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As the lift turns...confessions of a marketer with no budget

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Author	Post
wizard Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Mar 16, 2006 Posts: 259 Location:	Posted: Mar 27, 2006 - 8:34 PM GMT I believe the first time I discovered that magic existed was in the mid 90's. I believe that I was reading an artical in Eastern Edge titled ghost resorts. I thought to myself, huh, that place sounds cool. I was sure that the mountain closing upset the people who loved to ski at the mountain. This made me sad. I don' t know why, it just did. I remember showing the article to my grandfather saying "pop pop, look at this ski area in VT it's for sale." He said something like, " yea you should buy it." I thought to myself that since my family had been involved in the ski industry since I was born and that since our crew had accomplished such feats as blowing snow for the Olympics in Lake Placid, as well as summiting the first diesel snow cat to the top of A-Basin. I thought that it would be great if we could reopen the mountain for the people who seemed to love the place so much. It kind of reminded me of that movie Hot Dog, where pops was going to have to sell the ski area that he and his family worked so hard to build. To be continued... __________ What I do I know, I just scan tickets!

theday Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Mar 27, 2006 Posts: 18 Location:	Posted: Mar 27, 2006 - 9:17 PM GMT Its been a while since i've seen it, but I dont recall any "pops" having to sell Squaw Valley in Hot Dog...

uppernotmaster Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Mar 24, 2006 Posts: 256 Location:	Posted: Mar 27, 2006 - 9:26 PM GMT It was during Harken & Sylvia's hot tub scene. You weren't paying attention. Figured you couldn't stay away from a hot dog post.

uppernotmaster Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Mar 24, 2006 Posts: 256 Location:	Posted: Mar 27, 2006 - 9:45 PM GMT Maybe Out Cold? Bull Mountain is an Alaskan ski town where snowboarding cowboys rule the slopes. When 'The Mayor' Papa Muntz dies, he leaves Rick (Jason London) in charge. His dying words are, 'Don't go changing Bull Mountain!' So Rick and his buddies Luke (Zach Galifianakis), Anthony (Flex Alexander), and Pigpen (Derek Hamilton) continue to chug beer at the local cantina, cruise the mountain for the best trails, and admire the hottest chicks. Everything's great until John (Lee Majors, 'The Bionic Man', a rich developer from Colorado, rolls into town in his SUV with 'SNOWBIZ' plates. He's got his two stepdaughters with him--a voluptuous Swedish blond, Inga (Playboy Playmate of the Year 1997, Victoria Silvstedt), and a cute French brunette, Anna (Caroline Dhavernas). As they turn the town upside down, Rick realizes that it's time for him to make some tough decisions about his future and the future of Bull Mountain. OUT COLD does for snowboarders what CADDYSHACK did for golfers--it pokes fun at the stereotypes surrounding the sport, and makes caricatures of its devotees. The resulting comedy is surprisingly funny. The character of Rick is played with appealing wit, and he and Jenny (A.J. Cook), the token snowboarder jockette, have real chemistry. DVD Features

riverc0il Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jan 05, 2002 Posts: 3185 Location:Ashland, NH	Posted: Mar 27, 2006 - 10:18 PM GMT yawn __________ TheSnowWay.com

marcski Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Dec 14, 2003 Posts: 2066 Location:Westchester Co., N.Y.	Posted: Mar 28, 2006 - 12:48 AM GMT Outcold was actually one of the better ski/snowboard movies, albeit, silly as it was. I have to admit, I enjoyed it. As for this thread topic...I really don't understand.

newpylong Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Nov 05, 2003 Posts: 1466 Location:Billerica, MA Enfield, NH	Posted: Mar 28, 2006 - 1:05 AM GMT I think you're thinking of SKI PATROL hehehe. That movie rocked.

skijay Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Dec 29, 2001 Posts: 860 Location:Hartford, CT	Posted: Mar 28, 2006 - 2:00 AM GMT Edited: Mar 28, 2006 - 2:52 AM GMT oops, wrong topic... __________ Jiminy Peak - 11/18/2012 Jay Peak - 12/15/2012, 3/3/13, 4/27 Mount Snow - 12/17/2012, 1/5/2013, 1/26, 2/13, 3/10, 3/24, 3/30, 4/6, 4/13 Otis Ridge - 12/29/2012, 1/1/2013, 1/12, 1/27, 2/9, 2/16, 2/24, 3/16

trackbiker Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Nov 26, 2004 Posts: 1642 Location:Eastern PA	Posted: Mar 28, 2006 - 6:29 AM GMT Getting back to the topic of the thread, there is a lot of FREE marketing out there. And I'm not going to tell you where to find it. I've never been to Magic and I'll tell you right now that I likely won't be until I start to read a lot of positive things about it. Yes, I believe the terrain is great. No, I don't mind slow lifts if the skiing is good and there are no lines. But what would it have cost to wash the dog poop off of the deck on a holiday weekend? Until you get that, you can have the biggest budget of all the ski areas in the county and it won't matter. Until you're the first guy out there washing the dog poop off the deck, it won't matter. I never understood why people didn't want to hire anyone until they had at least two years experience, until I had two years experience. Until you get the dog poop thing, grandpop would be better off hiring a professional and paying you an extra $10,000/yr. to stay home and buying you a season pass to ski somewhere else. After and IF you get the dog poop thing, you may want to go to some ski area association meetings and talk to some other marketing directors, and LISTEN to what has worked for them. The only reason I am responding here is because you have taken the effort to ask some questions. Here are some questions for you: - Since what you did obviously didn't work, what would you have done differently? -What's your target market? (hint: It's not the Stratton crowd. They like dogs, but not dog poop!) -How much does it cost to smile and say "Thank you! We appreciate your business!"?(Zero dollars!) -What's it cost to keep the bathrooms clean? (Almost nothing if you do it!) If you're not willing to do it, none of your employees will be either.

