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MediawithAK

• January 29, 2012
• 6:16

  Tell Your Story – NAHA Video at Jay Peak

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  There’s been a lot of growth at Jay Peak lately. What hasn’t changed is the authenticity and commitment of the folks who choose to call it home. Doing a handful of these story tellers this winter for their website, social outposts and on-site cable channel. What story do you want told?   More info on [...]
• January 03, 2012
• 14:32

  Expertise Featured in Regard to Snowbasin PR Scenario

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  Gregg Blanchard who heads up the popular ski industry marketing blog Slopefillers contacted me regarding the recent online firestorm bestowed upon Snowbasin Resort in Utah. A not-so-appealing video hit the internet featuring a ski patroller acting in a less than customer focused manner as well dropping an f-bomb on a guest. The guests were youngish [...]
• January 02, 2012
• 7:19

  Ski The East – 2012 Winter Client Spotlight

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  If you’re an eastern skier, you’ve likely seen the Ski The East stickers on helmets, cars, skiers, foreheads and your favorite bar. The flagship brand and online community of Burlington, Vt. based Meathead Films, Ski The East is a source of pride, stoke and stylish gear for the eastern skier. This winter Geoff and Rooster [...]
• December 27, 2011
• 5:34

  Ridiculous Marketing Analogy Tuesday – On a Boat!

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  You’re on a boat. No you’re not on a boat, but there’s much to be gained from looking at our marketing gameplans through real life analogies. Some are more useful than others. Let’s try hopping on a boat and see how it goes. The boat is your business. It floats or sinks. It gets where [...]
• December 25, 2011
• 16:38

  There are Four Ways to Promote Your Vermont Business

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  Buy, Beg, Bug or Earn. One of my fav “smart guys” on the national stage is David Meerman Scott. I got a chance to hear from him in person a few years ago. This post called “what we all really want is attention” may have been the piece that coined the above phrase. It’s worth [...]
• December 22, 2011
• 14:11

  Vermont Small Business Social Media Services Made Simple

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  Just Say No To Mediocrity. When a potential Vermont small business client approaches me with ample buzzwords, excitement and expectations for taking over the internet in his or her industry or location thanks to social media my first task is to get a read on whether their goals are in line with the amount of time, effort or money [...]
• December 17, 2011
• 15:04

  Happy Holidays From the Kaufman Family! (video)

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  Sorry USPS.  We changed our mind. After a few weeks of talking about taking a special Christmas photo of our daughter Kaylin in order to print and send Holiday cards, we did this instead. Used the various photos and point-n-shoot vids on the home camera. It’s greener, makes for a memory reel to watch for years, [...]
• December 11, 2011
• 13:20

  *NEWSFLASH* Press Releases Should Get You Press

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  Be Relevant. Recently I did some press release work for Mt. Abram Ski Area in Maine. The announcement is getting some nice coverage helped along by attracting Associated Press interest. If your news releases are mostly netting you a few internet cut-and-pastes, then consider some professional help. You likely need to refine your message and timing to be more [...]
• December 05, 2011
• 8:32

  Testing Out New Equipment – Vermont Video Solutions

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  Cameras don’t make videos. People do. Well, sort of. I just recently got my hands on a new Canon XA10 and have outfitted myself with three different microphones, a new tripod and found a used camera bag that will hold all the cords and cables as well. There’s always a learning curve when you upgrade to [...]
• December 01, 2011
• 8:30

  Vermont Toddler Officially Enters LEGO Period of Development

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  FOR SATIRICAL RELEASE Vermont Toddler Announces LEGOS as Next Phase of Master Development Plan New strategic direction aimed at establishing market dominance in motor skills, color identification and improving quality of construction (December 1, 2011) Moretown, Vt. – Further establishing herself as a market leader in the toddler development industry, Kaylin Kaufman, 14 months, of Moretown, Vt. is making [...]
• November 29, 2011
• 6:39

  Naming Your Video For Relevant and Ongoing SEO Results

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  Pressing record is step one. You did it. You made a video. You’re going to put it online and the world will be your oyster. Not so much. Youtube is a search engine of its own and one that holds very high regard in the older brother Google. It’s basically two search engines. Not able to get first [...]
• November 26, 2011
• 6:47

  10 Email Marketing Tips – Think Like Your Recipient

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  Send Them An Email They Will Open.  Regardless of the shnazzy graphics, marketing copy and calls to action you bake into your one time or ongoing email marketing campaigns, your time and effort could all be for not if you are not willing to think like your recipient prior to deployment. Send an email you might open [...]
• November 18, 2011
• 6:51

  Ten Quick and Easy Facebook Fixes For Small Business

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Do better. We’ve all seen them. Brands that could/should have valuable and growing online tribes that are equivalent to third party marketing bullhorns. Sadly, the simple realities of how social media operates is not part of that brand’s delivery in the online space. Offering direct tips to help them can even be seen as threatening, so it just [...]
• November 16, 2011
• 7:21

  Modern Marketing in VT – Strategy – Delivery – Training

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Marketing has changed.

   

  Are you riding the new wave of opportunity effectively and in a resource smart way?

  Traditional marketing agencies are great for long term projects like brochure creation/distribution, managing ad buys and re-brandings. What they do less well is help your business evolve into the new relevancy based marketing climate built upon quick thinking and ongoing multimedia communications.

  What wins online is targeted listening, ongoing relevancy and speed. It’s noisy out there. Only relevant brands stay top of mind and gain market share.  This requires one of two systems in place.

  • A capable person or team dedicated to and skilled at piloting your content initiatives and building relationships within your customer base and influencers/media.
  • Hiring someone to train your staff and/or do it for you.

  Integrating this effort into your overall marketing strategy is modern day marketing and PR. It’s not just posting stuff to your social sites. It’s about building relationships with customers, media and influencers and growing the number of all of them. A bedrock business goal you’ve likely had since day one. It’s worth doing well. Either to catch up to your competition or get ahead of them. Having profiles and posting stuff is better than not, but it is the lowest common denominator. You’re better than that. Let’s get you a purpose and the tailored means to dominate.

  I bring 10 years of content marketing and PR experience both as a freelancer and marketing manager for some of the nation’s largest ski areas. I’ll open up my brain for your business for the low cost of lunch. Maybe there will be a reason to work together, maybe not. Let’s find out.

  Businesses that I work with typically select one of these services:

  • Half day staff training sessions on various modern marketing topics.
  • Social media development/management. Content, voice, advertising, updates.
  • Web video production.
  • Press release strategy and writing.
  • Marketing budget analysis.
  • SEO guidance and blogging purpose.
  • Crisis communications and change management consulting.
  • Marketing and communications solutions tailored to business.

  See the “about” page for contact info and testimonials. Then let’s eat. Your business will thank you.

  
  
• November 11, 2011
• 10:15

  2011 Boston Ski and Snowboard Hype Mission via Storify

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  1. “ Unplugging and loading up. Follow @skisnowexpo for live coverage from #bostonski. Will commence in a few hours. Alex Kaufman November 10, 2011 9:09:47 AM EST ReplyRetweet
  2. “ See you There RT @Kaufmanwithak Unplugging & loading up. Follow @skisnowexpo for live coverage from #bostonski. Will commence in few hours. Tim Kelley NECN November 10, 2011 9:28:07 AM EST ReplyRetweet
  3. “ Just a heads up to @necn @bostondotcom @bostonskiupdate @cbsboston @fox25news @7news @newsboston. This handle will live tweet #bostonski. Ski & Snowboard Expo November 10, 2011 9:46:18 AM EST ReplyRetweet
  4. “ FYI @digboston @nesn @bostonhot @whereboston @newsboston #bostonski is the tag and we’re live tweeting from the show. Ski & Snowboard Expo November 10, 2011 4:56:32 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  5. “ Just an fyi @bostontweet @chonicle5 @terrywbz @bostonbloggers @bostonphoenix @theimproper #bostonski is the tag and we’re live tweeting it. Ski & Snowboard Expo November 10, 2011 4:50:01 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  6. 
     And we’re off! Here we come #BostonSki @SkiSnowExpo 2011. Show starts at 3pm today. See you there! [pic.twitter.com] King Pine Ski Area November 10, 2011 9:59:50 AM EST ReplyRetweet
  7. 
     [twitpic.com] set your gps for #bostonski this weekend. 90 minutes till opening. Ski & Snowboard Expo November 10, 2011 1:28:30 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  8. 
     RT @SkiSnowExpo: [twitpic.com] @jiminypeak is ready to get you a value card and more. Katie and Betsy say hi! #bostonski jiminypeak November 10, 2011 3:34:25 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  9. “ Umm every single chick in the city should come to the @BostonGlobe Ski & Snowboard Expo! Good lookin bros everywhere! #bostonski Shauna Gallagher November 10, 2011 3:58:38 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  10. 
      Nice RT @skibumPC: RT @SkiSnowExpo: [twitpic.com] @pcski representing at #bostonski. #Utah snowmamas November 10, 2011 4:12:13 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  11. Fall Brawl Setup at Boston Ski and Snowboard Expo mediawithak November 10, 2011 3:05:09 PM EST
  12. “ big things happening in #boston down at the #seaport! RT @skisnowexpo: @easternboarder this one’s for you! youtu.be/-RAuGXm__aw #bostonski popchipsBoston November 10, 2011 5:18:46 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  13. 
      Slack lining at #bostonski [pic.twitter.com] Mary McKhann November 10, 2011 4:29:12 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  14. “ Goddamnit, can’t this bus move any faster!? I’ve got an expo to attend! #bostonski pruster November 10, 2011 5:49:55 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  15. 
      [twitpic.com] view from above the floor #bostonski. Make plans. Ski & Snowboard Expo November 10, 2011 5:33:11 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  16. “ Looks like a blast! MT @skisnowexpo: A bit from @stedotnet and @GoWhistler #wouldyoudoit #bostonski. ow.ly/7pLVR Whistler Blackcomb November 10, 2011 5:34:08 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  17. 
      [twitpic.com] Sharp looking @volklskis @markerusa booth at #bostonski. Ski & Snowboard Expo November 10, 2011 6:04:18 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  18. “ Sitting in the back room editing a second quick vid from the #bostonski floor. Things should get rocking once people get out of work. Alex Kaufman November 10, 2011 4:40:33 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  19. Opening Night at Boston Ski and Snowboard Expo 2011 mediawithak November 10, 2011 4:45:23 PM EST
  20. “ The #slackline bracket competition starts at 7pm at #bostonski. Happens Friday too. Ski & Snowboard Expo November 10, 2011 6:31:49 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  21. 
      [twitpic.com] looking good from @aspensnowmass at #Bostonski. Ski & Snowboard Expo November 10, 2011 6:47:52 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  22. 
      [twitpic.com] the skyriders start in one minute. #bostonski Ski & Snowboard Expo November 10, 2011 6:59:09 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  23. 
      [twitpic.com] the @stowe booth is preparing edibles. #bostonski Ski & Snowboard Expo November 10, 2011 7:10:56 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  24. “ RT @sundayriver: Go Maine – @sundayriver and @sugarloaf are looking sharp at the #bostonski expo britchick59 November 10, 2011 8:00:10 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  25. 
      $125 gift cards for only $100. Valid @skiwildcat & @AttitashResort. Selling well at #BostonSki @SkiSnowExpo. [instagr.am] Thomas Prindle November 10, 2011 8:15:09 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  26. 
      [twitpic.com] @cranmoremtn looking good. #bostonski Ski & Snowboard Expo November 10, 2011 8:35:36 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  27. “ Great @ski_vermont media party at #BostonSki Expo! Thanks @jen_butson. #SkiTheEast @MeatheadFilms Erme Catino November 10, 2011 8:35:48 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  28. “ RT @SkiSnowExpo: A big BTW – your entry into #bostonski includes a @liftopia gift card and subscription to @twsnow or @skimagonline #ski Dawn Lyon November 10, 2011 8:57:44 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  29. 
      [twitpic.com] the @stedotnet booth of @meatheadfilms is doing a brisk business. #bostonski Ski & Snowboard Expo November 10, 2011 9:42:27 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  30. 
      [twitpic.com] these boots are made for riding and that’s just what they’ll do. #bostonski Ski & Snowboard Expo November 10, 2011 9:46:01 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  31. 
      [twitpic.com] @cbsboston with some overhead meat in the sky. #bostonski Ski & Snowboard Expo November 10, 2011 9:54:15 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  32. “ Got myself a @ridesnowboards at the @SkiSnowExpo. Cheers to exploring the dark side. #bostonski #timeforwinter Katie Petrillo November 10, 2011 10:41:33 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  33. “ @cannonmountain can’t wait to tell you guys my “I am Cannon” story tomorrow at #bostonski Karoline Zacharer November 10, 2011 11:38:33 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  34. 
      Wanna take a shot at the Wheel O’ Vacations? Stop by our booth at the #BostonSki expo to find out how! [pic.twitter.com] Sunday River November 11, 2011 8:05:39 AM EST ReplyRetweet
  35. 
      Good morning little, toy seaport Boston. Day 2 at #BostonSki. [instagr.am] Thomas Prindle November 11, 2011 9:38:55 AM EST ReplyRetweet
  36. 
      Early bird #BostonSki. First 2 that come to booth and say, “I want vertical, value, and variety” get one of these. [pic.twitter.com] Attitash Mountain November 11, 2011 10:38:16 AM EST ReplyRetweet
  37. “ Going on all weekend @skisnowexpo @seaportboston. GET HERE! Thursday video from #bostonski. youtu.be/ONbrpSTyOm0 Ski & Snowboard Expo November 11, 2011 12:36:57 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  38. 2011 Boston Ski and Snowboard Expo (Day 1) – Sights and Sounds mediawithak November 11, 2011 12:27:03 PM EST
  39. 
      Pose for Man w Pencil & MonoPod @SkiSnowExpo You may be Featured Here in The Twitterverse [twitpic.com] Tim Kelley NECN November 11, 2011 12:52:40 PM EST ReplyRetweet
  40. “ cant wait to hit up the @SkiSnowExpo tomorrow. All these tweets making me jealous. hoping for some #sweetdeals Robby Tucker November 11, 2011 12:51:46 PM EST ReplyRetweet

  

  Until next time…

  
  
• October 13, 2011
• 13:59

  Texas Times – From the Desert to the Delta

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  After departing New Mexico in late February we had little in the way of plans other than to get to the Gulf of Mexico in Florida by mid March. That left us about three weeks to get across Texas and towards the bayou.

