EMAIL, SOCIAL MEDIA/NETWORKS & SMS TEXT MARKETING

COUSINS AND COMPLEMENTS

Must I Join the Social Media Fray?

Social media, particularly Twitter, is moving more and more out of the realm of the 'optional' for business. Managing your identity in social media is becoming just as important, if not more, than managing your .com domain. GoDaddy is even going ahead and registering your Twitter accounts along with your domains now. Source:WebProNews

All, one or which mix

Many choices, but still limited time, cash and resources.

How do I best leverage content, guest interaction and effectively drive a measurable ROI with an interactive strategy?

What are examples of resorts or travel clients doing this?

Is there sufficient adoption on SMS text to drive revenue? How do I tie this to my email and customer database?

Use third Party Solution and own the experience

Options like 2Dogs and Ning. 2 Dogs has been used successfully by

resorts, tour operators and recently the Detroit Pistons.

Or manage separate communities?

Specialty Tour Operator – Grand Prix Tours

Challenge was how to implement a Social Media/network – using blogs, videos, photos and community to produce measurable results and business. Immediate opportunity and related costs.

Solution implemented 2dogs.com solution and mined groups on My Space, Facebook, existing email list and web traffic.

Results – increased traffic, loyal fan base and selling more travel.

GP Tours SpaceLaunched fall 2007 - www.GPtours.com

8700 + Registered membersGenerates 10 – 15 k a month in incremental tours sales

Results

Average Page views inside the social network are 3.5 times higher. Time spent inside Your Space is double the overall site. Accounts for 19% of the overall site traffic.

Interesting notes: the price per tour is very high 10k to 15k but, Tours are ordered online. The main goal in establishing the social network was to provide more of a service, not in your face sales and subtlety market inside the community to make it grow and keep people there so they buy more.

Words from the owner

“GPTours sells Formula 1 racing tours online and has used 2Dogs since November 2006. Before, our customers could not interact in a social network. With 2Dogs, they are on the site longer and we are selling an additional tour (value $10-15K) out of YourSpace every month. I am thrilled and have made many new friends on YourSpace.” http://services.2dogssoftware.com/yourspace/

Barry SimpsonFounder and CEO

Industry Examples

Ski Resorts using the same solution and approach. Each makes sure sales of lift tickets, lessons, lodging etc is available. Resorts associations ( ME, NY, PA, ID) and sports teams – Detroit Pistons are some using this approach

Monarch Ski area My Monarch Space http://services.2dogssoftware.com/mymonarchspace/

Sugarbowl Ski Area in Tahoe launched The social network Switchboard this January - http://www.sugarbowl.com/switchboard.

Stratton launched your Stratton Space at - http://yourspace.stratton.com/home/index.php?u=-2&v=p

Detroit Pistons, 2Dogs, Facebook, Twitter & YouTube

The Detroit Pistons had tried various initiatives on Facebook, My Space, YouTube and blogs all with minimal to moderate success and felt there was a better opportunity.

Launched “Posting Up”, using 2dogs, winter 09 (10,000 plus fans), Facebook (2,400 fans), Twitter (6,200) followers & YouTube Channel (7500 channel views, 243 subscribers) all promoted equally off front of www.detroitpistons.com. Incredibly active with members and lots of discussion and participation.

State Ski and Ride Sites

Pennsylvania, Maine, & New York, all have state sites for resorts to use as a promotional vehicle.

Perfect laboratory – blogs, events, groups, photo and video galleries. Start now as you have resources from last winter to use for seeding purposes. Get video in here and on your own YouTube branded channel. It is free.

Resorts can go and set-up groups/events, galleries and forums.

Use video and photos taken this winter. Invite guest submissions.

Mask url to match the root of your url. Use to build a larger customer database. Include opt in for

email in registration. Improves your search results. Promote everywhere – email, location signage & tag ads.

My Monarch Ski and Ride Space

Visit here - http://services.2dogssoftware.com/mymonarchspace/home/index.php?ski

Alyeska Example

Build branded communities on My Space, Facebook, YouTube, Blog, Twitter and

integrate and automate with current web site content while leveraging email database to promote and support.

An integrated & wholistic approach

Alyeska Social Media

Alyeska Resort’s Bloghttp://alyeskaresortblog.blogspot.com/

Free blog account on BloggerCustomized to reflect brand

All posts on blog are automatically updated on…

Alyeska Social Media cont.

Alyeska Resort’s Twitter

http://twitter.com/resortalyeska

Alyeska Resort’s Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alyeska-Resort/89226280489

Alyeska Social Media cont.

Alyeska Resort’s MySpace

http://www.myspace.com/alyeskaresort

Use Email to Drive all Social Media Engagement

Exact Target embedding Share This

Enable subscribers to share and post your message with opt in options to all subscribers on all their social media network applications.

42 communities – services with one link. Many are doing this now. See

http://www.firsttracksonline.com/ Example on web pages role of bookmarks site. Done for SEO purposes.

Exact Target Share This

Role of Bookmarking Sites in Search Strategy

Mountain Engagement driving social media and email engagement

GPS tracking and mobile applications as drivers of engagement and customer registration. The role of the third screen

Flaik users in ski school and events register and view their day online.

Incent cell carriers to opt in and drive to revenue that day. New initiative by Exact Target tied to grow email lists, drive immediate revenue and build text permission subscribers.

PartnersAwardsLaunch Resorts

Flaik

GPS Tracking with Social Media

Extending the peak mountain experience online

• 70,000 instructor/student rentals

• Extends beyond ski school: daily rentals, events,

competitions, groups

• Winter 2009/10: new resorts – Winter Park, Stratton,

Smugglers notch with more to come.

• Expanded online social media features & improved data

collection, opt in features.

• Winter 08/09: Copper & Steamboat

OVERVIEW & BACKGROUND

PartnersAwardsLaunch Resorts

VALUE PROPOSITION - RESORT CUSTOMER

• Digital recording of day(s) on

the on the mountain

• Personal & Group Statistics

(Sharing via Social Platforms)

• Competitions & Event Results

available to view online and

share.

• Real-Time Location of Friends

& Family

• Group Co-Ordination

PartnersAwardsLaunch Resorts

Dashboard of a day on the Mountain

PartnersAwardsLaunch Resorts

Marketing: 1 in 3, create a profile, log on and revisit their day(s)/vacation. Encourage signup of next lessons, purchasing lift tickets, booking next vacation. Resort pages will be white labeled and can include tie in and links to resorts web site, social networks/communities and email registration.

Experience tied to your brand, create loyal fans and zealots.

Download photos into photo gallery and view where they were taken.

Easy integration with Facebook, My Space, other social media platforms and mobile apps. Users can share their day with friends and family.

WHY FLAIK – on mountain to online

Take aways Understand the assets – content, engaged customers and how to

leverage most effectively. Use free tools first and make sure to integrate and automate. Include links that are can provide measurable data for booking, e-

commerce and registrations. Create specific promotions for channels. Let customers tell you what they prefer and make sure your news, events

and offers are there. Keep testing as the landscape is changing and do not prejudge. Listen to the customer – GP Tours has created new tours based upon

member feedback. Find out which communities, bookmarks, blogs they use and prefer.

Let the member/customer be the evangelist easily with Share This, reviews, user generated content (photos, blogs and videos) and bookmarking.

Always include opt in and preference/profile choices that are easy to find. Cross promote and let the customer decide how they wish to engage with

your brand.

Siewierski Consulting825 South Broadway, Suite 25

Boulder CO 80305303.554.0222

www.Siewierski.comjsiewierski@gmail.com