Business models are changing, and the old ways of reaching customers aren’t the only methods anymore. In fact, there has been a major shift in marketing: we have lost control. The one-way communications of the past are so 20th century. Our customers can now talk about us—whether we want them to or not. Two-way marketing communication is, if not the future, clearly the present.

In the last two years, hundreds of social networking websites have emerged. Socialized media didn't invent “conversations,” but they have organized and amplified them. This means that marketing these days is about building a two-way relationship with consumers. Social marketing is a powerful way to do that.

Resorts both large and small have been exploring how to integrate social media into their marketing plans. Social marketing may be in its infancy, but it is gaining momentum fast due to the cost-effectiveness in reaching large groups of people that can be converted into a niche audience. It is that niche focus and engagement that keep marketers hooked. That, and the fact that it’s practically free.

Social media is so new and fast-changing that it is hard to define it. But let’s start with this: it is an uncensored conversation in as few words as possible, in as little time as possible, to as many people as possible. It includes blogs, wikis, social-networking sites and other online communities and virtual worlds.

According to Alexa.com (which tracks this sort of thing), the top social networking sites in the U.S. are, in order: Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, Craigslist, Blogger, Photobucket, Flickr, LinkedIn, Tagged, Ning, Twitter, and Yelp. If you’re not familiar with all of them, you have some work to do.

The work is not hard; almost any area can do it. For example, Loveland, Colo., created its MySpace.com profile page three years ago (www.myspace.com/love­landskiarea). By doing daily updates, responding to posts, and encouraging feedback, Loveland has built its following to 3,000 loyal guests. Although Loveland still does traditional marketing, “using the social networks is icing on the cake,” says marketing director John Sellers. Why didn’t the area simply create similar social networking features on its own website? “Why reconstruct what’s already built?” Sellers says. “We can use their [mySpace.com] facilities to reach a far larger audience than we could on our own.”


Follow the Guest
In fact, almost every resort told us some variation on this theme: Go where the guest is and where the conversation is already going on.

Krista Parry, marketing and communications director at Park City, Utah, says her mantra is “engagement to create advocates.” Although the resort’s social media plan is still being built, its focus for social marketing is branding, customer service—and to create advocates. Krista believes Park City’s blog at http://parkcity.typepad.com and Twitter page http://twitter.com/PCski are its most popular and successful social media programs. Their success is measured by their followers, feedback and the expanding sphere of influence with guests that market through their networks for Park City.


Building Your Own Vs. Squatting
And that’s the real question: How to use social marketing. Most areas in the U.S. use a mixed bag of built-in social networking features on their websites (RSS, blogs, bookmarking and share buttons, video and image uploads and forums) in combination with profile pages on social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

Monarch Ski Area, Colo., went a step further about three years ago and created its own “MySpace”-type social network on its website at skimonarch.com/ main/index.php/monarch-community. According to marketing director Greg Ralph, building its own social network was “the most effective way to post video and images on our website for us and guests. It also allowed us to create user groups for instructors to provide info for scheduling, clinics, and even promoting to clients. It was the easiest way to accomplish our goals.”

Today, in addition to myMonarch, the area has added numerous social media channels to its marketing mix, using different channels for different demographics. As Monarch’s Eric Ramsey explains it: “We use TGR (Teton Gravity Research) for our community from Colorado and Utah; Facebook for our local guests; myMonarch Space (in-house software) for kids from our regional market; and Twitter and ColoradoSki.com for our older clientele.” That’s customized marketing.

Boreal Mountain Resort, Calif., uses the existing social sites. “We went to MySpace (www.myspace.com/rideboreal) because of their mass of people already there,” says marketing manager Jon Slaughter. “Using them takes a ton of legwork out of building our own network and no extra effort other than adding
content.”


Creating Buzz
Social media, in fact, is the perfect way to create buzz. The benefits are both direct—including a modern version of traditional PR, super-efficient word-of-mouth marketing, and brand awareness—and indirect, such as the opportunity for links and traffic. These indirect impacts can drive search rankings, which in turn will attract people who want what you offer. Buzz does not need to be the end you strive for, but can also be a means to an end.


Resort Tips for Socializing
Interviews with more than a dozen ski area managers in both large and small organizations that are at the forefront of social network marketing form the basis for the following ten tips, augmented by further research into social media. Use them and prosper.

1. Keep content current. Social media is often free, but it requires attention. Update information and content frequently to stay credible and keep guests coming back for more. Mix up what you post. Keep the content helpful, fun, and informative.

2. Pick and choose the best for you. You do not have to be all places. Pick the networks that are right for you and your various audiences. Determine your demographics, then target the networks that fulfill your objectives and where you will have the most impact. Remember to be engaging!

3. Just do it. Try out a social site personally before creating a corporate presence. Watch for about 30 days to get a feel for how people interact. Once you get a good handle on how it works, you are ready to create a company profile page.

4. Embrace conversation. Encourage conversation and responses from your fans; don’t just feed them information, such as snow conditions. Remember, this is an opportunity to talk to customers, interact and learn from them, and to turn them into advocates.

5. A picture speaks louder than words. Content is important, but don’t forget the visuals such as photos and videos. Show off what attracts people to the sport and to your resort.

6. Be friendly. That helps create advocates. After you join a network, make sure to connect with other ski areas, industry people, athletes, and major brands that partner with you and others in the industry. The more people you connect with, the more they can spread your message.

7. Give guests a reason to participate. Social networking is an incredible outlet for grassroots marketing within the high-tech culture. For example, the Sugar Bowl, Calif., park crew uses its social site as a way to stay connected with park followers. The crew posts information on upcoming competitions, prize give-aways, and recaps of competitions, new features, videos and photos. This not only encourages participation both virtually and on the slopes, but keeps people coming back for more.

8. Resist the temptation to sell, sell, sell. When guests are invited to participate in online communities, they expect resorts to listen and consider their ideas. They don’t want to feel like they’re simply a captive audience for advertising. If they do, they’re likely to leave and not come back. Stay social.

9. Jump on the bandwagon now. Social media is here to stay. Plan to remain in the conversation for the long haul. The sooner you act, the more leeway you have to experiment. You’ll also be a significant step ahead of your competitors (unless they are already ahead of you).

10. Oh, the humanity. Get creative and let the conversation flow freely. This is your opportunity to humanize your company and be part of your customers’ life experiences and their personal networks, from which they draw so much. The more accessible you are to your customers, the more likely that you’re going to be a part of their lives. You can be part of a positive association in the good times. And, in the bad, you may benefit from the support of friends and followers when you need them most.

Samantha Rufo is president of nxtConcepts, Ltd, an interactive marketing and media company. Contact her at (740) 815-6925; sam@nxtconcepts.com; Twitter: twitter.com/srufo; LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/0/698/131; Friendfeed: friendfeed.com/nxtconcepts