  By this time the lack of marketing gigs at I-10 truck stops (not exactly tourist hotspots) meant that we could generally go wherever, rather than where the work was.

  We hit up two state parks in West Texas, got off I-10 for a while to explore the Big Bend area, and well, I’ll let the best and worst list cover the highlights. Photos below too.

  The worst of Texas:

  1. Dust storm. Spent an entire day trapped in Balmorhea, Texas while winds of 70+mph ripped at the aging seams on the outside of the RV and shook it like a leaf on a tree. Glad to have decided not to drive that day.
  2. Fort Davis, Texas RV Park manager guy. Laura really pissed him off when she counted the quarters he gave her for laundry, in front of him.
  3. Got all the way to a “no reservations” state park after a day of travel. It was full.
  4. Austin, Texas. People are simply way too hip there. It’s overwhelming.
  5. Ran our batteries dead on a cold night in Austin. Slept in the front seat of the RV with the engine running for heat.
  6. Kaylin’s stroller got a flat tire. Better than the RV I suppose.

  The best of Texas:

  1. Met a couple with a baby from Canada. They were towing an old trailer and seeing the states on their maternity leave. Camped with them for a few days in the Davis Mountains.
  2. Wildlife. West Texas is quite rural with interesting topography. Deer and javelinas (little hogs) everywhere.
  3. The angry park manager guy in Fort Davis. I found him to be intellectually challenging. Like a game of Jenga.
  4. BYOB Mexican restaurants within walking distance.
  5. Kappy made a miniature dog (that could not swim)  jump off the end of a dock simply upon viewing him. (Not a lot of huskies in Texas I guess)
  6. Saw our old friend Jess from college.
  7. Took a shower and enjoyed electricity (for free of course) after 3 days of boondocking. Best shower of the trip.
  8. Met some of the “Judgement Day” folks. Asked them if they had retirement funds.

  Most of the best photos from Texas were on the western side. If you have no idea how this story starts or ends, click the RV category or a state name in the tags to find out. We lived in an RV for 3 months moving from Oregon to Vermont, then sold the beast.

  Click to view slideshow.
  
• September 23, 2011
• 12:08

  The Best and Worst of the Desert Southwest

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  I’ll take another break from marketing jibber jabber and move a bit further along in the recent “let’s move back east over the course of three months in an old rv and see if it works out” event. It did work out thankfully and much of it was paid for by the freelance work I was able to rustle up along the way.

  Arizona and New Mexico represented just over 2 weeks of the journey, mostly in February. Our location in Tucson was the first RV park to actually welcome us before our arrival thanks to the example work emailed ahead of time. It felt like progress. We also spent time at a couple different state parks, which provided most of the scenery.

  The worst things that happened in the desert southwest:

  1. The welcoming RV park, was well, grim. It was also a bit smelly. Our neighbors had about a dozen board games stored on their picnic table. By stored I mean old and decomposing. But hey, it was free.
  2. It was also not camera friendly. They wanted a video to make it look good. New challenge, but still doable.
  3. The fridge had stopped working (from the LP source) in San Diego so we stopped to get it fixed in Tucson. Cost around $300. Might have gotten ripped off.
  4. People generally hate recycling in Arizona. It makes for uncomfortable situations when you are the one asking about it. At one point we drove 26 miles roundtrip to recycle. I think it was the wrong call environmentally.
  5. We went to downtown Tucson. Not great.
  6. Kappy could never run free since everything was prickly.
  7. Many friends telling us to head to really pretty areas in the far away northern part of Arizona where it was also winter. We were not in a situation to explore, baby, RV and all.
  8. The RV Park manager invited me to his cigar night with the park pals. He fed me waaay too much cheap scotch in front of his LP gas campfire.

  The best things that happened in the desert southwest:

  1. Stayed one night in a place called Picacho Peak. Amazing and close to I-10. Stay there if between Tucson and Phoenix.
  2. Laura went to the sewing club with all the snowbirds in the RV Park. I assume it was great.
  3. Walked in the only snow of the trip up on Mt Lemmon.
  4. Enjoyed the best sunset of the entire trip on Laura’s birthday near Deming, New Mexico in Rockhound State Park.
  5. Gas was $2.99.
  6. We left the Tuscon RV park early even though it was free. Had to get out of there.
  7. My computer power cord died. Was given a new one free by the scotch giving park manager. Thanks Dan.
  8. Many tacos.
  9. Everyone else we knew was cold in February. We were wearing shorts.

  Click to view slideshow.

  
  
• August 12, 2011
• 13:13

  Free PR Advice For Ski Racer Sandy Vietze Post Pee

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Oops.  

  If you have yet to read the international coverage of the 18 year old Vermont ski racer who is (was) a member of the US Developmental Ski Team, then this post won’t make a lot of sense until you do. It hurts to read. Clearly a no win situation for the 11 year old girl, the 18 year old youth or any of the families. I do not need to recap what occurred. There are thousands of media outlets covering that. I also do not mean to condone the actions, but they deserve another look from a public relations standpoint.

  Right now, the skier is being painted as an unapologetic affluent without a shade of remorse who cares little about where and upon whom he urinates. And sure, there might be lawyers advising against apologizing as it may convey guilt of some kind, but really this is about an 18 year old getting drunk and making a mistake. A mistake that while not pleasant to think about, did very little harm. We all get peed on once in a while by our dog, our baby, our grandparents, ourselves, it’s part of life.

  Want to start to repair your image? Apologize. Now. You cannot repair anything until you apologize. The story will only get worse until you apologize. Delay is your enemy and it makes your hole deeper.

  Here’s a simplified example:

  “Boy did I mess up. I should not have drank. It’s illegal and stupid. It was a dumb way to try and sleep on the long flight. I should know better. I am deeply sorry to the passengers of that plane and especially sorry to anyone I may have relieved myself on. I cannot even believe I did it. But I did. Now I have to live with that. I hope that other teens will see my experience and learn about the dangers of alcohol. You don’t think straight and you also have to go pee. That’s a bad combination. I look forward to being a better person so that my life doesn’t have to be defined by a mistake I made at age 18. Thank you.”

  After that (sincere) message gets out, which puts into perspective what we’re really all talking about, the skier, the media, the US Ski Team and all the passengers can start to move on and get over it. Until then, this story will continue to hurt everyone. Let’s move forward.

  Good luck Sandy. This doesn’t need to define your future. Also… Smarten up.

  
  
• July 26, 2011
• 13:05

  The Great (or maybe odd) Burlington VT Video Equipment Challenge

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Sure, I could go out and buy this stuff on my own (to replace my beater setup) and then maybe find time and clients to use it with while also being employed full time, but where’s the fun and/or publicity in that? There was lots of interest in my recent video tips post (based on site traffic), so now seemed like an opportune time.

  My goal with this challenge is to educate the curious about the tools needed to undertake video in-house (if you also have the skills/time to produce it) as well as potentially find a local business or organization that wants to have some on message video stories to share across their digital platforms for a very low time/money/brain power commitment.

  I’m not a videographer who sees himself as an artist, I’m a marketing communications pro who just happens to also be able to produce branded journalism in the video medium. It’s like having the local news do interesting stories about whatever you want, which you then own.

  

  The t3i beats out the Nikon 5100 for video and audio recording. It also features a flip screen and external stereo microphone jack. Records in 1080p at 30 fps and 720p at 60 fps. If you have extra funds go with the 60d, 5d or 7d. No need for large lense for 99% of video.

  

  You will need a lapel microphone for interviews. Get one with a long cord or wireless.

  

  Carry it all. If it can also carry your tripod. Even better!

  

  You will want at least a 16 gb sd card, bigger is better.

  

  Going to try and capture real life? You must have wind protection and stereo sound.

   Note: This product list is not what you need to be a professional video producer for a living (not even close), this is what you need if you want to tell coherent video stories in short order without over-investing.

  Many marketing departments find themselves in this spot nowadays. The internet is hungry – you need to be able to feed it with content that entertains and endears. Even if you’re not in a spot to jump at my challenge (think again), hopefully the product listing and details may help you out. If your outfit is starting from scratch you will also need a tripod and editing software. I also highly recommend an external hard drive for storing the mountains of raw footage you will accumulate.

  Cover my costs to buy the pictured items (or procure them however you want) - then we’ll sit down to plan your two completed video stories. Want some social media, marketing or pr consulting while we are at it? Why not! Heck, team up with another local business and split it. Total cost of these items = $1000. Think about what else costs you $1000. Much of it is not as useful as two plug and play video calling cards or highlight reels.

  Check out the web video tab, the mediawithak youtube page, or see some of my recent work locally. All made using equipment far more inferior than the above. Let’s do this.

  
  
• July 18, 2011
• 10:59

  A Cheapskates Guide to Almost Professional Video

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  

  If you are like me, then you have found yourself with a need for compelling video to share online either for your company or as a service to provide to a client. Challenges arise. Professional video production can be quite expensive and time consuming. Plus, very few other people in the world can tell the story you want told. It also takes a very adept touch to capture real life stories without getting in the way and making the participants feel like actors. This post is designed to help Marketing Directors and PR Managers operating under budget constraints (and without pro level equipment).

  Here’s what you need.

  1. Good soundbites. Get people talking. Capture the sound without lots of wind or white noise and make sure the light is at least acceptable. Do not have them regurgitate your promotional copy. Get them relaxed and telling stories or providing a unique view. Use a microphone.
  2. A tripod. Don’t have a tripod? Use a rock. Use a desk. Use anything. Do not handhold the camera unless you are capturing action.
  3. A camera that has a microphone input. Audio is king.
  4. B-roll. Capture other footage to mix in with the soundbites that illistrates what is being discussed. Directly or indirectly.
  5. Establishing shots. Where is this happening?
  6. A medium and an audience. How will you distribute and who is it aimed to interest. Think about this before. Not after.
  7. Editing experience. If you have never done it, do not expect your first projects to turn out well or be quick.
  8. Editing software. There’s cheap/easy all the way to expensive/advanced. Storytelling can be done with any. Results will vary.
  9. Edit and render soon after you capture. You’ll remember the clips better. Now is news, too.
  10. A primary website that will allow you to feature it where you want to. Not just Youtube or Vimeo.

  Here’s what you don’t need.

  1. Zoom. Do whatever you can to not use it. You can create pans and zooms in editing that are smoother. Use sparingly.
  2. 1080p. If you are shooting with a consumer camera and distributing online, 1080p is overkill. 720p is plenty. Your hardrive will thank you.
  3. Fancy graphics. They only look good when done by people who do them for a living.
  4. A Mac. Yes, FCP is the pro standard editing software, but some of us are stuck in situations with other operating systems.
     • Note – If someone wants to buy me a Canon 5D or 7D and a Mac – I’ll make you some videos.
  5. More than 2 types of transitions. Use sparingly.
  6. Hours of raw footage. Make editing easy. Shoot with a purpose.
  7. A script. Those are for Hollywood. Low budget video that is scripted, stinks. Have a communications goal. Edit to taste.
  8. 1GB files. Making 3 minute video? You can keep it high res and less than 250 mbs.
  9. Lengthy and deep approval processes. If you have that, then you should be willing to spend the money to go high-end professional.
  10. Long shots or long videos. Quick cuts and videos less than 3 minutes are winners.

  

  Video is the most powerful communications method in existence. Just because anyone can press record does not mean anyone can create quality video for business. That said, it’s also not rocket science. Telling a story just like the TV news does is cake. Want to add it to your marketing mix or want to stop paying through the nose for simple stuff? Happy to help you do either. See some of the recent videos completed for New England Culinary Institute or those produced on my recent 3 month RV trip.

  
  
• July 09, 2011
• 7:34

  The Best and Worst of California

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  I promised that I would start to recount the interesting details of our “let’s live in an RV for 3 months while we move back east” juggernaut.

  I probably should just keep posting about marketing, social media, cultivating your audience, and online best practices in order to create more local moonlighting opportunities, but hell. There’s waaaay too many other people doing that – and it’s my birthday, so today we’ll skip it.

  Without further adieu, here are the worst things that happened in California:

  1. When leaving Redding (on about day 2) the door to the RV flew open while we were driving. SCARY.
  2. The people at the Napa park got mad at me and threatened to kick us out for continuing to ask if they wanted me to make them a video for trade. I made one anyway.
  3. I lost my original pair of poop gloves. They were my favorite.
  4. The large, heavy and old TV fell on me while pulling into a gas station. Would have fallen on Laura too if she wasn’t in back seat. Kappy took some of the brunt as well. She had been warning me the whole time that it wasn’t stable.
  5. Shopping at a store called El Super. It was El Confusing.
  6. Having security called on me at Chula Vista RV Resort. I wanted to chat with decision maker about a trade. They refused. So I hung around in hopes they would eventually cave and allow a chat. They didn’t.
  7. Jack-knifed the RV into the car trailer while attempting to park. Ripped open the bumber/rotten wood. Lots of caulk.

