Ski Idaho seeks funding for four key marketing building blocks: 18 email newsletters, SkiIdaho.us website, Public Relations, and video asset creation. The significant match amount will be made of direct cash contributions from the association (created from dues), as required, up to 12.5%. The balance of cash will come from the ski license plate project. ITC Grant funds are used to expand the industry’s marketing reach and if unfunded, budget cuts will be forthcoming as dollars are not there to sustain the current marketing effort.
Budgeted expenses are finalized/approved by the Ski Idaho Board of Directors, which currently consists of general managers/owners from five different Idaho ski resorts. The Board of Directors charges their administrator, Vision Marketing, to execute the budget and to stay within budgeted parameters. The Ski Idaho President and Treasurer are made aware of any funding requests, including license plate or ITC grant funds, solicited from the Idaho Travel and Commerce contact staff person (previously Kellie Reed).
E Mail Newsletter & Delivery - Ski Idaho seeks support in continuing the email newsletter project, which currently uses a list of 33,000 subscribers. The delivery system will send up to 1.5 million emails, with subscribe and opt-out functions, twice a month from October through March. E-mails will go out monthly during other time periods. The system allows for design, analysis, and targeted efforts including embedded links for ISAA partners, tracking of links and interests of consumers, and monthly reporting. The actual newsletter content will highlight and link to resorts, their lodging partners, and other travel related information, which potential guests might find of interest. This email goes out 18 times per year. Vision Marketing is charged with copy creation, coordination, and execution with 18 ski resorts and various lodging partners for each newsletter sent throughout the year.
SkiIdaho.us (website) - Ski Idaho desires to maintain a responsive and easily navigated site to compete with sites operated by Ski Utah, Colorado Ski Country, and other entities that serve to lure potential guests away from Idaho. The website is a portal for information and links related to the promotion of skiing and snowboarding in Idaho. Content will be controlled and administrated by Ski Idaho (Idaho Ski Areas Association). The ability to react and update the site quickly (within 24 hours or less) is a founding principle. Footage from an ongoing video project with Peak Video is integrated into the site. New for this year will be an update that will add backend administrative ability for all mountains and integration of new/existing social media (Facebook, Twitter, Four Square).
Public Relations - Ski Idaho will continue building upon the existing public relations effort by proactively delivering current and timely information to potential guests with the assistance of a Public Relations firm or contracted individual. This entity is yet to be hired. This effort will be designed to closely coordinate with the Idaho Tourism office winter PR efforts. Key focus points are media outreach for earned media, social media (Facebook Twitter, Four Square and other emerging social trends), FAM trip management (from reactive/proactive inquiry to an actual trip - make it happen), and maintaining continuity and consistency with media throughout the world.
Peak Video - Ski Idaho requests funds to further leverage the video assets they have created in partnership with Peak Video. Peak Video visits all ski resorts within Idaho over a three year period to systemically provide HD B-roll for association use (website, emails), ITC use, and resort use. Additionally, Peak Video produces 2 to 3 minute vignettes for us on the association website. Footage of these Idaho resorts, produced by Peak Video, will be included in a single, half-hour, “NORTHWEST SKI ADVENTURE” show that airs two times on Northwest Cable News, and 20-30 times on Resort Sports Network (RSN) during the 2010-11 winter season. This produced show is being offered to RSN to fit within their syndicated show schedule.
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