Page 51 - Summer 2014

special consideration to lodging packages involving a non- profit, such as LSSM. News with a nonprofit angle arrives wearing a halo, so to speak. Your ski area’s LSSM lodging packages will be received by an editor with a bit more warm and fuzzy vibe than your standard “ski & stay” packages. This all adds up to more respected, positive editorial endorsements for your ski area’s products, echoed on social media and on your ski area’s websites. These stories will influence more consumers to buy your lift tickets, rent your equipment, book your lessons, eat and drink in your bars and restaurants, rent your rooms, condos and chalets, and book your spa services and sleigh rides—thus spending more money at your ski area and at your neigh- boring businesses too. This premise of positive editorial endorsements influencing more consumers to spend more money is universally accepted—and not just by PR pros. This goes for positive editorial coverage online, on TV, in newspaper Sunday Travel Sections, and in magazines. Another payoff for your ski area from individual or group LSSM lodging packages is improved relationships with exist- ing PR partners beyond LSSM’s coordinated PR effort. Your state’s or region’s snowsports marketing agency—such as Ski Vermont, Ski Areas of New York, Midwest Ski Areas Association, Ski Utah, Southeastern Ski Areas Association, California Ski Industry Association, and many others—will want info on your LSSM lodging packages because they always need more good story ideas to pitch media with which they are already work- ing. The same goes for regional PR partners, such as Ski Lake Tahoe, Visit Salt Lake, and your community’s chamber of commerce. Many of these PR partners have separate media relations efforts focused on group business, and they want to promote your LSSM group lodging packages to help them sell the region to more groups. There may be opportunities with partners such as Priceline.com too. And you can collaborate with the PR efforts of your neighboring businesses that you bring into your LSSM lodging packages, such as a snow- shoe or snowmobile guiding company. As noted, the Kottke survey found, close to half of all cur- rent skiers and snowboarders spend the night when they go to the mountain. There is no reason to believe newbies on the mountain SUMMER 2014 | NSAA Journal | 49 w w w.nsaa. org NSAA Summer 2014 prepressed v6a.indd 49 7/3/14 4:21 PM