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Ski Resort Marketing

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Two Parents, One Child: Sierra’s Parent Predicament Lift Ticket

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June 22nd, 2012By: Gregg Blanchard

I used to do these on Tuesdays, but this time I’m taking a Friday to highligh some simple marketing idea that proves it doesn’t take ground-breaking or high-tech to be effective and unique.

I think this is awesome. Really awesome. Awesome because it’s simple. Day care can cost more than skiing itself, a day-long baby-sitter on a weekend could be even more, so what is a couple to do when before their toddler/newborn is ready to ski?

Get a Parent Predicament pass at Sierra.

Taking Turns Taking Turns
If someone needs to say with the baby, it doesn’t make sense to each have a full day pass if only one of you is skiing at a time. True you could swap coats, much to the chagrin of the resort’s pass policies and current ski fashion, but there is a better way:

“For those with young’ens we’ve got you covered! Get the Parent Predicament Ticket and take turns sliding down the mountain. Parent Predicament Tickets are the same price as the adult lift ticket! “

One pass for two people that can only be used for one person at a time. Take a few runs while your significant other watches little Jimmy and then tag-team it up so you both get some ski time in.

Awesome
I really love this idea. It’s not going to make anything more than a small ripple on the revenue charts, but it shows some love to those in that stage of life and gives them an easy way to keep rocking your mountain without spending all their diaper money on a pass that gets half its intended use.

The only question the copy leaves me with is if there is a place the mother or father can comfortably hang out with a small child while the other is lapping their favorite lift. If there is some place quiet, comfortable, perhaps with wi-fi and a close bathroom with a changing station, then this really is golden.


  • http://www.joe-art.com Joe Myers

    As a parent, I am in LOVE with this idea. We do it every weekend, skiing, biking, golf, whatever. Nice work, Sierra!

    • http://www.slopefillers.com GreggBlanchard

      Glad to hear parents thinks it's as cool as perhaps-possibly-sometime-in-the-near-future-parents like me do.

  • Greg

    Working at Sierra in the marketing department was my first "real" ski industry job (not county my derelict shop days) and this ticket was in place way back then (we're talking 1998). It wasn't a revenue leader like you pointed out, but it helped cement the "family friendly" brand position Sierra has owned since day one. The lodge at the bottom has three main sitting areas. One – the bar (self explanatory), two – the main food court, and three- the upstairs seating area where brown bags and family camping is permitted.

    • http://www.slopefillers.com GreggBlanchard

      Awesome, thanks for the heads up Greg. I love that there is brown-bag space for sitting. Also love that it's been around for so long, it really does send the right vibe to the right people for a family friendly resort.

Industry Social Snapshot

Totals and averages from all North American ski resorts' social media activity.
total views new yest mo grwth
39,939,983 12,260 1.21%
total fols/+1 new yest mo grwth
37,569 52 3.33%
avg score was yest 7-day
43.90 43.93 -0.26
total fols new yest mo grwth
340,324 298 2.62%
total page likes new yest mo grwth
257,640 51 0.53%

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About: Gregg Blanchard

SlopeFillers is run by marketer and skier / snowboarder, Gregg Blanchard. He loves writing in 3rd person, meeting the talented people who read this blog, pretending to be a web developer, and eating reuben sandwiches. Need more dirt on Southern Edwards, Colorado's most famous ski marketing blogger taller than 6'?
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