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Yet an increasing number of ski areas—including
CRM CASE STUDIES
Arapahoe Basin, Colo., Wachusett Mountain, Mass., and
Killington, Vt.—are adapting holistic approaches to CRM
with a mix of technology and old-fashioned guest service,
and are netting results in growing repeat business among ARAPAHOE BASIN, COLORADO
first-time lesson takers. All three of these resorts say that STRATEGY: Invest in technology and partnerships to learn specific
NSAA’s newly updated Conversion Cookbook has helped steer details about the guests’ experience, and use that information to create
their efforts, and that data and technology are the catalysts customized offers.
that have turbo-boosted better customer relations, not just MARKETING TOOLBOX: RTP Software, Inntopia Marketing Cloud
within ski school but across all departments.
OLD–SCHOOL MIX: Redesigned rental shop, on-site and post-visit
Arapahoe Basin has invested significantly in new technol- surveys, small class sizes
ogies and partnerships within the last four seasons that have RESULTS: Based on guest feedback, A-Basin established a single price
allowed it to follow up with more first-time guests. A-Basin ($125) for an all-inclusive adult beginner lesson package. The resort
captures transactional data via RTP software, and employs had more than 3,000 lesson takers purchase the package this season.
the Inntopia Marketing Cloud for its email campaigns. Three “That’s 3,000 chances to grow the sport and gain a skier for life,” says
days after a beginner (or other guest) visits the ski area, he or Adrienne Saia Isaac, the resort’s marketing manager.
she receives a post-departure email survey.

WACHUSETT MOUNTAIN, MASSACHUSETTS
STRATEGY: Collect data from online purchases, employ upsell auto-
mated email marketing campaigns, and train instructors to upsell.

MARKETING TOOLBOX: Proprietary e-commerce software, Ascend 360
OLD-SCHOOL MIX: Post-visit surveys, instructors distribute post-lesson
postcards that thank guests for their visit and contain an offer for a
discount on the next lesson
Ashley Ojala/Arapahoe Basin with 7 percent upgrading for more lessons, and 1,500 three-day lessons
RESULTS: Wachusett sold more than 9,000 one-day lesson packages

with 20 percent upgrading for three more lessons. It was also the 2016
NSAA Conversion Cup winner.

Arapahoe Basin invested $50,000 to revamp its rental shop last season with
a focus on making the process of moving through the shop as seamless and
non-intimidating as possible. The new boot bridge is a key part of the design. KILLINGTON RESORT, VERMONT
STRATEGY: Stay engaged and in communication once a first-timer
“We’re connecting with our first-timers by using a com- commits to the first lesson, and provide red carpet treatment when
bination of tactics including email marketing, transactional they arrive.
information, and post-departure surveys to learn about them,
to help them prepare for their experience before arriving at MARKETING TOOLBOX: SilverPop, IBM Watson Marketing
the mountain, and to discover future service opportunities so OLD-SCHOOL MIX: Keen attention to the arrival experience, and
that everyone has a day worth repeating,” says Adrienne Saia personalized, high-touch instruction with a maximum of five students
Isaac, the resort’s marketing and communications manager. per instructor for kids always, and for adults when possible
A-Basin designed new pre-arrival emails to send to new
visitors to help them feel more at-ease when they get to the RESULTS: Killington has an average 50 percent conversion rate
area, and also added informational videos to its website to for first-time lesson takers. The resort won the 2017–18 NSAA
help guests choose the right lesson for their ability level. A Marketing Award for Best Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month
new eCommerce platform was also added to improve the Campaign and also was the 2015 NSAA Conversion Cup winner.
purchase experience on mobile devices.

FALL 2018 | NSAA JOURNAL | 47