ADMINISTRATIVE MEETINGGlenstone Lodge

Gatlinburg, TNNovember 1, 2014

Facebook for Ski Clubs

Questions:Who has a personal Facebook page?Does your Club have a Facebook Page?How many who have a personal Facebook page or page for your Club are

actively updating it?

Goals:Attracting new members?Selling trips?Generate website traffic?Because everyone else has one?

Your Club’s page is just like a business page – treat them the same!!

Obvious benefits:

BrandingMember engagement

Subtle benefits:

Driving website trafficGenerating lead on new membersGiving members a voice – let them know they’re special – share what they share!!Share what members say!!Use all the features your page has to offer – e.g. create events, promote and sell your trips!!Respond to all comments left on your Club’s page. Your followers want to know you see their comments!!

Posting:Provide Value

a. 80/20 Rule. 80% of your posts should contain relevant material that will benefit your members, 20% should be promotional.b. Talk about the ski/snowboard industry.c. “Like” industry pages (resort, retail, etc.)

Summary:Have a goal!!Update regularlyProvide consistencyPost relevant material & provide valueLead generation – goal is to gain new members!!

Ways to Promote your Club in Today’s Internet and Social Media World:

FacebookTwitterLinked InMeetupEmailsLinks to websitesLinks from websitesBrochuresNewslettersEmailsWord of MouthEvents

We are all sharing passion for skiing and snowboarding!!

THE BASICS OF BRANDING:

Branding is one of the most important aspect of any business. Ski Clubs are a business. An effective brand strategy gives you a major edge in increasingly competitive markets. But what exactly does “branding” mean and how does it affect your ski clubs?

Your brand is your promise to your members. It lets them know what they can expect from your trips, events, and is derived from what your Club is, what you want it to be and what your members/prospective members will perceive it to be.

Is your Club the innovative maverick in your industry? Or the experienced, reliable one. Are it providing the high-cost, high-value option, or the low cost, high-value option. Your Club can’t be both – it should be based on who your target members want and need you to be.

The foundation of your “brand” is your Club’s logo. Your Club’s website and promotional materials – all of which should integrate your Club’s logo – communicate its brand.

Brand Strategy & Equity:Your Club’s brand strategy is how, what, where, when and to whom your Club plans on communicating and delivering your brand strategy:

Where you advertiseDistribution channelsWhat you communicate visually & verballyBe consistent and have strategic branding strong brand equity

Defining your Club’s brand:Is like a journey of business self-discovery and can be difficult, time-consuming & comfortable. At the least:

What is your Club’s mission?What are the benefits and features of your Club’s products or services?What do your members & prospects already think of your Club?What qualities do you want them to associate with your Club?

Do your research. Learn the needs, habits and desires of your current and prospective members. Don’t’ rely on what you think they think. Know what they think.

Once your Club’s brand is defined, how do you get the word out?Get a great logo. Place it everywhere.Integrate your brand. How your respond and give information to members and prospects, your e-mail signature, everything!!Create a “voice” for your Club that reflects your brand – apply it to all written communications and visual materials, online and off.Develop a tagline – a memorable, meaningful & concise statement that captures the essence of your brand.Design templates and create brand standards for your Club’s marketing materials – be consistent.Be true to your Club’s brand – members won’t return – or refer your Club – if your Club doesn’t deliver on its brand promise.Be consistent – this involves all of the above and is the important tip we can give you for your Club. If you can’t do this, your attempts at establishing a brand will fall!!

If your Club had a resume, what would it say? Your members do a lot, you have a history of successful events!! Blow your own horn!!

List your accomplishments:Past Ski TripsSummer bike eventsClub has hosted events & trips throughout the USA and all over the world!! (e.g. Crescent trips to resorts including Alyeska, etc.)List the number of dues-paying members this yearList the number of members throughout the Club’s historyShow a solid history – when was your Club founded?

Add information to your resume on Upcoming Ski Trips

What is your club’s most basic value proposition – what are you truly offering members?

What sets your club apart from other clubs?

What would you tell someone in the elevator about your Club?

Clubs promote better lives – the overall goal is to promote fellowship through a shared passion for an activity!!

