Fact: Until recently, we’ve seen very few ski areas demonstrating real social media savvy. Sorry, it’s true. While many resorts are showing up on various social media channels (Twitter, Facebook, etc), few are actually getting the point – they make the mistake of selling and promoting in the same way they do in print ads and on their websites. The vast majority are lost in the social media wilderness. Some resorts, however, have managed to stay out of the woods and at the forefront of new media.
Yesterday, Vermont’s Jay Peak Resort offered a free lift ticket to the first 20 people who could prove purchase of new media evangelist Mitch Joel’s new book, Six Pixels of Separation. With this brilliant social media maneuver, Jay Peak Resort has carved out their spot at the front of the digital media race for ski resorts, leaving much of the competition in their cold smoke powder wake. And here’s why:
1. Simply put, they are using social media. Many resorts are still absent from the social media realm, meaning they are most likely watching it run away from them at light speed. Every day they make the choice to not join the conversation, they lose that ability to understand the language. Jay Peak is out there listening and contributing through Facebook, Twitter, a Flickr page and a Youtube page w/ custom content. Their up-to-date blog is updated by “key individuals from across the resort,” allowing a transparency that translates into an honest look at what Jay Peak can offer to the consumer.
2. They are offering something of worth. This goes beyond giving away 20 free lift tickets. With their blog post, Jay Peak has simultaneously given you a book recommendation, a chance at a free day of skiing, and a little pick-me-up good news. But it doesn’t end there – take a look at Jay Peak’s Twitter (amongst other channels) and you’ll find a company that is offering value through fun, relevant content and open conversation with its customers. Yes, it is that simple. Social media is not a game of give-and-take, but rather give-and-receive. The difference in the language is small, but the shift in the meaning is massive.
3. They share and promote. By enticing others to get on the social media train by reading Joel’s book, Jay Peak is doing more than pumping up their own brand. They are supporting someone else’s work. And that person just so happens to be a very influential person, which leads us to…
4. They realize the value of cross promotion. Traditional advertising and marketing often revolves around telling everyone how awesome you are. Social media should not. It is about sharing. By promoting Mitch’s book, Jay Peak has made a new friend and ally. The fact that this new friend has many connections is merely a pleasant side-effect, regardless of whether it was planned that way. – Rory Tucker and Mike Berard
Disclaimer: Origin is the Canadian agency for Jay Peak Resort. And although we are not involved in any way with their social media campaign, we just like what they do.
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Hi, thanks for the article. There are a few ski resorts that are very active on social media. Take a look at Park City in Utah and Diamond Peak in Lake Tahoe. It’s good to hear that more people are joining in the conversation. It only makes sense to listen to what your customers have to say, engage and provide value. Only then you can expect people to trust your brand and purchase your service, even if it’s skiing.
Hi, thanks for the article. There are a few ski resorts that are very active on social media. Take a look at Park City in Utah and Diamond Peak in Lake Tahoe. It’s good to hear that more people are joining in the conversation. It only makes sense to listen to what your customers have to say, engage and provide value. Only then you can expect people to trust your brand and purchase your service, even if it’s skiing.
Thanks for the kind words but I agree with Milena; I think there are several brands across sm channels that are doing it right/well. Part of this is about doing it at all. I could create an argument that if you’re engaging at all, you’re doing it ‘right.’ Whatever right means.
steve
Thanks for the kind words but I agree with Milena; I think there are several brands across sm channels that are doing it right/well. Part of this is about doing it at all. I could create an argument that if you’re engaging at all, you’re doing it ‘right.’ Whatever right means.
steve
Good point Steve – being involved in social media at all is a huge step in the right direction, but I still think it’s fair to say that resorts like yours are ahead of the curve. I spend a lot of time researching social media marketing in the ski, snowboard and mountain resort industries and am always surprised at how few brands are actively engaged with their customers. The resorts that do a good job (Park City and Diamond Peak incl.) are far above average. So while Jay Peak may not be the only one doing it, it is part of a very select and savvy group of resorts that is using social media in a progressive way, beyond just showing up and retweeting praise for their brand. And I think that’s notable. Thanks to both of you for the comments (and for keeping your resorts in the conversation).
For a more focused look at social media use in the skiing and ski resort world: http://followingthedie.wordpress.com/2009/04/12/why-social-media-doesnt-matter-unless-you-ignore-it/
Good point Steve – being involved in social media at all is a huge step in the right direction, but I still think it’s fair to say that resorts like yours are ahead of the curve. I spend a lot of time researching social media marketing in the ski, snowboard and mountain resort industries and am always surprised at how few brands are actively engaged with their customers. The resorts that do a good job (Park City and Diamond Peak incl.) are far above average. So while Jay Peak may not be the only one doing it, it is part of a very select and savvy group of resorts that is using social media in a progressive way, beyond just showing up and retweeting praise for their brand. And I think that’s notable. Thanks to both of you for the comments (and for keeping your resorts in the conversation).