  It wasn’t all bad though:

  1. Asst Manager at Home Depot in Napa opened 8 different new grills to find me one single part I needed for mine. When he found it, he gave it to me free. Whoa!
  2. The Napa folks changed their tune after seeing the video. They wanted it and refunded our card. Plus apologized for being grumpsters.
  3. Scored a case of expensive wine+cash in Pismo on a work trade.
  4. Had In-N-Out Burger for the first time ever.
  5. Sold the car trailer on craigslist in San Diego for $100 more than I bought it for in Oregon.
  6. The TV that fell on me…. still worked when I put it back.
  7. Got an email from the marketing firm of an RV resort that shot me down. Said, “too bad we didn’t know you were coming – KOA got a great deal”.
  8. Oh yeah it was January/February. You were all cold. We were not.

  
  
• June 13, 2011
• 8:54

  Vermont Facebook Advertising – Tweak Non-Stop For Best ROI

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Maximize Your VT Facebook Results.

   

  Yes, that’s a brutally obvious search term in the headline. If you are in Vermont and are either currently advertising on Facebook or thinking about it, then it served it’s purpose. Everyday I am served ads on Facebook for local products and services, which is great! The problem is that these ads are clearly not being optimized by the administrators. They are set up, launched and then hope becomes the strategy. I am currently overseeing a monthly spend for an employer and I spend some time each day checking in on our current ad renditions to make sure we are not needlessly burning budget on expensive cpc ads. Each day I create a few more versions tweaking the target audience, copy, bid, graphic, geography and more. In one day I had an ad deliver high fan conversion at a cpc of .37 and one deliver low fan conversion at a cpc of 1.10. Thankfully I shut off the 1.10 version after its first click. Had I let it run even a few more hours, it would be taking clicks away from my other lower priced ads.

  

  Which ad do you want to shut off ASAP?

  If you are spending say, $25 a day and paying $1 for them that’s 25 clicks. If you are paying .30 for them, that’s over 75 clicks. Think about that on a larger budget scale. Holy cow! If this is not something you can or are willing to do, hire someone, or hire me – the simple marketing solution to otherwise complex challenges. It helps if you are within a 45 minute drive of Waterbury, Vt. We’ll hang out.

  The times when this is most important is right before you go to bed and right when you wake up. Why? Because that decreases the amount of hours that your campaigns are running unchecked. You don’t want to burn half your daily budget on bad ads because you didn’t shut them off do you? Facebook can be one of the most effective ways to target your local audience, but only if you have the know how and desire to properly manage and optimize your campaigns. That starts with a clear goal, continues with ongoing attention to detail in pursuit of that goal, and ends with a beer celebrating such targeted and verifiable results. It feels good to know you got the most for your money.

  Maybe you’re asking well why don’t you just only buy the low-priced cpc performing ad groups? The answer is that Facebook determines cpc price based on a never-ending auction. You only control your bid price and the cpc is determined after it is running and being clicked on. Thus the need to watch and act quickly. You may want to run up to 30 different renditions of an ad group over the course of a few weeks. Most of them will be shut off quickly, the highest performers will take you to victory. Victory being the highest possible amount of targeted visitors or fans for the budget you have set. $100 can net you 100 visitors unmanaged, or 350 if you pay attention.

  Contact info and testimonials. Let’s get lunch.

  
  
• April 30, 2011
• 7:24

  California Neighbors

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  We spent more time in California than any other state. Jan 5 until Feb 16. Almost half of our trip was in the Golden State. Not by design but by virtue of the fact that I found a lot of work and other states on our route were expected to be less interesting. Here’s where we stopped and a bit about who was parked nearby.

  Redding California Wal-Mart parking lot. 20 random RV’s all seemingly stopping on their way south. Direct neighbor was a RV repairman who specialized in window seals, which caused me to worry a bit more about ours. The frozen water in the walls finally thaws and few spots are damp. Uh oh. Thankfully that was the only time that happened. Also ate some In-n-Out Burger.

  Napa Valley Expo RV Park. Huge Class A (bus style) neighbors with yap dogs. Guy watches sympathetically as I try to figure out the water and sewer systems for the first time. He consumes about 4 bud lights while chuckling at my ineptitude. The park host sits on a picnic table seemingly 24/7 smoking butts.

  Pismo Coast Village RV Park. Stayed in two different spaces in this park. Our first neighbors were a pair of life partner ladies from Fresno, who seemingly had an ownership interest in the park. I put their dog in the promo video. Someone left us three lemons, we think it was them, but we will never know. Very nice. We made some fish to use the lemons. Our second set of neighbors (in the lower class section of the park) was a huuuge family from Washington in a small trailer. Home schooled family with kids ages newborn to 10. We also had some late arriving weekenders (we were there for weeks) who showed up right next to us at midnight and partied until 4am. Everyone hated them and bitched about them behind their back. In general though, one of our favorite spots on the whole trip.

  Malibu Beach RV Park. Not a very neighborly spot.  People do not talk to each other. The staff generally did not enjoy the guests and visa versa. Amazing view and had some family visitors to substitute for the lack of nice people in the park. One would expect Malibu to be a bit stuck up, and this park fulfilled that expectation.

  San Diego KOA. Spent 3 weeks here so had a good mix of neighbors. Had a Harley guy who we never saw except for when he would roll out on his hog. Had a family from South Central LA who were loud and scary friendly. Up in your face with conversation all the time. They wanted to like Kappy but Kappy barked at them, which changed their mind. They also owned a battery operated cop car and drove it all around the park. Also had our cousins stay next door a few times. Lots of Quebecois in this park too. It was located in Chula Vista beneath a couple of freeways, but was otherwise nice.

  Our longest one day haul was up next (San Diego to Picacho Peak near Tucson) and I’ll continue to the neighbor review in a future post.

  
  
• April 24, 2011
• 6:13

  Use It Or Lose It – Telling The Real Stories (Game on!)

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  While we were on our 3 month crawling journey across America, this blog focused mostly on the freelance work I was able to secure, as I needed to have it featured in order to get future work down the road. It served that purpose well. 

  At this point however, you may notice that the blog has a different look, and a seemingly different destination. I now have a 9-5 job that’s keeping me busy so no need to be all corporate in this space. So let’s re-embark on the trip, with a focus on the real deal. Rather than just chonologically rehash it, I’m going to drill into various topics when I have time. Some of them may include, but are not limited to:

  • Stuff we ate
  • Accidents that happened
  • Our random neighbors
  • What caused that hangover
  • Each time we messed up the RV
  • Times when Laura got lost
  • Scary s**t near the border
  • The crappiest weather
  • Highway checkpoints
  • Places where I tried to get work, but failed miserably
  • Dogs Kappy humped
  • Run-ins with wildlife
  • Stories of Americans who were awesome
  • Stories of Americans who really sucked
  • The strangest truck stops
  • I don’t know suggest something…

  I’ll “categorize” all of the post within the “rv” category as we go. So they’ll all be viewable in one spot.

  
  
• 4:38

  Selling an RV while Gas Prices Jump to $4

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  No that doesn’t sound fun. That’s because it isn’t. In the last 3 weeks since we arrived in Vermont and put the circa 1995 Winnebago onto Craigslist and about 6 other websites north of the border, gas prices have gone from $3.49 to $3.95 at the local pump. With every penny jump the value of our RV was dropping as people, frankly, are smart enough not to burden themselves with an aging beast that costs 4X45 ($180) to fill up, then gets 8-10 miles to the gallon slurping that sweet crude. Dealers are dropping their prices and would be RVers are thinking harder about buying the ultimate guzzler.

  A couple weeks went by and a few emails trickled in, mostly from folks in Rhode Island or Mass. Tick, tock, tick, tock. Pump prices go up, rain falls endlessly on the suspect roof seals, and the vehicle itself sinks into the waterlogged driveway. Delusions of selling it for anything near what we bought it for are fading fast. Two people make appointments to come and visit, both cancel. Ugh.

  Since most folks are far away and the passion to see it is tempered by the idea that it’s likely an old beater, I posted a 9 minute goofball monologue stream of conciousness, took a little off the price and reposted the listing going into this weekend. Bam! Locals! A couple from Barre drive up immediately and proclaim they will make an offer on Monday when banks open. That’s cool. Another guy makes an appointment to see it on Monday. Then the phone rings again at 6pm. “We’d like to drive up from Rutland right now”. Niiiice. By 9pm the beast was gone.

  

  So how did it all work out? We bought the beast for $13,000, owned it for 6 months, lived in it for 3 and put 5000 miles on it. Sold it for $12,500. Was hoping to magically sell it for more than we bought it for, but with gas prices doing what they are, I’m damn happy. Time to go get a fuel sipper.

  
  
• April 01, 2011
• 11:21

  The Tour Concludes – We Made it to Vermont!

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Three months and 5000 miles later we’ve made it to Vermont without significant incident. That’s a success in my book. Now it’s time to deal with storage units, uhauls, emptying the RV and getting it up for sale. Here it is on Craigslist if you want it. I won’t be recapping the trip right now, (that’ll be an ebook if I ever get around to it). It was simply too long and amazing to boil down to a blog post. It was less of a journey and more of a unique period of our lives, which just happened to be mobile.

  What I will do right now, and what’s going to require a mass updating of online profiles, is inform that I have accepted a new job that I am thrilled about. Located in Montpelier, the New England Culinary Institute is looking to launch their brand and unique educational history and approach across the new media landscape from scratch with a balanced, professional and authentic gameplan. I get to be that guy (title: new media specialist) and I start in a week!

  I’ll figure out a fun way to keep this blog hoppin while I’m at it, but maybe a bit less geared toward attracting freelance clients. In the meantime, I may use it to inform my social circle of the latest fun stuff we come up with over at NECI. Who’s hungry? I am, hungry to get started.

  
  
• March 20, 2011
• 17:47

  Like It or Lose It – Facebook Conversion For Small Business

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  My most recent client was present on facebook, but was doing so as a friend page instead of a fan page. This meant that guests would need to request friendship to become connected and thus would offer all of their personal information to the campground. Both of those are major hurldes to participation. Also facebook can eliminate your profile at any time if you are improperly using the platform. That’s bad. You also miss out on social plugins for your main website. The list goes on.

  “Converting” to a fan page is not the conversion that I’d like to look at – it’s a no brainer. Get it done if you have not. The important conversion to be aware of is in regards to how the newsfeed functions. The newsfeed is where your brand wins or loses on Facebook. You can have the best intentions and content on the internet, but if folks have not clicked “like” on your business, it will not make it to their eyeballs within Facebook’s platform. Sharing it? Not a chance. Sure they could come directly to your page, but that’s just as likely as visiting your website, which would not be taking advantage of why you are on Facebook to begin with.

  I’ve seen a variety of statistics in regards to organic conversion on Facebook, meaning percentage of folks who like a brand when viewing their facebook page upon arriving at the wall. These have ranged between 10% and 30% depending on the brand. It’s low. They need help. A reason to join the club. The #1 way to gain more facebook conversion is to make sure that your primary website contains social plugins allowing visitors to like you without ever seeing your facebook page. Yup – you’re in the newsfeed and if your content is good (i.e. inspires interaction) then you can reap the rewards of a growing outbound network. The #2 way is to make sure that when a visitor reaches your facebook page and is not currently a fan,  they are met with a reason to click like, rather than a mish mash of wall content. Here at Camp Gulf, they wanted to make the switch and do it without any development costs so a free landing tab for non fans that inspires conversion was the way to go. If you are not a fan, you’d see the like option right above the image on facebook.

  Facebook can be a fantastic outbound communications medium, or it can be a time suck where you communicate only to a group of squeeky wheels or super fans. The difference is in how much effort you put into fan conversion and content that inspires interaction. Added bonus - be sure to grab your vanity url so it’s easier to direct folks to your page when interacting in a offline environment (i.e. facebook.com/yourbusiness). This looks a lot better in a brochure or on a business card when compared to ”search for us on facebook”.

  Ready to go larger? Keep tabs on this page where facebook highlights the latest ways businesses can use fan pages.

  
  
• March 16, 2011
• 12:02

  Seeing the Finish Line at Camp Gulf – Destin, Florida

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Well I guess you could say it was successful.

  The crackpot idea of trading my pickup for an RV, relocating the family to Vermont over the course of the winter months and offsetting the costs by securing marketing work along the way actually panned out (knock on wood since we still have miles to go).

  We’ve made it to Florida and I’ve done work for eight different entities since January. The final of which is underway here at Camp Gulf, in Destin Florida. I’m hands-on consulting with a number of the staff here to help modernize their approach. On the docket? Switching them to a fan page, conducting practice sessions on Facebook and Google PPC campaigns, claiming and building out their Google Places listing, and most importantly writing an RFP so that they can tackle the process of building a new website with their design and CMS needs well documented and represented to potential vendors.

  Though it’s only mid-March and our plan is not to arrive in Vermont for another month, from a business standpoint, our trip is wrapping up. The remainder of our stops are likely to be of the quick 1-3 day variety rather than extended stops where I deliver marketing services for a host and/or local businesses. What does this mean to you? It means I no longer have to keep the content on my homepage laser focused on RV Park content aimed at our next potential host. Hooray! For me it means more of a focus on what’s going on in Vermont where I’m seeking either two half time clients or one full time brand. Excited to finally be there in person.

  So it’s time to shift back to my musings about modern day marketing communications and/or Vermont stories. Well, almost. We have about 1500 miles to go. I’ll take suggestions on what folks would like to see from the South or Appalacia. Here’s a bit of what we saw in New Orleans. They are called Cats Domino, or at least that’s what was written on the paper bag the CD came in. Been looping the 23 old timey tracks ever since. These guys need a promoter!

