. Leverage what you already have. Pull together a “best of” that features the best.. or the “worst of” might be even more engaging. Think ABC Sports… “the agony of defeat” shots of tumbling skiers. Visual content is key.
2. Identify your Influencers – comb through mentions on Twitter and Facebook. Who are your loudest fans? They are your word of mouth marketers. Reach out to them. Introduce yourself personally. Consider creating a program that can harness all that love. Give and you will receive.
3. Stay active on Twitter and Facebook – keep updates and content flowing. Introduce contests that juxtapose summer with winter. This day 6 months ago…. If you have four season offerings, blend the winter content with summer content, and add soft reminders about pre-season specials.
4. Get around town. Get out into the community and strengthen those relations. Press flesh. Smile. Make new friends. In today’s world of social media, consider every member of your community to be a word-of-mouth marketer for you. So make sure they know what is coming up for next season, and give them reasons to like you and want to help you.
5. Tune your marketing program for next year. The website still is the primary point of conversion. Make sure it rocks. Make sure you have a mobile site that rocks even harder. Then work out a content plan that includes the ongoing resources to produce and distribute that content. Content is King.
Rock on.
I thought I’d add this link out to fellow ski resort marketing hound Gregg Blanchard – he suggests hosting an event – Apple Style – to rev up the hardcore audience for the upcoming season. With webcasting, such an event could be seen by fans anywhere, and then shared via social media. Great ideas Gregg.
http://www.slopefillers.com/ski-resort-keynote-presentation/
Really enjoyed your thoughts here!
[...] a slice of innovation and marketing/business savvy built in. Recently, they posted a list of “5 summer marketing tips for ski resort marketers” on their blog. It covered a few topics that I was planning on hitting here and then some. [...]
Good stuff Propellorheads.
Thanks Joe – anything to add?