For a more focused look at social media use in the skiing and ski resort world: http://followingthedie.wordpress.com/2009/04/12/why-social-media-doesnt-matter-unless-you-ignore-it/
Origin, isn’t Jay Peak your client? Are you part of the social media campaign? Even if you tweet this as Origin Whistler, it doesn’t look like you’re being open about your relationship with Jay Peak here.
Steve Wright is doing too good of job at Jay not to understand that trying to hide true relationships in social media is a risky proposition.
http://digitalstrategy.typepad.com/digital_strategy/2009/09/openness-vs-spin-in-social-media.html
Origin, isn’t Jay Peak your client? Are you part of the social media campaign? Even if you tweet this as Origin Whistler, it doesn’t look like you’re being open about your relationship with Jay Peak here.
Steve Wright is doing too good of job at Jay not to understand that trying to hide true relationships in social media is a risky proposition.
http://digitalstrategy.typepad.com/digital_strategy/2009/09/openness-vs-spin-in-social-media.html
Hi Rich, I responded to your questions over on your blog but I will address them here as well:
http://digitalstrategy.typepad.com/digital_strategy/2009/09/openness-vs-spin-in-social-media.html#comment-6a00e5538e53f988340120a56c9827970b
Origin is the Canadian agency for Jay Peak. We run a print campaign for them in Quebec. We are not nor have we ever been involved in their social media campaign. As the copywriter I made the mistake of not posting this because I work in the Whistler office and, being removed from the Jay Peak/Montreal connection, I mistakenly missed out on the opportunity to disclose this, a mistake pointed out by my CD somewhere around the same time Rich was writing his blog post. It was not intended to fool anyone or to cause “an inside ping-pong game, aimed at misleading people.” I merely forgot and then was reminded simultaneously by two emails – one from my creative director and one from your blog post. It was a honest mistake and I have no problem admitting I missed out on that opportunity to keep things transparent. Hope this clears it up. Thanks.
Hi Rich, I responded to your questions over on your blog but I will address them here as well:
http://digitalstrategy.typepad.com/digital_strategy/2009/09/openness-vs-spin-in-social-media.html#comment-6a00e5538e53f988340120a56c9827970b
Origin is the Canadian agency for Jay Peak. We run a print campaign for them in Quebec. We are not nor have we ever been involved in their social media campaign. As the copywriter I made the mistake of not posting this because I work in the Whistler office and, being removed from the Jay Peak/Montreal connection, I mistakenly missed out on the opportunity to disclose this, a mistake pointed out by my CD somewhere around the same time Rich was writing his blog post. It was not intended to fool anyone or to cause “an inside ping-pong game, aimed at misleading people.” I merely forgot and then was reminded simultaneously by two emails – one from my creative director and one from your blog post. It was a honest mistake and I have no problem admitting I missed out on that opportunity to keep things transparent. Hope this clears it up. Thanks.
I am a partner at the agency that helped design/build Jay Peak’s social media platform and strategy, and I have a couple of thoughts. To develop a meaningful, engaging social media program, you need a methodology. You need to know why you’re active in social media, for whom you are active, and how success will be measured/identified.
Jay Peak is (primarily) a ski resort. “Cross promoting” a book about how to use social media to build your business at weblog.jaypeakresort.com is not an approach that we would encourage, nor endorse. Why? Because like-minded individuals cluster, and our social media strategy for Jay did not include the idea of turning it into another soapbox for a discussion about the pros/cons of social media, non-traditional marketing etc. Again, Jay Peak is (primarily) a ski resort. For “Whom” do you think they should be active? And “Why?”
Apply those questions to your case study, and I’m pretty sure you will arrive at a much different conclusion.
Thanks.
I am a partner at the agency that helped design/build Jay Peak’s social media platform and strategy, and I have a couple of thoughts. To develop a meaningful, engaging social media program, you need a methodology. You need to know why you’re active in social media, for whom you are active, and how success will be measured/identified.
Jay Peak is (primarily) a ski resort. “Cross promoting” a book about how to use social media to build your business at weblog.jaypeakresort.com is not an approach that we would encourage, nor endorse. Why? Because like-minded individuals cluster, and our social media strategy for Jay did not include the idea of turning it into another soapbox for a discussion about the pros/cons of social media, non-traditional marketing etc. Again, Jay Peak is (primarily) a ski resort. For “Whom” do you think they should be active? And “Why?”
Apply those questions to your case study, and I’m pretty sure you will arrive at a much different conclusion.
Thanks.
Love this. Promote a good, creative book AND offer those who partake a free gift. Excellent approach. These are the kind of customers you want on your slopes.