Places people find you:Website:

a. Keep your website attractive, interesting and most importantly, UP TO DATEb. Your website is the base of informationc. Your website is the center of the circle

Links from other websitesClub events and meetingsExternal events, like ski showsThrough the Council and other ClubsIn publicationsAt businesses (ski shops, sporting good stores, etc.)On the playfields (ski resort, chairlift, tennis court, etc.)Bulletin boards (Coffee shops, ski shops, REI, etc.)Referrals and recommendations from a friend

Marketing ideas:CalendarEmail updatesWebsitesFacebookTwitterInstagramMeetupClub brochure or quick handoutSigns for all events – name tagsBusiness cardsNewsletters/regular updatesMembership forms easily and readily accessibleTrip/event formsAdd PayPal for events and membershipOn Trips use Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, etc. to create buzz

Importance of Clubs to increase membership:Keeps clubs/councils vibrantKeeps industry involvedInsures longevity

Demographics:Ages 35-45 – have disposable income, reach out to motivate this age group to join your Club, and recognize the need to accommodate for families.

Women:In the 1970s, clubs and councils emerged and grew because women like to socialize with women

Suggestions to attract new and younger prospective members:

Contact HR departments in the area and encourage employees to join trips

Work with alumni associations

Work with local colleges, universities, tech schools, junior colleges, community colleges

Participate in civic organizations

Invite local media to cover your Club’s events

Advertise and send out fliers

Contact local gyms

Work with local retail shops

Refer newcomers to your club

Create events and invite sponsors – e.g. equipment demo night, boot fitting, fashion show

Invite speakers to your meetings: suggestions are (1) How to get a perfect boot fit; Travel specialists; ski/snowboarding tips, equipment trends, professional athletes, health and safety tips, ski/snowboard video night

Incentives to increase your Club’s membership:Offer members to recruit new membersAssign ambassadors to greet and make any new guests feel welcomeReach out to former membersWork with other Clubs (cycling, running, hiking, kayaking, mountain biking) to offer combined memberships

Age Awareness (very important):Have activities specific to younger participantsHave a younger member serve on the boardHave activities specific to familiesHave activities specific to 60+ membersStart a junior racing team

Additional Marketing Ideas:

Club logo wearParticipate in charity events and have inexpensive t-shirts made for your team.Participate in local eventsSki pictures on cell phoneMake sure all Officers, Board Members and Trip Leaders know how to deliver an effective presentation!!

Trip Selling Points:

Everything is planned for youDiscounts on lodging, lift tickets & equipment rentalsTrip Leader to rely onYou will always have someone to ski with at your level and when you want toTell interested people the places your Club has been and is planning!!Have handouts that spell out the advantages of the tripsTell them about the convenience of having everything arrange for them when they join your Club’s trips!!Make it your goal to make them want to go skiing/riding with your Club.

The big 4 benefits that sum up what your Club offers on its trips:

Convenience Lodging, lift tickets, transfers, group air option, discounted rentals, organization of great parties & activities & après ski events

CamaraderieMeet new members, always have someone to ski with of any level, someone to eat with, shop with, come back with lots of new friends

Knowledge/ExperienceAn experienced trip leader who can handle any issues that might come up and oversee the group to create a trip with great memories

ValueClub trips include significant discounts on lift tickets, rental equipment, ski school, and group parties, dinners, and lunches to give the participants the most for their money

SOCIAL MEDIA FACTS:

Every second:Facebook – over 684,478 items are sharedTwitter – 100,000 tweets are sentGoogle – 2,000,000 Google search inquiries happeniPhone App Store – 47,000 Apps are downloadedInstagram – 4,600 Instagram Photos are shared

You Tube:340,000 Years of online video is watched per day.4 Billion videos are watched per day online68% of viewers share their videos

Social Media Explained with Donuts:

Twitter – I’m eating a donut.Facebook - I like donuts!!Instagram - Here’s a crappy photo of my donut.You Tube – Watch me eat a dozen donuts.LinkedIn – My skills include donut eating.Pinterest – Here’s a wedding cake made of donuts.

Useful Social Media Learning Links:

Facebook 101: http://www.gcflearnfree.org/facebook101

Instagram 101: http://iosaffairs.com/2012/09/09/instagram-101-the-basics-a-little-beyond/

Twitter 101: http://www.gcflearnfree.org/twitter101

Pinterest 101: http://www.gcflearnfree.org/pinterest101

Meetup Tutorial: http://www.lynda.com/Meetup-tutorials/Up-Running-Meetup/167363-2.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Search-Biz-Meetup-XCT&utm_content=49316996586&utm_term=meetup%20tutorial&gclid=CL2HoqO40sECFcpzMgodOVAA1w

LinkedIn Tutorial: http://www.fbla-pbl.org/data/files/linkedintutorialguide.pdf

What is your next step to promote your Club, increase your membership?

Go for a walk, write everything down, take on multiple hobbies, frequent coffee houses and ski and sport shops!

Go for it – it’s time to get started!!