  

  
  
• March 08, 2011
• 12:46

  Southeast Texas Camping – Gulf Coast RV Resort

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  

  We left Tucson about 2 weeks ago and have since spent time in the Florida (pronounced flor-i-ta) Mountains of New Mexico, the Davis Mountains in the Big Bend of Texas, the Hill Country of Junction and Austin and now find ourselves just a few miles from the Gulf of Mexico. The grass is now green, it’s humid, and there are many signs for alligator attractions, which is a nice change of pace. After boondocking in Austin to see our friend Jess (and running out of battery power on the last night) our current spot is feeling like an oasis of amenities.

  Welcome to the Gulf Coast RV Park on the west side of Beaumont, Texas. This is a stopover/monthly park just off I-10 adjacent to the massive Ford Park entertainment and athletic complex. It’s in good shape, has modern amenities, and is very straightforward. Beaumont is not a tourist hotspot per se so the park focuses on being exactly what the traveler needs. Everything is clean, orderly, works well (even the wifi is fast) and there’s a free breakfast. It also has a new website that is only 5 pages in total. It’s bare bones but functional – so we gave it a boost. The video capsule below can be featured throughout the site and will allow guests to feel at home before they get here, which is a major factor for RV’ers trying to decice where to roost. This will be on their homepage shortly.

  

  Next we are headed east for quick stops near Baton Rouge and Mobile, before seeking our next longer term video trade spot on the Florida Gulf Coast. If you get an email from me pointing you to this website, ask yourself – what would you like to communicate with video in trade for a single camping slot? Also consider that I’ll be contacting your competition. Embrace the opportunity – don’t let it go down the street. No website is complete without compelling video. So let’s get you some for the cost of simple camping trade.

  

  The other people as crazy as us on the continent

  Side note - I’ve been keeping this site to work related posts, but wanted to give a quick shoutout to Jed, Jillian and Juliet from Alberta. We met them in west Texas and spent a few nights camping as neighbors in Davis Mountains State Park. The first and only young family we have run into. Best of luck the rest of the way guys!

  They were towing a small antique trailer and were seeing the sights of the west and south over the winter with their baby and pup. Hopefully we busted some American stereotypes along with those we surely upheld. Check out their blog if you like.

  Look us up if you are ever headed to Vermont and let’s have a look at those curtains!

  
  
• February 24, 2011
• 10:42

  One Message Does Not Fit All

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  One might assume that within one industry, marketing and communications gameplans are all very similar. That’s simply not the case. As a tweet from one of my favorite marketing minds Jay Baer highlighted yesterday: “Context is King”.

  As you may or may not know, I’ve been on a slow relocation trip across the west and south as my family and I move back home to Vermont. I’ve been delivering marketing services for RV parks along the way for compensation and trade. What’s interesting is that they all need a different message communicated, but they don’t always know it at first. Sure they are going after similar customers in the same industry, but the more important factor is the current state of their marketing and marketplace. The “context” in which they do business is paramount.

  If someone comes to you with the golden goose that’s sweeping the globe, without having listened to your needs, history, resources and expectations, then it’s safe to kick them to the curb. One size fits all is a sure route to disappointment. The best marketers and the best messages orginate from understanding, conversation and teamwork. Listen, think, research, discuss, then go to market. Odds are you’ll do it in a way that is uniquely your own, which is what your audience craves.

  RV Parks in Napa, Pismo Beach, Malibu, San Diego and now Tucson have all had very similar operations, with very different communications needs once we pulled back the layers of their marketplace. Tucson is the land of the over age 55 mega park. However, Adventure Bound Cactus Country aims to be (and is) welcoming to all ages and southwestern themed with a laid back atmospthere. This is headed for their website shortly.

  
  
• February 19, 2011
• 12:50

  Cactus Country RV Resort – Adventure Bound

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Prior to departing San Diego our original plan was to hop-skip our way across Arizona with a couple nights at State Parks located near I-10. Laura started to look around on the internet about fun things to do in the Tucson area so I in turn started looking for RV parks that might want to have a video produced for them to get a longer stay in the area. Quickly I realized that this was snowbird territory and most commercial parks were for retirees only. Not exactly what we we’re looking for, but I’ll get back to that.

  We get a lot of advice from family and friends to go see this or that, as if Arizona was some small state easy and affodable to traverse in two vehicles with a baby. Haha. Nope. We go in generally straight lines, then poke around the overnight areas in our Subaru. We still hit a State Park – it broke up the drive to Tucson and was quite stunning.

  So after one night at Picacho Peak State Park outside of Tucson we headed for the Cactus Country RV Resort, which is now a part of the Adventure Bound family of camping locales and is located on the southeast side of the metro area just off exit 275. It’s one of the few (if not the only) park that actually feels like camping in the desert rather than the concrete jungle. We don’t hear the highway and there’s open space surrounding the entire spot. It’s also frequented by a mix of full timers, snowbirds, weekers (like us), weekenders and some regular working folk with kids.

  The production plan is to produce a well rounded piece that features the managers, a few guests, some of the on-site activities, a focus on the western feel, and also touches on the attractions of Tucson. Should be able to wrap it up by the end of the week. Need this crazy windy weather to blow through first.

  I’ll update again when the video is done. Until then I threw some new content onto our google map. We plan to scoot across Texas and most of the gulf pretty quickly without long stays in one spot, then return to longer stays in trade for marketing services when we get to Florida sometime in March.

  

  
  
• February 09, 2011
• 6:45

  San Diego Metro KOA – Regional Attractions

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  San Diego, California saw us settle at the KOA (Kampgrounds of America) site on the south end of the metro area. This family owned and operated park knows a thing or two about marketing and as such took the opportunity to chat and plan out a trade deal. They’d put us up for a while and I’d deliver a leverageble communications piece in video format with their proper logos and themes. One of their primary goals is to influence guests to lengthen stays. A day to a weekend, a weekend to a week and so on. What’ll do that? Showing folks that San Diego is more than a one weekend town! The production process included travelling to all of these locales over a week’s time (cool!) as well as a bit of audio tracking. Here’s San Diego in two and a half minutes – starting from hours of raw footage.

  

  We’re headed to Arizona shortly. Looking at some state parks and possibly the Tucson area, but not planning on being there as long as we were in California.

  
  
• January 31, 2011
• 8:40

  Meet the RV Industry - Lovechild of Auto and Tourism

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  In 1910 the automobile industry and tourism got friendly with each other and gave birth to recreational vehicles. For the last few months I have been getting up to speed on the current state and marketing needs of this sector. We are now one month into our monthslong working RV relocation back to New England. It's been successful and enlightening.
  
  If you want to provide services of any kind to a class of business, there's no better/faster way than to thrust yourself into it as a customer. Research it before making purchasing decisions, engage with staff, try all the search terms, compare prices, read reviews, talk to fellow customers and see how their online and over the phone customer service functions. In our month on the road, we have stayed at four RV parks from Napa to San Diego and consulted (tried to sell) with over a dozen different parks. Each has different objectives and viewpoints on their marketplace. Some keep top level decision makers on site, others have to contact the county, state or federal office, and still others are run by folks who have never spent a night in an RV.
  
  Our current stop is our first that is a part of a national camping chain. It's a KOA. The first three were individually operated parks. Napa was a small park on the local fairgrounds, operated by the fairgrounds, who are generally outside of the RV industry. The second was the premiere park in the tourist spot of Pismo Beach, which clearly knew about it's competitive standing, is owned by RVing shareholders and was a well oiled machine. The third was in Malibu. That one capitalizes on it's lack of local competition and has absentee ownership. It's led to an environment of negative online reviews, which is a common challenge in all business without an empowered staff. Having learned about these three has made the KOA here in San Diego very interesting. There's 470+ KOA's in North America. The San Diego location has been owned and operated by the Bell Family for generations and clearly benefits from the consistency and family care.
  
  KOA PhotoThe largest difference that a marketing based mind notices here is the merchandising. Everything is on message and working to get folks to lengthen their stay or visit a KOA at their next stop. The fonts are consistent, the colors are all yellow and there is high quality supporting collateral. Everything is spelled with a K, which is nice when your business cards say MediawithAK. While most other parks have wanted to show off their amenities, this KOA is more focused on capitalizing on the regional attractions to speak to destination guests. That is likely in part due to the market perception of KOA - they do not need to assure folks that they have proper hookups or a pool. It is granted.
  
  KOA is different than Good Sam, which is one of the other primary national brands in RVing. Good Sam is owned by Affinity Group which also owns many other RV media outlets and brands. Good Sam parks only have to agree to offer a discount to be included, while KOA parks are truly agreeing to be part of a team experience and offer a consistent camping experience. This is only a small glimpse into the RV industry, which also has a national association and congressional lobby. As I work to deliver tailored marketing content throughout our trip I'm getting quickly up to speed on this large and economically significant industry.
  
  Of course this is limited to RV parks/travel - I'll talk more about manufacturing/sales later on the trip - still learning up on that side of the coin.
  
  The sun is forecast to return by Tuesday, so stay tuned for completion of my first KOA project by the end of this week. We're here through February 16. Arizona will be next.
• 8:40

  >Meet the RV Industry – Lovechild of Auto and Tourism

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

   

  

  In 1910 the automobile industry and tourism got friendly with each other and gave birth to recreational vehicles. For the last few months I have been getting up to speed on the current state and marketing needs of this sector. We are now one month into our monthslong working RV relocation back to New England. It’s been successful and enlightening.

  If you want to provide services of any kind to a class of business, there’s no better/faster way than to thrust yourself into it as a customer. Research it before making purchasing decisions, engage with staff, try all the search terms, compare prices, read reviews, talk to fellow customers and see how their online and over the phone customer service functions. In our month on the road, we have stayed at four RV parks from Napa to San Diego and consulted (tried to sell) with over a dozen different parks. Each has different objectives and viewpoints on their marketplace. Some keep top level decision makers on site, others have to contact the county, state or federal office, and still others are run by folks who have never spent a night in an RV.

  Our current stop is our first that is a part of a national camping chain. It’s a KOA. The first three were individually operated parks. Napa was a small park on the local fairgrounds, operated by the fairgrounds, who are generally outside of the RV industry. The second was the premiere park in the tourist spot of Pismo Beach, which clearly knew about it’s competitive standing, is owned by RVing shareholders and was a well oiled machine. The third was in Malibu. That one capitalizes on it’s lack of local competition and has absentee ownership. It’s led to an environment of negative online reviews, which is a common challenge in all business without an empowered staff. Having learned about these three has made the KOA here in San Diego very interesting. There’s 470+ KOA’s in North America. The San Diego location has been owned and operated by the Bell Family for generations and clearly benefits from the consistency and family care.

  KOA Photo

  The largest difference that a marketing based mind notices here is the merchandising. Everything is on message and working to get folks to lengthen their stay or visit a KOA at their next stop. The fonts are consistent, the colors are all yellow and there is high quality supporting collateral. Everything is spelled with a K, which is nice when your business cards say MediawithAK. While most other parks have wanted to show off their amenities, this KOA is more focused on capitalizing on the regional attractions to speak to destination guests. That is likely in part due to the market perception of KOA – they do not need to assure folks that they have proper hookups or a pool. It is granted.

  KOA is different than Good Sam, which is one of the other primary national brands in RVing. Good Sam is owned by Affinity Group which also owns many other RV media outlets and brands. Good Sam parks only have to agree to offer a discount to be included, while KOA parks are truly agreeing to be part of a team experience and offer a consistent camping experience. This is only a small glimpse into the RV industry, which also has a national association and congressional lobby. As I work to deliver tailored marketing content throughout our trip I’m getting quickly up to speed on this large and economically significant industry.

  Of course this is limited to RV parks/travel – I’ll talk more about manufacturing/sales later on the trip – still learning up on that side of the coin.

  The sun is forecast to return by Tuesday, so stay tuned for completion of my first KOA project by the end of this week. We’re here through February 16. Arizona will be next.

  
  
• January 23, 2011
• 12:38

  Malibu Beach RV Park - Providing Proper Perspective

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  If you've been following along, you know that in each of the RV parks we have stopped at, I have produced specific videos tailored to their individual communications needs - some with local guidance - others first decline my offer - then change their mind once the product exists and is deemed valuable.
  
  The park in Napa had no visual representation on their website and a simple message, so a broad visual documentation of the park, while also giving it some ownership as the location of choice in Napa was in order. This will be their prime online calling card for prospective guests.
  
  Next we stopped in Pismo Beach and produced two videos in trade for two weeks of RV camping at the lovely Pismo Coast Village. The park decided to contract me for a third too! They had just launched a new website and needed content for the testimonials section, a highlight reel of their amenities and something to explain/link them to the local butterfly attraction. Done.
  
  Now we are in Malibu at the Malibu Beach RV Park. It is one of the most unique spots to camp we have ever seen. I highly recommend checking it out. It's a bummer that the park suffers from an overwhelming amount of negative online reviews, which can dissuade many travellers. Most of these reviews focus on distaste for the local rules. This park is in a highly desirable (close to LA) spot, has limited land on which to host guests, and has challenges with erosion on the steep slopes which can impact the entire camping equation. There are good reasons for the rules and the enforcement of them in this popular spot. As a reasonably experienced RVer now, they are not out of the question.
  
