ADMINISTRATIVE MEETING
Glenstone Lodge
Gatlinburg, TN
November 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:
Branding
Member engagement
Subtle benefits:
Driving website traffic
Generating lead on new members
Giving 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 regularly
Provide consistency
Post relevant material & provide value
Lead generation – goal is to gain new members!!
Ways to Promote your Club in Today’s Internet and Social Media World:
Facebook
Twitter
Linked In
Meetup
Emails
Links to websites
Links from websites
Brochures
Newsletters
Emails
Word of Mouth
Events
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 advertise
Distribution channels
What you communicate visually & verbally
Be 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 Trips
Summer bike events
Club 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 year
List the number of members throughout the Club’s history
Show 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 DATE
b. Your website is the base of information
c. Your website is the center of the circle
Links from other websites
Club events and meetings
External events, like ski shows
Through the Council and other Clubs
In publications
At 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:
Calendar
Email updates
Websites
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Meetup
Club brochure or quick handout
Signs for all events – name tags
Business cards
Newsletters/regular updates
Membership forms easily and readily accessible
Trip/event forms
Add PayPal for events and membership
On Trips use Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, etc. to create
buzz
Importance of Clubs to increase membership:
Keeps clubs/councils vibrant
Keeps industry involved
Insures 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 members
Assign ambassadors to greet and make any new guests feel welcome
Reach out to former members
Work with other Clubs (cycling, running, hiking, kayaking, mountain biking) to
offer combined memberships
Age Awareness (very important):
Have activities specific to younger participants
Have a younger member serve on the board
Have activities specific to families
Have activities specific to 60+ members
Start a junior racing team
Additional Marketing Ideas:
Club logo wear
Participate in charity events and have inexpensive t-shirts made for
your team.
Participate in local events
Ski pictures on cell phone
Make sure all Officers, Board Members and Trip Leaders know how
to deliver an effective presentation!!
Trip Selling Points:
Everything is planned for you
Discounts on lodging, lift tickets & equipment rentals
Trip Leader to rely on
You will always have someone to ski with at your level and when
you want to
Tell interested people the places your Club has been and is
planning!!
Have handouts that spell out the advantages of the trips
Tell 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
Camaraderie
Meet 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/Experience
An experienced trip leader who can handle any issues that might
come up and oversee the group to create a trip with great memories
Value
Club 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 shared
Twitter – 100,000 tweets are sent
Google – 2,000,000 Google search inquiries happen
iPhone App Store – 47,000 Apps are downloaded
Instagram – 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 online
68% 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-alittle-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/1673632.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Search-Biz-MeetupXCT&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!!