The first new resort in Utah in over 30 years is opening this Fall just a stone’s throw from my old stomping grounds. I haven’t heard back from their Marketing team to get their take, but with a million thoughts about what they should do, this week I’m temporarily going back to my daily-posting ways to share five quick things I’d do first and foremost if I were in their shoes.

Cache Valley is it’s own little world. So is Utah for that matter. Cherry Peak will need to rely on the strength of other brands to earn a spot in the hearts of such a community.

I see three places they need to go.

Ski Utah
Without Ski Utah, they’re toast.

They need to get involved, partner with similar mountains (Wolf Mountain, Sundance, Eagle Point), and keep their name in skiers minds. While there’s a local area in Beaver Mountain, many Cache Valley residents go south to the Cottonwood Canyons, Ogden Valley and Park City area to ski.

They need to be on skiers’ mental lists of weekend options and the only way they can do that is through Ski Utah.

Utah State University
They have to partner with Utah State in some shape or form because everyone in the valley has deep connections to the university through schooling or employment.

Get the local radio station KVNU to broadcast the football coaches show from the lodge this fall, sponsor Aggie basketball, host a rail jam on Old Main hill, whatever it takes.

Then give the students a reason to choose Cherry Peak over Beaver Mountain. Discount the heck out of the passes if that’s what it takes, but I don’t think it will. Unlike Beaver Mountain, Cherry has consistent, close night skiing. That’s huge for a college town like Logan.

The Rest
Like any small community, Logan is filled with small brands that locals are insanely loyal too. They need to put the Cherry Creek brand next to theirs as often as possible. Too vague? I’ll name some names:

• Gossners
• Icon
• Cache Valley Bank
• Firehouse
• Fredericos
• Coppermill
• ARS
• Angie’s
• SE Needham
• Lee’s

Have special nights/days with these partners where their employees (and families) ski free, offer free hot chocolate in the lodge if you bring a receipt from these businesses, bundle passes with jewelry sales or restoration services.

Cache Valley hates change. So whatever it takes to get them to associate with the Cherry Peak brand, it has to be done. Northern Utah is a family and right now this ski area is a scary stranger trying to people to hop in their van.

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.