  Rather than try to refute a flood of online negativity, the better bet is to put it into perspective and explain the situation on your own turf. With that scenario in mind, I produced this video for the Malibu Beach RV Park. Hopefully they elect to own it to help rebuild their online reputation and better set guest expectations for years to come. Once it resides on their website, potential guests will put much less weight onto the folks moaning about rules. I produced a first draft of the video and showed it to onsite management, got their tips and then added other topics before rendering the final. I have been unable to meet with ownership (onsite management passed along - thanks) to discuss our typical trade deal (which was a lock in prior locales), but I am hopeful that we'll get together in some way (by Monday). Our "working trip" will carry on and they'll start turning the electronic tide. It will equal more visitors and better educated visitors. Check it out.
  
  
• 12:38

  >Malibu Beach RV Park – Providing Proper Perspective

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  If you’ve been following along, you know that in each of the RV parks we have stopped at, I have produced specific videos tailored to their individual communications needs – some with local guidance – others first decline my offer – then change their mind once the product exists and is deemed valuable.

  The park in Napa had no visual representation on their website and a simple message, so a broad visual documentation of the park, while also giving it some ownership as the location of choice in Napa was in order. This will be their prime online calling card for prospective guests.

  Next we stopped in Pismo Beach and produced two videos in trade for two weeks of RV camping at the lovely Pismo Coast Village. The park decided to contract me for a third too! They had just launched a new website and needed content for the testimonials section, a highlight reel of their amenities and something to explain/link them to the local butterfly attraction. Done.

  Now we are in Malibu at the Malibu Beach RV Park. It is one of the most unique spots to camp we have ever seen. I highly recommend checking it out. It’s a bummer that the park suffers from an overwhelming amount of negative online reviews, which can dissuade many travellers. Most of these reviews focus on distaste for the local rules. This park is in a highly desirable (close to LA) spot, has limited land on which to host guests, and has challenges with erosion on the steep slopes which can impact the entire camping equation. There are good reasons for the rules and the enforcement of them in this popular spot. As a reasonably experienced RVer now, they are not out of the question.

  Rather than try to refute a flood of online negativity, the better bet is to put it into perspective and explain the situation on your own turf. With that scenario in mind, I produced this video for the Malibu Beach RV Park. Hopefully they elect to own it to help rebuild their online reputation and better set guest expectations for years to come. Once it resides on their website, potential guests will put much less weight onto the folks moaning about rules. I produced a first draft of the video and showed it to onsite management, got their tips and then added other topics before rendering the final. I have been unable to meet with ownership (onsite management passed along – thanks) to discuss our typical trade deal (which was a lock in prior locales), but I am hopeful that we’ll get together in some way (by Monday). Our “working trip” will carry on and they’ll start turning the electronic tide. It will equal more visitors and better educated visitors. Check it out.

  
  
• January 19, 2011
• 7:58

  Additional Projects From Pismo, California

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  We're headed to SoCal on Friday. Here's a look at a couple of the other projects I completed while here in Pismo.
  
  The first is a "no obligation" video I produced that tells the story of Pismo's premiere winery in an info-tainment format featuring the owners, staff and event guests. I offered to produce the video without a purchase arrangement or production plan (since the scope was unknown ahead of time) and we'd talk afterward about whether or not they'd like to own it based on the results.
  
  It was a lot of production and audio adjustment, but I like the final product. Hopefully they will too. We'll see. (Update - just sold/delivered it to them this evening) It should be quite effective in telling the Pismo Beach Winery story to customers, potential partners, the wine industry, and the media for years to come.
  
  The second video is an interview with one of Pismo State Beach's Monarch Grove Attendants. Pismo Coast Village decided they wanted an additional video beyond the two I delivered in trade for RV space, so we worked it out.
  
  
  
  
• 7:58

  >Additional Projects From Pismo, California

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  We’re headed to SoCal on Friday. Here’s a look at a couple of the other projects I completed while here in Pismo.

  The first is a “no obligation” video I produced that tells the story of Pismo’s premiere winery in an info-tainment format featuring the owners, staff and event guests. I offered to produce the video without a purchase arrangement or production plan (since the scope was unknown ahead of time) and we’d talk afterward about whether or not they’d like to own it based on the results.

  

  It was a lot of production and audio adjustment, but I like the final product. Hopefully they will too. We’ll see. (Update – just sold/delivered it to them this evening) It should be quite effective in telling the Pismo Beach Winery story to customers, potential partners, the wine industry, and the media for years to come.

  The second video is an interview with one of Pismo State Beach’s Monarch Grove Attendants. Pismo Coast Village decided they wanted an additional video beyond the two I delivered in trade for RV space, so we worked it out.

  
  
• January 10, 2011
• 7:41

  Pismo Coast Village - Pismo Beach, California

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  After departing Napa earlier in the week, we headed for San Luis Obispo with plans to stay in a State Park near the coast. When we arrived in Pismo and learned that Park was closed due to recent flooding, we quickly noticed the Pismo Coast Village like a shining beacon of light and amenities.
  
  After perusing the PCV website I noticed that the "testimonials" page was in need of content, which is always fun to address with video.
  
  The wide array of amenities also lended itself well to documentation and no single webpage featured all of them, so a central communications piece would be helpful. Check out the two videos I completed over the weekend for our host. These will be on their website shortly. We'll be in the Pismo Beach area for a few more days and will be out on the town looking for a couple more small businesses to help out.
  
  
  
  
• 7:41

  >Pismo Coast Village – Pismo Beach, California

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  After departing Napa earlier in the week, we headed for San Luis Obispo with plans to stay in a State Park near the coast. When we arrived in Pismo and learned that Park was closed due to recent flooding, we quickly noticed the Pismo Coast Village like a shining beacon of light and amenities.

  After perusing the PCV website I noticed that the “testimonials” page was in need of content, which is always fun to address with video.

  

  The wide array of amenities also lended itself well to documentation and no single webpage featured all of them, so a central communications piece would be helpful. Check out the two videos I completed over the weekend for our host. These will be on their website shortly. We’ll be in the Pismo Beach area for a few more days and will be out on the town looking for a couple more small businesses to help out.

  
  
• January 06, 2011
• 20:42

  Napa California Quick Stop (RV Park and Wine/Beer Supplier)

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  On our way to warmer climes we made a brief stop in Napa to test out the water system in the RV (finally out of freezing temps), clean up a bit and stretch our legs. We also wanted to get the ball rolling in the work department and I quickly located two local businesses for whom I could deliver to their needs.
  
  It took some persistence to break the ice (as usual) but once they got a clear picture of what I was offering and the benefits that would result, they bought in. Fresh, on message and affordable homepage video tends to be an easy cost/benefit analysis - once the initial "wait I don't know you" concerns are dealt with. Laura, the baby and pup tend to help with that. Hopefully, as will posts like this.
  
  Here are the vids - that will shortly be live on their respective websites.
  
  
  
  
  
  Next stop is the San Luis Obispo area. Should be there by the weekend.
• 20:42

  >Napa California Quick Stop (RV Park and Wine/Beer Supplier)

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  On our way to warmer climes we made a brief stop in Napa to test out the water system in the RV (finally out of freezing temps), clean up a bit and stretch our legs. We also wanted to get the ball rolling in the work department and I quickly located two local businesses for whom I could deliver to their needs.

  It took some persistence to break the ice (as usual) but once they got a clear picture of what I was offering and the benefits that would result, they bought in. Fresh, on message and affordable homepage video tends to be an easy cost/benefit analysis – once the initial “wait I don’t know you” concerns are dealt with. Laura, the baby and pup tend to help with that. Hopefully, as will posts like this.

  Here are the vids – that will shortly be live on their respective websites.

  

  Next stop is the San Luis Obispo area. Should be there by the weekend.

  
  
• December 29, 2010
• 13:53

  Want to Make a Big Splash? Set a Guinness World Record

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  The "kicker file" is one of the most mutually accessible ways of getting national or international media attention, even if you generally don't deserve it. At the end of most newscasts is a lighthearted look at something funny happening around the world. These sections also exist in large circulation newspapers and magazines. Your business or cause may not be able to penetrate the front page with hard news that you can control, but you may be able to shine a friendly light if you are willing to be a bit goofy and use a commonly popular topic to your advantage.
  
  Take the World's Largest Snowwoman for example. Bethel, Maine had already set the world record (as deemed by Guinness) for world's largest Snowman and simply beating their old record might not get past the editorial desk, so what to do? Capitalize on the interest in gender issues and build a snowwoman instead! Yes it's kind of ridiculous, but still rallies the community, gets people to talk, and interests editors all over the globe. Give it lipstick, eyelashes, wider hips (I guess) and bam - you've got a snowwoman. Along the way the region is highlighted as a top winter destination and people from far and wide come to see it.
  
  The majority of the resources to build it were donated. I was lucky enough to help out and also represented the local ski area at the unveiling. Got to hang out with Senator Olympia Snowe too. Yes, that's her name. Check the video.
  
  
  
  There are many steps involved, but setting a world record is a sure route to making a big splash. It's not as simple as just declaring yourself the greatest on earth. You need to submit for approval from Guinness, which can take around 4 weeks to get an answer. In the end you will be subject to their opinion on whether or not you are setting a valid and quantifiable record. It's also not free. More information is on the Guinness website.
• 13:53

  >Want to Make a Big Splash? Set a Guinness World Record

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  The “kicker file” is one of the most mutually accessible ways of getting national or international media attention, even if you generally don’t deserve it. At the end of most newscasts is a lighthearted look at something funny happening around the world. These sections also exist in large circulation newspapers and magazines. Your business or cause may not be able to penetrate the front page with hard news that you can control, but you may be able to shine a friendly light if you are willing to be a bit goofy and use a commonly popular topic to your advantage.

  Take the World’s Largest Snowwoman for example. Bethel, Maine had already set the world record (as deemed by Guinness) for world’s largest Snowman and simply beating their old record might not get past the editorial desk, so what to do? Capitalize on the interest in gender issues and build a snowwoman instead! Yes it’s kind of ridiculous, but still rallies the community, gets people to talk, and interests editors all over the globe. Give it lipstick, eyelashes, wider hips (I guess) and bam – you’ve got a snowwoman. Along the way the region is highlighted as a top winter destination and people from far and wide come to see it.

  The majority of the resources to build it were donated. I was lucky enough to help out and also represented the local ski area at the unveiling. Got to hang out with Senator Olympia Snowe too. Yes, that’s her name. Check the video.

  There are many steps involved, but setting a world record is a sure route to making a big splash. It’s not as simple as just declaring yourself the greatest on earth. You need to submit for approval from Guinness, which can take around 4 weeks to get an answer. In the end you will be subject to their opinion on whether or not you are setting a valid and quantifiable record. It’s also not free. More information is on the Guinness website.
  
• December 22, 2010
• 9:23

  How Many Hats Do You Wear?

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Getting attention for your product or service used to be simple. There were customers you could reach and some you could not, based mostly on geography. You had a sign out front and maybe bought some ads in the mainstream media. If your business model was sound, that system worked out. Now that consumers have been empowered by ease of research via the internet, wearing the two hats of operator and advertiser is nowhere near enough to remain viable among your competitors.
  
  Geography is much less of a barrier, costumer reviews and content driven business websites are paramount, and the business toolbox requires a nimble plan and diverse skill set. Sure - Nike, Pepsi, Kleenex and Carl's Jr, etc can pay huge marketing shops or multiple boutiques gobbs of money to drive their SEO, SEM, social, display ads, print, tv, radio, merchadising, and outdoor.
  
  But what about the local hardware store, hairdresser, B&B, golf course, vineyard, RV park, bike shop and the like? They need to wear many hats or work with a someone who does to assess their needs, solve some challenges, teach some tricks and not break the bank.
  
  In our upcoming trip I look forward to taking my experience in SEO, PR, digital marketing, social media, video production, advertising, promotions, tourism, and events to folks who need a little help, without all the hype and overhead of large marketing firms that require large commitments or time and resources.
  
  Speaking of many hats - check out Baby Kaylin wearing many hats a few nights ago as we pack for the trip. We hit the road Jan 4thish. Napa Valley, CA region is first destination. If the weather is decent, we'll stay a few weeks.
  
  
• 9:23

  >How Many Hats Do You Wear?

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Getting attention for your product or service used to be simple. There were customers you could reach and some you could not, based mostly on geography. You had a sign out front and maybe bought some ads in the mainstream media. If your business model was sound, that system worked out. Now that consumers have been empowered by ease of research via the internet, wearing the two hats of operator and advertiser is nowhere near enough to remain viable among your competitors.

  Geography is much less of a barrier, costumer reviews and content driven business websites are paramount, and the business toolbox requires a nimble plan and diverse skill set. Sure – Nike, Pepsi, Kleenex and Carl’s Jr, etc can pay huge marketing shops or multiple boutiques gobbs of money to drive their SEO, SEM, social, display ads, print, tv, radio, merchadising, and outdoor.

  But what about the local hardware store, hairdresser, B&B, golf course, vineyard, RV park, bike shop and the like? They need to wear many hats or work with a someone who does to assess their needs, solve some challenges, teach some tricks and not break the bank.

  In our upcoming trip I look forward to taking my experience in SEO, PR, digital marketing, social media, video production, advertising, promotions, tourism, and events to folks who need a little help, without all the hype and overhead of large marketing firms that require large commitments or time and resources.

  Speaking of many hats – check out Baby Kaylin wearing many hats a few nights ago as we pack for the trip. We hit the road Jan 4thish. Napa Valley, CA region is first destination. If the weather is decent, we’ll stay a few weeks.

  
  
• December 19, 2010
• 7:07

  Making the Most of Celebrity Visits

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  With the time restraints of new fatherhood and preparing to relocate, there has not been a lot of time for hitting the mountains this year. I did get up once thanks to some friends, but in general the focus is elsewhere.
  