riverc0il Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jan 05, 2002 Posts: 3185 Location:Ashland, NH	Posted: Mar 28, 2006 - 11:16 AM GMT Quote: After and IF you get the dog poop thing, you may want to go to some ski area association meetings and talk to some other marketing directors, and LISTEN to what has worked for them. you know, speaking of a ski area association, it is nice to FINALLY see magic on Ski Vermont. i don't know when this happened, but it must have been recent because i always scratched my head that magic was never listed on this site. 'bout time. __________ TheSnowWay.com

riverc0il Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jan 05, 2002 Posts: 3185 Location:Ashland, NH	Posted: Mar 28, 2006 - 11:19 AM GMT i just noticed something funny on Ski Vermont, speaking of the site. average annual snow fall. stratton: 180 magic: 160 bromley: 145 these guys can't be serious! sometimes the face of a mountain dictates more about the snow fall than location, but i can't see stratton getting 45 more inches than bromley per year! the discrepencies between magic and bromley seems kinda big too. i just can't see different face direction accounting for the difference, these areas are all in the same valley and i would think would be fairly similar. __________ TheSnowWay.com

marcski Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Dec 14, 2003 Posts: 2066 Location:Westchester Co., N.Y.	Posted: Mar 28, 2006 - 12:33 PM GMT Yes but they have different marketing people.

mike Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Oct 08, 2004 Posts: 193 Location:	Posted: Mar 28, 2006 - 1:25 PM GMT Oh so you are garys son ha? YOU are the marketer?!@#$%^&*() Listen, IMO "pops" never gave a shit about that place. I will say that I think gary did but does not have the managerial skills to run a laundrymat... That being said I never hated Gary.

uppernotmaster Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Mar 24, 2006 Posts: 256 Location:	Posted: Mar 28, 2006 - 2:43 PM GMT Quote: Getting back to the topic of the thread, there is a lot of FREE marketing out there. And I'm not going to tell you where to find it. I've never been to Magic and I'll tell you right now that I likely won't be until I start to read a lot of positive things about it. Yes, I believe the terrain is great. No, I don't mind slow lifts if the skiing is good and there are no lines. But what would it have cost to wash the dog poop off of the deck on a holiday weekend? Until you get that, you can have the biggest budget of all the ski areas in the county and it won't matter. Until you're the first guy out there washing the dog poop off the deck, it won't matter. I never understood why people didn't want to hire anyone until they had at least two years experience, until I had two years experience. Until you get the dog poop thing, grandpop would be better off hiring a professional and paying you an extra $10,000/yr. to stay home and buying you a season pass to ski somewhere else. After and IF you get the dog poop thing, you may want to go to some ski area association meetings and talk to some other marketing directors, and LISTEN to what has worked for them. The only reason I am responding here is because you have taken the effort to ask some questions. Here are some questions for you: - Since what you did obviously didn't work, what would you have done differently? -What's your target market? (hint: It's not the Stratton crowd. They like dogs, but not dog poop!) -How much does it cost to smile and say "Thank you! We appreciate your business!"?(Zero dollars!) -What's it cost to keep the bathrooms clean? (Almost nothing if you do it!) If you're not willing to do it, none of your employees will be either. Well said TB

mike Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Oct 08, 2004 Posts: 193 Location:	Posted: Mar 28, 2006 - 3:08 PM GMT How about my laundrymat comment? That was well said right?

atomic68 Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Aug 06, 2004 Posts: 993 Location:	Posted: Mar 28, 2006 - 3:13 PM GMT hey Mike!! I run a laundry mat and I dont appreciate those comments !!! don't any other laundry mat operators out there have anything to say ? speak up folks !!! __________

snobababunny Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jan 05, 2006 Posts: 116 Location:upstate	Posted: Mar 28, 2006 - 3:25 PM GMT Quote: -How much does it cost to smile and say "Thank you! We appreciate your business!"?(Zero dollars!) -What's it cost to keep the bathrooms clean? (Almost nothing if you do it!) If you're not willing to do it, none of your employees will be either. I know at our local laundrymat, there's no dog poop at the entrance & the people behind the counter do smile. TB, try out Magic next season. I doubt there will be poop on the deck then. I think (I hope) they've gotten the point.

mike Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Oct 08, 2004 Posts: 193 Location:	Posted: Mar 28, 2006 - 3:40 PM GMT well if they didnt get it before they will when they get my email this morning

Talisman Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Nov 06, 2002 Posts: 961 Location:	Posted: Mar 28, 2006 - 3:43 PM GMT Despite what has been said about Magic, I think it is a great place to ski after a heavy snow fall. I have never seen dog poop on the deck at Magic. I did see some dog poop in the lodge back in the days when dogs were let inside, but it was cleaned up pretty quickly and no dogs inside signs were plasteerd on the doors.

uppernotmaster Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Mar 24, 2006 Posts: 256 Location:	Posted: Mar 28, 2006 - 3:47 PM GMT Best place to ski in Southern VT. Bar none.

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