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MARKETING Are You Listening? Resorts Get Social With Give-and-Take Approach BY MIKE BISNER ocial media... talk about a moving target and changing environment! With so many available options for communicating these days, “getting social” has moved well beyond just asking to be “liked” on SFacebook. Every day we read about a new start-up company or “must-have” app that helps spread the word to friends and strangers alike by sharing photos or video via the Internet. If there’s any confusion about how ski resorts can best utilize this new media and staff for it, it’s no wonder. Further complicating things is the fact Resort, which launched a very success- it has now expanded to include content that different demographics have adopted ful “LET’S GET SOCIAL” campaign. generated by the resort guest. Deer Valley different social format preferences and Camelback identified six social channels has recognized that the most important continue to push out their various uses and opened them as a two-way commu- element to a successful social media cam- as an open communications tool (e.g., nications tool to engage fans and visitors. paign is to have content that represents Facebook for the parent posting photos, With a commitment not only to listen but the resort’s brand image while simultane- and Vine video for the GoPro teen sharing also to carry out positive changes based ously aligning with its customers’ interests. his or her on-mountain experience with on fan feedback, the resort managed to Think of deploying social media as an peers). That’s why today’s resorts need to integrate social media into its entire mar- extension of your overall brand market- set up “listening tools” to monitor what keting platform, encouraging and high- ing. Deer Valley (winner of the 2013-14 is being talked about with respect to their lighting resort user posts, photos, video, Best Social Media Campaign) did exactly resort and brand—and they need to be and feedback. that, and networked its social media to prepared to respond to consumers using Camelback established six different reinforce the resort’s overall brand mes- Twitter and other channels as a real-time Hashtag Hangouts to cover the preferred sage and values. Deer Valley recognizes communication exchange. engagement of various demographic users that enabling resort visitors to participate Any of the listening tool providers can of social media while upping the engage- by sharing their experience is a new form help you gauge responses and what is being ment and interaction with each visi- of testimonial advertising, without the discussed online on these various social tor. The numbers from Google reporting agency production costs. media channels, and they can help you speak loudly. Camelback’s growth and My personal favorite social media ini- figure out what works and what doesn’t rankings on each of these social channels tiative came from Alyeska Resort, Alaska, in short order. (Check out Meltwater, far outpaced any other program, especially with its fun departure from using tradi- Hootsuite, Radian6, and Sysomos for their for a regional resort of its size. What made tional skiing or powder shots in its mate- approach to gathering online activities Camelback unique was its commitment to rials. As any mega-advertising agency will related to your area of interest.) make social media a two-way engagement tell you, you can’t go wrong using dogs The relevance and effectiveness of supported by contests, on-snow promo- and kids in your advertising. Everyone these and other social media tools are tions and reinforcement, and promoting loves these engaging photos. Alyeska’s often seen in the entries NSAA receives for recognition and listening to its visitors. use of its adorable rescue dogs as the cor- the Best Social Media Campaign category This next example reminds us that nerstone for attracting and aggregating of the NSAA Marketing Awards. There Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine, fans and followers across the social media are such excellent examples of how NSAA Vimeo, Flickr, and other up-and-coming channels was brilliant. member resorts are using these tools that it channels all rely on content. We’ve heard it The resort started off by sharing pho- would be a waste not to share them. Here a million times, but content truly is king tos of the dogs early in the normally slow is a brief look at three of the best entries in in that it drives engagement and sharing. off-season on its website and Facebook the 2013-14 competition. That’s where Utah’s Deer Valley Resort page. By posting puppy pictures of the One example of a well thought- really shines. new trainee avalanche rescue dogs (almost out social media entry came from Where this resort’s marketing depart- not fair), Alyeska ultimately reached Pennsylvania’s Camelback Mountain ment once exclusively generated content, 32,000 people who saw the post and 64 | NSAA Journal | EARLY WINTER 2014 w w w. n s a a . o rg NSAA Early Winter 2014 prepressed v5b.indd 64 10/29/14 6:09 PM