  Last season Glen Plake arrived uunannounced (which is his MO). This is often the case with any sort of celebrities. You often don't have a lot of notice as to when they will arrive at your business. Your time is short, but make sure to snap some photos, get a signed poster endorsing your business, or if you have time, put on your media hat and interview them. Do your best to ask them questions that are not what they always hear. The best interviews are always ones that cover new ground or areas that are not already well worn. The better the interview, the larger an audience will be interested in it, and thus exposed to your business.
  
  I was able to secure a chairlift ride with Glen Plake (rad!) while he was in Oregon last year. Kept the questions light yet on topic and allowed the Glen Plake character to lead the fun. Ended with a chance for him to promote his tour.
  
  
• 7:07

  >Making the Most of Celebrity Visits

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  With the time restraints of new fatherhood and preparing to relocate, there has not been a lot of time for hitting the mountains this year. I did get up once thanks to some friends, but in general the focus is elsewhere.

  Last season Glen Plake arrived uunannounced (which is his MO). This is often the case with any sort of celebrities. You often don’t have a lot of notice as to when they will arrive at your business. Your time is short, but make sure to snap some photos, get a signed poster endorsing your business, or if you have time, put on your media hat and interview them. Do your best to ask them questions that are not what they always hear. The best interviews are always ones that cover new ground or areas that are not already well worn. The better the interview, the larger an audience will be interested in it, and thus exposed to your business.

  I was able to secure a chairlift ride with Glen Plake (rad!) while he was in Oregon last year. Kept the questions light yet on topic and allowed the Glen Plake character to lead the fun. Ended with a chance for him to promote his tour.

  
  
• December 15, 2010
• 11:03

  Sales Channels Evolving as Digital Platforms Mature (TSIL Newsbrief)

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Here's a copy of my article that was included in the December 14, 2010 edition of TSIL.
  
  SALES CHANNELS EVOLVING AS DIGITAL PLATFORMS MATURE
  
  Gaining access to large groups of customers by offering discounts or commissions is not new, but the mediums in which these transactions occur are evolving rapidly. Liftopia has been a leader to emerge in this space and currently services resorts across the US and Canada, allowing resorts to offer specific inventory and reach a wider audience.
  
  What’s next? An upcoming session at the National Ski Areas Association Western Winter Conference and Tradeshow in Alta/Snowbird entitled “Channel Surfing” will dive into the topic of evolving sales and marketing channels. Some resorts are moving quickly into this new space while others are using the latest digital tools to become their own online inventory broker.
  Groupon is a recent entrant into the bulk lift ticket sales market. Burke Mountain, VT recently reported sales of 600 tickets at a 50% yield in a one-day sale. Keystone Resort, CO saw similar impressive sales numbers through a Groupon offer in the fall of 2009, but craigslist and eBay resales, along with the significant commission, were noted as challenges, according to Christian Knapp, Keystone’s senior brand director. Knapp is slated to be on the NSAA “Channel Surfing” discussion panel.
  Direct selling through social media channels remains generally a faux pas, but “Facebook Friday” at Sunday River is entering its second year and seems to have found an audience, thanks to simplicity. Built as an “event,” attendees simply select that they will “attend” and in doing so they get a discount on the upcoming Friday lift ticket. Friday, Dec. 10 saw 482 “attendees.” Nick Lambert, Sunday River’s VP of marketing and sales, points to several positives: the “bring a friend” likelihood, making two-day weekends into three-day weekends, and snow conditions awareness.
  
  Mike Henderson, social media strategist at One to One Interactive, noted that some resorts are focusing on addressing third party sales in a manner that appears to be a repeat of the recent decrease in mainstream media buys. He says that by building and cultivating the audience you want via an internet strategy - inclusive of SEO, SEM, email, advertising and social - the need to pay others to communicate or sell on your behalf decreases. – A.K.
  
  ---
  
  I also provide updates to the TSIL facebook page. Like it if you like it.
• 11:03

  >Sales Channels Evolving as Digital Platforms Mature (TSIL Newsbrief)

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Here’s a copy of my article that was included in the December 14, 2010 edition of TSIL.

  SALES CHANNELS EVOLVING AS DIGITAL PLATFORMS MATURE

  Gaining access to large groups of customers by offering discounts or commissions is not new, but the mediums in which these transactions occur are evolving rapidly. Liftopia has been a leader to emerge in this space and currently services resorts across the US and Canada, allowing resorts to offer specific inventory and reach a wider audience.

  What’s next? An upcoming session at the National Ski Areas Association Western Winter Conference and Tradeshow in Alta/Snowbird entitled “Channel Surfing” will dive into the topic of evolving sales and marketing channels. Some resorts are moving quickly into this new space while others are using the latest digital tools to become their own online inventory broker.

  Groupon is a recent entrant into the bulk lift ticket sales market. Burke Mountain, VT recently reported sales of 600 tickets at a 50% yield in a one-day sale. Keystone Resort, CO saw similar impressive sales numbers through a Groupon offer in the fall of 2009, but craigslist and eBay resales, along with the significant commission, were noted as challenges, according to Christian Knapp, Keystone’s senior brand director. Knapp is slated to be on the NSAA “Channel Surfing” discussion panel.

  Direct selling through social media channels remains generally a faux pas, but “Facebook Friday” at Sunday River is entering its second year and seems to have found an audience, thanks to simplicity. Built as an “event,” attendees simply select that they will “attend” and in doing so they get a discount on the upcoming Friday lift ticket. Friday, Dec. 10 saw 482 “attendees.” Nick Lambert, Sunday River’s VP of marketing and sales, points to several positives: the “bring a friend” likelihood, making two-day weekends into three-day weekends, and snow conditions awareness.

  Mike Henderson, social media strategist at One to One Interactive, noted that some resorts are focusing on addressing third party sales in a manner that appears to be a repeat of the recent decrease in mainstream media buys. He says that by building and cultivating the audience you want via an internet strategy – inclusive of SEO, SEM, email, advertising and social – the need to pay others to communicate or sell on your behalf decreases. – A.K.

  —

  I also provide updates to the TSIL facebook page. Like it if you like it.

  
  
• December 13, 2010
• 12:14

  MediawithAK.com 2.0 (Going Mobile)

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  It's time to re-purpose.
  
  This website/blog will be shifting to more of a travelogue with occasional posts focused on the odd ball marketing tasks I can secure along the way. We're currently slated to head south during the first week of January for a trip of undetermined duration, which will end in New England sometime in the spring. Our mode of transport is a used Class C RV (traded my truck) that will tow our Subaru behind it.
  
  
  How will I be finding contract work along the way? Good question. I have been thinking a lot about that lately. I am enthused and maybe slightly goofy. I have a mobile office and it generally fits in my backpack. It consists of an HD video camera, monopod, boom microphone, laptop computer, external hard drive and various USB tools. From this setup I can walk into a business district and pitch any number of quick turn communications services. I can even do them on spec and then negotiate a price afterward (they'll want it once it's made), in the space of a few hours.
  I'll research a businesses web resources on my phone and then walk in and offer specifically what they do not currently have. It can be done that day and for a few hundred bucks. As with any sales process - it's about getting 9 nos to get a yes. Of course having a backstory of travelling the country with my family in an RV and paying for it by making videos, writing copy, establishing social media plans, or anything else in need might be helpful in the pitch. Sure, most of big business has all of this covered, but the locally owned shops in the business district are waiting on such an offer without a bunch of strings attached.
  
  Simple intro video example. People who do not have these, want these.
  We plan to get a lot of miles in before our first stop, likely to be in California wine country if the weather cooperates. There I'll find an RV park that wants a promo video for their website (in trade) and local business that I can assist otherwise. When I get some work - I'll post it here.
  
  All the while I am also in discussions with New England based businesses about a permanent role following our trip. These discussions have the potential to shorten or change our outing, but we'll have to worry about that when it happens. Right now life is all about packing boxes and getting prepped for takeoff.
• 12:14

  >MediawithAK.com 2.0 (Going Mobile)

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  >It’s time to re-purpose.

  This website/blog will be shifting to more of a travelogue with occasional posts focused on the odd ball marketing tasks I can secure along the way. We’re currently slated to head south during the first week of January for a trip of undetermined duration, which will end in New England sometime in the spring. Our mode of transport is a used Class C RV (traded my truck) that will tow our Subaru behind it.

  How will I be finding contract work along the way? Good question. I have been thinking a lot about that lately. I am enthused and maybe slightly goofy. I have a mobile office and it generally fits in my backpack. It consists of an HD video camera, monopod, boom microphone, laptop computer, external hard drive and various USB tools. From this setup I can walk into a business district and pitch any number of quick turn communications services. I can even do them on spec and then negotiate a price afterward (they’ll want it once it’s made), in the space of a few hours. I’ll research a businesses web resources on my phone and then walk in and offer specifically what they do not currently have. It can be done that day and for a few hundred bucks. As with any sales process – it’s about getting 9 nos to get a yes. Of course having a backstory of travelling the country with my family in an RV and paying for it by making videos, writing copy, establishing social media plans, or anything else in need might be helpful in the pitch. Sure, most of big business has all of this covered, but the locally owned shops in the business district are waiting on such an offer without a bunch of strings attached. Simple intro video example. People who do not have these, want these.

  We plan to get a lot of miles in before our first stop, likely to be in California wine country if the weather cooperates. There I’ll find an RV park that wants a promo video for their website (in trade) and local business that I can assist otherwise. When I get some work – I’ll post it here.

  All the while I am also in discussions with New England based businesses about a permanent role following our trip. These discussions have the potential to shorten or change our outing, but we’ll have to worry about that when it happens. Right now life is all about packing boxes and getting prepped for takeoff.

  
  
• November 24, 2010
• 8:38

  Don't be a Turkey. Ham it up!

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  All week and for weeks to come the various new media, marketing and thought leader blogs that I follow will be hyping their holiday themed posts. This happens for a few reasons. It's topical, people are searching on holiday search terms and we all get immersed in merriment whether we want to or not. Who am I to fight this? So let's give it a shot. Turkey talk a helpful marketing tip baked in.
  
  Our Thanksgiving this year consists of a set of parents in town, a new baby to entertain and extremely cold weather to coop us up. We've been eating well, drinking better wine than I am normally privy to and going to bed very early. Good times.
  
  
  I breached the topic gently at the start of the week. "Do you think we could have a spiral ham instead of a turkey for the big dinner?" Responses were generally positive and I think I have achieved my goal. What was that goal? It was more than just avoiding the bird. The goal was leftovers. Turkey is pretty limited when it comes to enjoyable ways to consume it in the days following Thanksgiving. It dries out, doesn't have much flavor of it's own and is surely not a breakfast food. Spiral ham (like those that come from Harrington's back in VT) can be made into tasty sandwiches, be fried up with eggs, ground into ham salad or of course be dinner 2.0.
  Look at your marketing content the same way. The first use is not automatically the only deciding factor. How can you re-purpose that content to achieve goals in the future or reach additional audiences. How will it play across social media? Will your staff also enjoy it? How about the mainstream media? The press release is quickly being dethroned as the leading communications piece - it's too one dimensional. Behind the scenes content can often cover more bases with the same message. Just sent an internal email? Read it with your media hat on - if it's kosher (ham is not) then consider offering it to some key media contacts. Could you also post it to aggregators or photo sites to build additional inbound links? How will it taste with eggs? Who am I kidding - everything is good with eggs.
  
  With the number of mediums expanding constantly and a diverse set of stakeholders always in play, make sure that your content speaks to multiple audiences and can be re purposed over time and remain relevant, or in this case, tasty.
  
  Don't be a turkey. Ham it up.
• November 07, 2010
• 9:03

  Turning Noise into Shared Knowledge with Paper.li

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  I've poked at it a few times, even started making my own "newspaper" with their free service, but today a new use popped into my head for Paper.li. It's a powerful tool for staff education and collaboration. Instead of selecting content for your twitter followers, a company can select content specifically for their staff. Take some industry news, some local announcements, some funny photos from a recent BBQ, video tutorials from competitors, and the like and you've got a truly interactive and relevant communications piece that everyone can find value in. The days of the weekly static PDF built off a MS word template might be numbered.
  
  
  
  We all know there's a A TON of information across the internet, but it can also be a major time suck to wade through what's useful and what's not. It's also impossible to have a large staff always be on the same page when news and new best practices are constantly coming to light. Paper.li is free, allows you to cull the info you want from all over the net into one easy to read or scan newspaper format accessed from one click.
  
  To date I have witnessed primarily B2C or B2media formats, but for companies trying to keep a large staff on the cutting edge - there may be opportunities here.
• November 04, 2010
• 15:44

  Google Places (One of the ABC's of Marketing)

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Since we're going mobile soon on our trip back to New England, I have been narrowing down the services I plan to pitch to RV parks, golf courses, and other small business scattered around the country. The easier to explain and deliver they are, the more likely I am to find interested proprietors along the way. Sure I could make them a homepage video, maybe write some copy or a press release, set them up a facebook page or advertising campaign, show them how to use twitter for business, but help with their search engine visibility might be one of the most in demand. 
  
  The most simple, obvious and deliverable item is helping folks fill out their Google Places listing. It's amazing how many legit businesses do not have a viable listing. Hopefully I'll find some folks who want to change that. I covered this topic in June. Here's a look.
  --
  
  When's the last time you used the yellow pages? They keep getting delivered, and somehow sales people keep selling ads in them, but their usage has dropped off to almost none. Search engines have replaced them nearly to extinction. The question then becomes, how do you show up when people type in "your service Bend Oregon" into google. If you do show up, how do you improve your listing, or make needed changes if they are required? Maybe you'd like to add photos. Maybe your location on the map is incorrect (this is common).
  
