Gregg Blanchard -- January 20, 2013

I’m a fan of simplicity. And by fan, I mean massive fan. Huge fan. Addict.

And that’s where this idea started: simplicity.

Gregg Blanchard - January 24, 2014

The web is rife with trolls.

Folks whose twisted need for attention is somehow satisfied when negative emotion is directed toward their hollow corner of the internet. The gripe isn’t so much a gripe as a means to a psychological end.

Resorts are no exception. Take Jay Peak for example.

Ricardo

Gregg Blanchard -- January 16, 2014

I love simplicity.

From design to strategy, minimizing complexity (my clever way of not saying “simplicity” again) has served me very, very well over the years.

So when I saw what Snowbird did on their opening day, I smiled.

First 50

January 10, 2014 -- Gregg Blanchard

The New Year signals a steady stream of critics calling out the marketing winners and losers of last year.

For the ski industry, this carries on (with the occasional break) for months, with the final chapter in this anecdotal parade coming as the season wraps up.

But let’s be clear about a few things before that season arrives.

Thank you for registering for Conversion Camp 2014.

You will receive a confirmation e-mail from SAM Magazine shortly.

January 2, 2014 - Gregg Blanchard

Social media is on an interesting journey.

The industry has been high, it’s been low, it’s been everything in between. It’s been no different for marketing on this channel.

More Numbers, More Reasons

December 10, 2013 - Gregg Blanchard

How many times have you seen QR codes mocked with the idea that nobody actually scans them?

Chances are, you’ve seen someone poke fun at this tech more than once. Today I want to quickly discuss the possibility that this idea is, well, wrong. Here’s the deal.

Craisins

October 21, 2013 -- Gregg Blanchard

Oh, apps.

If I were to start a business tomorrow, the last thing I’d put at the core of my model is a mobile app. It’s a tough space. It’s a tough thing to monetize. Among other things, Ski Nation seems to be learning this lesson right now.

Yet, from a marketing perspective, the outlook for apps is much brighter.

My Mobile Pal

December 9, 2013 -- Gregg Blanchard

I love Throwback Thursday for two reasons.

First, as a sucker for all things ski history, it’s fun to see the resorts dip into their archives and throw way back to the early days of lift-served skiing.

Second, I love that it comes with a little less pressure to create something new.

Quandary

December 3, 2013 -- Greg Blanchard

I typically ride my bike to the office every day, but lately I’ve had to make a goal of 3 days a week as temperatures have already been below 0° F this month. Driving, however, has it’s perks. A few quiet minutes in the car each day allows me to once again do something I did last winter: talk to myself.

November 27, 2013 -- Gregg Blanchard

Time to highlight some simple marketing again.

This time, it comes from Timber Ridge Lodge in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. I don’t think I’ve ever featured any of their efforts before, but in the spirit of simplicity, I’ll tone down my yakking and jump right in:

November 21, 2013 -- Gregg Blanchard

This week, I decided to take a quick look at how snow reporting stands now and the best practices that exist. To find my answer, I went to my not-in-the-industry-anymore-but-knows-100x-more-than-me source, Alex Kaufman.

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Gregg: First, give me a few reasons why it's best to send a snow report early. Make a case for that practice.

THANKS EVERYONE FOR ATTENDING! 

 

Summer Ops Camp gathers operators and suppliers together to discuss the many money-making opportunities to be had outside of the winter operating months. From aerial adventure parks to mountain coasters and from water features to ziplines, operators learn about new ideas and best practices from vendors and fr...

SAM Magazine--May 22, 2013--Timberline, Mt. Hood--The 2013 Cutter's Camp gathers over 80 campers and panelists at Timberline Lodge, Ore., for SAM Magazine's 11th annual Cutter's Camp--a hands-on education and networking event that gathers like-minded individuals who all share a passion for the progression of freestyle terrain. This was the western installment of the camp (the East was held last month at Carinthia, Mount Snow). Together, the camps drew over 130 resorts from North America and some overseas.