I always love it when I get one of those, “Hey, Gregg, could I get your mailing address?” emails. Yes, I love studying digital marketing, but there’s something satisfying about holding someone’s marketing handiwork.

The other day Beech Mountain’s Talia Freeman sent me one of those emails with a note that they’re really focusing on sustainability at the resort. This is a great message. It’s one skiers tend to relate to and it’s a great way to tie in “doing good” with “doing marketing”.

But I really like how Talia kept this message in mind when choosing their swag.

Aligned

For example, I’ve received a dozen bits of signage or posters over the years, but none that sent such a clear message aligned with that goal of sustainability.

You can get super creative with your swag, but it takes a little extra time, and maybe budget, to do things like cardboard pens, reusable straw/spork kits, and washable snack bags.

One Step Further

I think this is a great lesson in general. If you’re going to rally your brand around something, choose a something that you can do right.

Don’t choose family-friendly skiing as your mantra if you have 80% steeps, don’t go all-in on nightlife if all you’ve got is a waffle trailer, and don’t push for sustainability if you’re gonna fill your swag closet with the same old handouts.

Good stuff.

About Gregg & SlopeFillers
I've had more first-time visitors lately, so adding a quick "about" section. I started SlopeFillers in 2010 with the simple goal of sharing great resort marketing strategies. Today I run marketing for resort ecommerce and CRM provider Inntopia, my home mountain is the lovely Nordic Valley, and my favorite marketing campaign remains the Ski Utah TV show that sold me on skiing as a kid in the 90s.