  You should add your business to Google Places, which used to be called Google business listings. There are also a number of ways to help your business start to rank higher than others in this space. Some are related to whether your site is registered with google, or properly sitemapped, or the weight of your inbound links, or the metatags associated with your pages, or a variety of other factors.
  
  Either way, find out how you do on a number of terms, decide if you are happy with it, and either do something about it or work with someone who can do it for you. That is.. if you'd like customers to be able to find you properly. Want some help? I'd be happy to.
  
  
• October 22, 2010
• 15:07

  Taking it to the Streets

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Well taking to the road is more like it. Are you sitting down? We're pulling up stakes and MediawithAK Services will be going mobile from January until about June. I'll be doing my best to offer marketing, communications and video services to folks all over this great country as we travel it as a family. Some for cash and others for trade.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  We're planning on a general route that will take us down the California Coast, throughout the southwest, to the Gulf Coast and eventually ending up in the Tampa Bay area in May to attend a wedding. After that we'll be returning to settle back home in New England to be closer to family as we start our own.
  
  Stay tuned here if you want to check out some of the odd marketing jobs I am able to acquire along the way, and i'll also be blogging the experience in detail, currently housed at  [community.rv.net] as we document the play by play of taking a young, inexperienced RV newbie family on the adventure of a lifetime. Also be sure to look at that blog if you are overcome with questions at this point. That blog location may change - but I'll let you know if it does.
• October 19, 2010
• 14:44

  Beating Your Facebook Blues - StumbleUpon

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  I have recently become a fan of StumbleUpon. It's a social bookmarking oriented site that offers a bit more entertainment value and others like Digg or Reddit IMHO. It's all about surprises. Rather than offering you a lineup of items you might like based on your interests it drags you around the internet based on what you might like with every page you view being a complete surprise. You just click "stumble" and BAM you are brought to some brand new page that is somehow connected to your interests and the feedback you have given along the way. If you are tired of the same ole' newsfeeds and drama on facebook and want to know what's really interesting out there, then Stumble. It'll also help you offer new stuff to your facebook followers if you are into that. If you like unique photography it's especially awesome.
  There's a marketing use too. Tag your websites using stumbleupon and you will see an increase in referral traffic from the site from folks who have similar interests. Beware though, as a user - there have cases of people saying it keeps them up all night doing "just one more click". Sharing your content on other social sites like twitter and facebook via the Stumble plugin shortens your links and can help improve your organic traffic as well.
  I suggest adding the browser plugin so that whenever you get the urge to Stumble, you can. It also makes tagging, saving and rating sites that much easier. There is content of value out there. Sometimes you just have to StumbleUpon it.
• October 08, 2010
• 12:51

  Historical MediawithAK Produced or Hosted Videos

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  I have recently been in talks with a certain industry about a video blog project. To give them a better idea as to my background in video/hosting/documenting the below player brings together a variety of video projects I have produced or hosted. The MediawithAK Youtube channel has a range of videos produced recently, but to peruse many of the videos produced or hosted over the years this custom player is the way to go.
  
  
  
  An easier to navigate player option is also available at the bottom of the [mediawithak.com] homepage.
• 11:56

  Bend On The Run Oregon Farmer's Market Segment

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  By now you may have seen some Bend On The Run episodes on COTV or channel surfed past the listing in primetime on your couch. The show will continue to premiere on television with occasional segments posted to the internet after they have hit the airwaves. Running this week are segments 3 and 4 including features on the Sunriver Airport, local historians, Mt. Bachelor Ski Patrol, High Desert Fencing Club, the Bend Farmer's Market, a scotch tasting and poker night at Brasada Ranch and more.
  
  Here's the Farmer's Market bit..
  
  
  
  Episode 5 airing next week includes a garage sale expose, the Central Oregon Pumpkin Company in Terrebonne (including a pumkin cannon!) and a hike up South Sister.
• September 28, 2010
• 10:04

  Hungry? Feed Your Website Video Snacks

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Before I tackle this post - yes we had the baby! Kaylin Anne, 6 lbs 15 oz, born Sept 22 @ 7:22 pm. Baby and mommy are doing great.
  
  One of the projects I have had cooking over the last month and a half has been a video asset development project for Sunriver Resort. They were looking to acquire short "video snacks" from amenities spanning the region ranging from the obvious like mtn biking, rock climbing and their on-site options, to the less obvious like car rental. Just asking the outfits to supply footage was not going to fly as they understandably want some consistency among the "snacks", while managing the fact that varying businesses would have varying video assets from extensive to none at all. Here's a few screenshots from the videos, of which there are over a dozen. The actual "snacks" will go live at a later date of the client's choosing of course.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  If you are looking to create a consistent video theme within your website, but aren't sure how to herd the logistical cats of developing extensive third party or even internal content, then shoot me a note. I might be able to help you out in an afforable manner.
• September 13, 2010
• 13:51

  The New Meaning of "Taking Notes"

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  We all did it in class. At least those of us who had some schooling prior to the laptop computer era. I'm talking about taking notes. You'd save the important information from a lesson to be perused later or employed when test time came around. You see less of it nowadays, but only because the medium has changed, not because the art has fallen out of favor. Link sharing and saving services are in many ways the new manner of note taking. I use Delicious, but Stumbleupon, Digg and Reddit also have similarities. You can also use any of them to act as your online editor, selecting what you should see based on your preferences and friends. A new age news editor.
  
  You can use them to keep a log or use them to participate in a knowledge sharing fashion. Since I already get loads of professional info and story links via those I follow on twitter (my version of inbound editor), I use it more as a way to save what I see to be useful at a later date. It can also be used well among teams who are spread out across the country. That way if there's some really relevant info on SEO, social, design, PR, branding, or something that's simply really funny, I can peruse it later when takling that type of project. The mind can only fit so much, especially a mind that is doing a lot of implementation rather than just strategizing. There are a lot of people out there who are true "experts" in these marketing fields, and for the rest of us who represent business that need to wade through the sea of expertise to focus in on the relevant, it's all about taking and sharing notes. So if it's important, but now is not the moment to absorb it completely, just remember to take notes, today's way.
• September 08, 2010
• 11:02

  Bend On The Run Premieres Tonight!

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  The first episode of Alex tries to turn a hobby into a viable business activity, otherwise known as Bend On The Run, premieres tonight. I really enjoy creating entertaining stories that appeal to wide audiences and now I'll be doing that weekly for the Cable TV audience. Thankfully the folks at COTV and Zolo Media seem to agree that a slice of life entertainment show featuring the stories made every day by the citizenry is worth putting on air as well. We'll be jointly selling the sponsorships for local cable's most buzzworthy show.
  
  Literally everything has an interesting angle, you just have to dig for it. I am creating 15 minute episodes that will air back to back in the half hour slot. So that means each week you will see a new episode along with a repeat from the week prior. Tonight is episode 1 and 2 (composed of some of the content seen on the Internet by a few folks), next week will be 2 and 3, and so on. I am currently shooting episode 4 and last night spent time shooting the High Desert Fencing Club. Yes, the people with swords. Want to get on TV? Get to [facebook.com] and suggest content ideas. Here's a little piece of what will air tonight at 6:30.
  
  
• 8:27

  Email? Phone? Tweet? Coffee? Release? Inbound?

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  How should you pitch the media? Few entire professions have changed so dramatically so quickly. In my relatively short time period (decade) being involved in the PR profession I have witnessed the transition from faxing press releases to newsrooms with a follow up call, to email blasts, to expensive database services that allow you to shotgun out to media emails galore (which are still around), to aggregated news posting services that build links and might get you some google results. But what's king of the mountain today?
  
  The tweet @ pitch. Why? Peer pressure. It's viewable for all to see. If you do it right, it's news, and they ignore it, everyone can see that. That's influence. All the other pitches are one to one. This is one to one with people watching. If you are best buds with the journalist (like you went to college together) then sure, keep it backchannel. Also keep in mind the added benefit is that the journo might also like the idea that you got them exposure by tweeting at their handle. A little added value to them that they won't get otherwise. So yes, if you have 500 followers instead of 50, you're worth more in that way.
  
  Nowadays every journalist worth a salt is on twitter. If you are worth a salt, you need to be too. I do not know what a salt is worth, but assume it's worth a lot.
  
  
  
  But just being there is not enough. You need to be there, participate, be relevant and helpful, then use it to your advantage when the opportunities arise. The cocktail party analogy always applies. Act as you would at a cocktail party. Do not just schill your s**t. Participate. Add your expertise when applicable. Gain trust. Then when you need a favor or have something important to pass along, people are apt to listen.
  
  If I were to put in order of usefulness some pitching methods, I'd go with:
  

  1. Tweet @ a journalist (only if you have pre-established cred)
  2. Personalized email (so they can judge if they are getting first crack rather than blast)
  3. Social Media Wire Service (Pitchengine and PR Web allow video and photos - then fire the link with personalized blurb to targets)
  4. Inbound (Your content can bring eyeballs you never knew about - so make it shine)
  5. Phone Calls (but your time to success ratio will drop - people simply don't slow down anymore)
  6. Email Blast (yes keep doing them but more as back up)

  
• September 07, 2010
• 13:30

  Public Engagement Drives Marketing Success

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  It's all becoming digitized. Media relations has become a battle won by those who can "socialize" the relationship and move at the speed of the Internet. Here's a look at how the equation is changing and the idea of public engagement being the new marketing currency to earn. It was featured in a recent look at how CEO's will be harnessing new media in the years to come. If the public is getting messages differently, it only makes sense that business needs to speak differently. Of course folks learn this at differing paces, as change can be hard and inconvenient.
  Richard Edelman -- New Media Academic Summit 2010
  View more presentations from edelmanmarketing.So how are you telling a relevant story?
• September 02, 2010
• 10:25

  Make A Splash Without Spending A Penny

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  The chicken and egg scenario plays out every day with business leaders trying to decide if they should advertise to attract customers, or shouldn't advertise since they don't have the money to spend. If you have the magical product that is so in demand you don't even need to promote it, then consider yourself lucky and enjoy your success. For the rest of the world, there is a third direction you can go if you want to get on the radar of consumers without an ad spend.
  
  Give it away.
  
  Well, it's not quite that simple, but almost. I'm not saying just change the price to free and hope that turns into an ROI. It won't. I'm saying figure out how you can help out in your local community by making something free, and build an event around that concept. Heck, just two nights ago a bowling alley in Flint, Michigan was on the NBC nightly news for simply giving away bowling to sad looking kids one night a week. You'd think they were curing cancer. Nope, just offering up a generally underused asset for one night a week. It filled the place up, created some lifelong customers, and they surely sold many gallons of soda at 1000% profit. Is bowling popular in the summer anyway? Nope. They got more mileage out of that move than many thousands of hard cash on advertising.
  
  
  While you are hosting a group for free, have a fundraising raffle, silent auction, or the like to raise funds for donation. Or charge for the service a small amount and have that be the donation. It'll get people in the door, get you publicity, and not cost hard dollars. Raise money for a children's cause, the homeless, arts and culture, you name it! There's no shortage of ways to help out. The added boost is that the charities you work with will help bullhorn your name out there as part of the event, and they often have large networks to talk to.
  
  Grow your business while doing good. You can do both.
• August 29, 2010
• 14:47

  Getting Started with Google Adwords

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  For those that maintain a Google profile, manage multiple blogger accounts, adsense, adwords, analytics, and the like, you are aware the you could spend every waking hour logged into the backend of your google account until the end of time. The webmasters tools alone can blow your mind if you are anything short of a web developer by trade. All that said, there are some basic tools within the platform that you can and should familiarize yourself with. Let's take a look at one of the largest advertising platforms in existence: Google Adwords. This was a $23 billion dollar industry in 2009.
  
  Where to start? Try the wikipedia page on the topic for some basics and historical perspective. You'll notice that many chose to work with an agency to manage their SEM campaigns. But it's not something that you have to do, if you care to invest the time to become educated. One great tool is the Google adwords editor program which is free to download. It also allows you to circulate proposed changes to colleagues prior to finalizing them. If you are only managing one campaign you may find you do not need it, but it's great for small size marketing agents managing a few accounts.
  
  These ads you are buying are being displayed in generally two different realms. One is the "sponsored links" section of Google search results, the other is throughout the "Google Display Network" which is where Google Adsense comes in. These are displayed on sites that choose to render Google Adsense advertising. You can elect the types of sites that your ads will display on within this network as part of your campaign. Or Google can select this for you. You can and should also dictate geographic parameters on both.
  
  Tutorials are always a good option to educate yourself.. Here's one with a nice British accent.
  
  
• August 27, 2010
• 12:12

  Bend On The Run Air Dates

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  A brand spankin new weekly slice of life show on COTV11 and Bendbroadband VOD. Air dates and times are to be Wednesdays at 5:30, Thursdays at 8:30 and Sat/Sun at midnight. Sponsorship opportunities available starting in October (must act soon) that include 2 commercial spots per episode - 8 a week, plus 100 promos a month running across all cable networks and on-site coverage in the show. This is the promo that will run across networks - the black screen at the end is where sponsor slates will go. Contact mediawithak for info.
  
  
  It's not comedy, but it's funny as heck. It's not news, but it's relevent to everyone. Be part of the freshest most buzzworthy new show on local tv. [facebook.com]
  
  
• August 17, 2010
• 11:58

  Bend On The Run Update

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Just wrapped up another meeting with COTV11, Zolo Media, BendBroadband folks. We are another step closer to being live on the air with Bend On The Run. We were hashing out the sponsorship options that will be available, what times the show will air, how the promos on other channels will be distributed, and how sponsors will have their spots made and/or be featured on the show. Also the VOD options. There are likely to be 8 sponsorship slots available in total each offering a load of ads, promos, product placements, and VOD coverage in the weekly program. Details to follow.
  
  Both the network and myself are excited about the opportunities with the show concept since it has a broad appeal scope (as opposed to a show about hunting, cooking, or some other specific item), and puts so many people on television to drive word of mouth. It's not news, but it's newsworthy. It's not comedy, but it's hilarious. Stay tuned and if you see what we're seeing advertising-wise, consider being one of the great 8. Here was the pilot in case you missed it. And don't forget to "like" [facebook.com] where folks will be able to suggest content for future shows.
  
  
• August 16, 2010
• 13:22

  Public Relations Strategy - Then, Now, Later

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Just finished reading a rather long article on Mashable (worth reading if you have 5 mins), that goes in-depth into the topic on how social media is changing the landscape for the marketing communications professional. It has. Building trust with maintream media by being a viable content publisher in social media and pitching them in the mediums where they live and breathe, is destroying the cold call email pitch, and phone calls are even less effective.
  
  The tip of the PR sword for many years was the press release. It was faxed, emailed and distributed via online wire services to add backlinks to a website and rank well for SEO. Today being an adept PR pro on social media is the new tool of choice for smart PR pros looking to break through into the mainstream media's field of vision. Build cred, build trust, think like a journalist, then reach out.
  
  Here are my top 3 quotes from the article that IMHO you can take to the bank. The challenge remains wading through the surplus of information to get to what is relevant to your business, or simply even accurate. So here are mine:
  
  Heather Whaling - Geben Communication
  “It’s critical that we’re innovative and staying on top of the latest and greatest; however, we also need to avoid ’shiny object syndrome’ and instead make recommendations based on the client’s business needs.”
  
  Scott Bauman - Greenough Communications
  "In the end, the real change is a more fluid, immediate, and nimble PR/communications practitioner, instead of one who simply follows a PR plan and rigidly adheres to it."
  
  
  Nichole VanScoten - Pixl
  “It’s amazing to me that I get a MUCH higher response rate when pitching reporters via Twitter than e-mail. I would actually go as far as to say that every time I’ve pitched a reporter via Twitter, I have gotten some sort of response (often resulting in a story for my client). Via e-mail, I have maybe a 50% response rate. The phone call response rate would be my lowest.”
  
  
• August 10, 2010
• 16:06

  Paid SMS Marketing Just Got Put "On Notice"

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Do you hear that? It's folks who sell on-site sms products saying "oh crap".
  
  If you wanted to communicate with your onsite guests with any sort of safety or merchansiding messages, you tried to inspire them to text you and then odds are you were paying per text sent in some fashion. Of course twitter was a nice as a way to communicate to a few who are plugged in and already able, but now twitter has taken a bite out of the paid sms market with the ability for the public to get twitter updates sent to them via txt without having any sort of a twitter account. This means that business can do the same thing they were doing before to communicate to on-site folks, but without paying for it! They'll just need to start pumping their desired twitter handle to people over the speakers or on signs.
  
  
  
  It's called "fast follow" and it's going to zoom around pretty quick. The next time you are at a concert, football game, ski resorts like Bachelor, casino, or the like, odds are you'll have a twitter account blasted at you to "fast follow". Check out the blog post announcing it. Right now it sounds like it's only available in the US, so Stephen Colbert would be proud.
  
  Tell the thousands of folks on site when they need to leave by, if there is an emergency, what's the happy hour band, where to get t-shirts, if there is a rain delay, how much to stay an extra night, why to take a lesson, etc. Of course this info will need to stay relevant (just like all of today's marketing) because people will be giving it their time and maybe even their "standard text rates".
• 10:10

  Blue Sky Vet Clinic Introduction

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Just wrapped up a fun project for Blue Sky Vet Clinic here in Bend, Oregon. They are located, well.. you can find that out in the video. Creating Einstein's voice was a new venture for me, but was seemingly successful according to the client. If you need a local vet then check them out at [blueskyvet.com] . This little ditty should be on their homepage shortly.
  
  
• August 04, 2010
• 9:19

  Going Digital? Step 1,2,3 = Goals, Strategy, Tactics

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Here's one of my all time favorite graphics that is reasonably accurate, actionable, and can make sense across many levels of an organization. It might even be so good that you want to print it and hand it out at the next meeting. I didn't make it, but I sure was pleased that day I found it. It helped to get a lot of people on the same page about how our goals, aligned with our strategy, and led us to the tactics we were employing on a day to day basis.
  
  
• August 02, 2010
• 9:49

  Bend On The Run 3 (Behind The Goats)

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  The fair is fun, and Weird Al was plenty weird, but one of my favorite parts of any county fair is the animals. IMHO the most interesting animal (sorry rabbits and cows) are the goats. So here's an expose of sorts on the goat barn at the Deschutes County Fair. Be sure to stick around at the end of the vid fo the spooky Ronald McDonald dance-along. [facebook.com] .
  
  
  
  It must be animal week since I am also spending a fair amount of time working on a vid for [blueskyvet.com] here in Bend. Really enjoying that one.
• 7:16

  Theory of Socially Influenced Corporate Evolution

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  We're not quite there yet, but eventually all businesses will consider "does this pass the smell test" before acting, not just rely on the marketing department to spin it after the fact. We can thank the internet.
  
  Watching a recent episode of Mad Men got me thinking about how much the marketing landscape has changed since the advent of immediate public response to any business decision. No longer can companies hide behind their press releases and rose colored glasses, especially those that have rabidly passionate publics or a history of poor performance. The ramifications of their actions should be considered during the decision making process, not just dealt with after the fact.
  
  This has put the CMO in a new and sometimes unenviable position with the advent of social media and immediate feedback. In the public eye and in writing, they now have to take responsibility and be held accountable for decisions that (in some structures) were made without consideration for this new reality and its impact on sustainable business. They are left with a few options. Explain and defend those actions so that the blowback doesn't get out of control (often the direct order), agree with the public (which would get them canned quick), or stay on the sidelines and hope (proven to be unsuccessful). The challenge is that being in the spotlight taking ownership of unpopular moves might be what is expected, but with the googleability of everyone and every topic nowadays, the CMO ends up shouldering the load for all of the controversy a controversial brand creates, while ramifications can remain an afterthought at the top. Some corporations may actually use this as a strategy to go about their business, or as a way to accomplish a lot of change quickly, but most do it unknowingly.
  
  This is going to solve itself over time as everyone is forced to accept the new norm. At this point it's still an evolving scenario with casualties limited to politcal level debate type business. Those casualties will be the one or few people in a controversial company who are tasked with managing that online reputation, while the wheels turn without concern for the ongoing public smell test. We've all had the feeling of "wow, I really feel sorry for the guy tasked with explaining that one" when viewing the train wreck du jour. In some cases there may even be two layers of management between the CMO and the top, which will only decrease the flow of feedback between these critical parts, and relegate the CMO to being an unsustainable public target that can be refreshed down the road with a new target or a more realistic strategy. This person's professional responsibility brings the wrath of the public blowback squarely on them as the only visible target. Corporations will either see this and evolve to be a more adept corporate citizen, or the CMO and the organization will grow apart.
  
  CMO's need to think twice about who they are willing to represent in an immediate response world. An otherwise impeccable career path can be hit hard. If a company inspires political level public passion around nearly every move, then doing the marketing is not just about buying the ads and driving web traffic. You will also have to legitimize every move. So if jumping into that fray, think twice, and try to get in a position to influence direction, not just be subject to explaining what's dropped on your desk. Just a word to the wise. Not a fun lesson to learn the hard way.
• July 29, 2010
• 17:39

  Bend On The Run Segment 2 (Jim Crowell and Deschutes Historical Museum)

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  In an attempt to show an example of both renditions of Bend On The Run to potential mediums, here's a more web oriented segment. Bend Parks and Rec held a historical talk with Jim Crowell, local author and historian. Here's a bit of his talk and some visuals in support from the Deschutes Historical Museum. Take a quick walk down Bend's memory lane. [facebook.com]
  
  
• July 27, 2010
• 17:32

  Bend On The Run Pilot Episode

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  If you want to see an entertainment project I am working on then check out [facebook.com] .
  
  On that page the public can suggest local stories and topics they want to see covered and also view the pilot episode of the program that was put together as I shop it around for a home either on TV, web or both. A made for tv would be quicker segments, with lots of them strung together with entertainment being the main goal, the made for web would likely be slightly more in depth and informative segments released more often, but not strung together to fill 15 minutes (including ads) like it would on tv. Still working out where the home will be, but eyeballs and suggestions will help.
  
  The topics covered will be influenced heavily by the suggestions that show on facebook.com/bendontherun so please go there and suggest ideas for places, events, people, poll questions and the like. The most interesting ones will make it on the show.
  
  So check out the pilot and make sure you have 11 minutes to kill. And hooray youtube now allows vids over 10 minutes. So I can scrub the slow loading vimeo.
  
  
• July 24, 2010
• 18:10

  Twitter Engagement No-Brainer Techniques

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  We are at the point where any business worth a salt has a facebook fan page, maybe one or a few different blogs, various twitter feeds, some manner in which to share and host video content, and is participating or at least listening to the flow of consumer reviews. That's where a lot of the similarity ends and the differences begin.
  
  
  Twitter, like many of the others, can either do a lot for a business, or very little, depending on the tactics employed, the level of commitment and expertise of the persons involved. It may lead the "what you get depends on what you put in" category because it is one of the most engagement driven mediums. The more you monitor and contribute based on what you hear, the more relationships you build and cultivate, the higher your influence on the overall mindspace of the public (marketing primary goal). If you simply use it as a bullhorn through which you spew the marketing message du jour (which is an option), the less it will do for you. Worse, now that it's been around for a few years, some businesses have inherited an earned audience built via a previously engaging voice. In that case, you might actually persuade your large audience to tune you out, which will extend to other mediums and negatively impact your brand overall.
  
  So how about a few of those "no-brainers".
  

  • Use a twitter client like co-tweet, hootsuite, seesmic or many others to allow you to feed certain search terms in real time to your tweetmaking device. When people mention stuff in relation to your business, region or industry, you can help them out or participate.
  • Don't auto-feed from facebook. It's a time saver, but its twitter bottom feeding. You can't automate engagement. You can automate bullhorning. The worst part is that the links will just take people to another page that says the same thing. I understand that lean resources mean that streamlining is important, but twitter is too effective to just relegate it to status updates instead of building relationships with your audience and the media (who use it heavily). It is one step up from not having a handle, so that's what it beats I guess.
  • Give props to people who alert you to good content. People like shout outs. Don't you?
  • Keep in mind that tweets made when most are not at computers are less likely to be seen and move along. Similar to effectiveness with email campaigns and open rates. Friday night is a different animal than Tuesday at lunch. Tailor your plan accordingly.

  Twitter is also a medium to consider hiring an expert to feed on your behalf. They can monitor the internet, your website, facebook, local trends and also follow and engage with influencers to get the most out of the medium for your business. I have recently added my first local twitter client and have two more slots to fill. Curious?
• July 17, 2010
• 14:11

  Deschutes Brewery Sagebrush Classic Golf Day

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Arranging a golf tournament, public gathering, concert, or other hubaloo? Make it count with an info-tainment video journalist on site that will document, edit and deliver so the event lives on and can be better promoted for years to come. See the web videos and agencies page for more ideas on how to use info-tainment video to capture and leverage real life content.
  
  The Sagebrush Classic at Broken Top Club rasies money for local non-profits in support of children and families. This is a look at the Friday golf day.
  
  
• July 14, 2010
• 14:42

  Local/Simple Learnings From The Old Spice Guy

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  Odds are you have heard or seen about the last 48 hours of the Old Spice Guy and his video responses on Youtube to a range of questions posed on Facebook, Twitter and other social sites.
  
  
  
  Even if you or your business lacks a Greek god type spokesjockey who is witty in a towel, you can use many of the same techniques to engage with your audience and become the brand of choice. Illicit questions from everywhere online and off. Make sure to not always take on the obvious ones and take special care to answer the ones from people who have influence. If you have to, make some up that are funny and then answer them. No you are not likely to be the next Old Spice, but the essence of what's working here is the same.
  
  If you want to do it topless, that's your call. But the simple learning is - ask your audience and guests questions and make sure they know you are listening and will answer them. You could even record a dozen answers in one production session, then upload them every few days and have a whole month long series of helpful content. This is a perfect example about how effective social media is a conversation, not a bullhorn. Conversations require listening and responding, and if you have a plan, you can guide it where you want. Fostering increased interaction is what grows your social following to a wider audience, rather than constantly preaching to the converted. Key item - GIVE PEOPLE CREDIT for their questions so they get excited and spread the message for you.
  
  There's not one answer for social campaigns. It all depends on your business, your time/manpower resources, your audience and your goals. Interested in digesting those items over coffee/beer to see if there's a unique opportunity?
  
  Also see exactly how the Old Spice Vids are being made.
• July 06, 2010
• 14:17

  Stars and Stripes Sunriver Resort

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Got something coming up that you want to capture and remember, or show off to sponsors, or have a way to promote visually next year? The July 4th activities at Sunriver Resort were a hoot. Take a look.
  
  
• July 02, 2010
• 10:04

  Meta Description Tags - Easy and Important

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Though they do not play an active role in where you land in search, they are the primary item displayed in any search result. They are the snippet of "more info" that will decide first impression. Would you leave that up to chance? The answer is, "of course not." But many do unknowingly as meta description tags are often the afterthought. If no meta tag is given, then search engines populate one on their own. Gasp!
  
  Let's take a look at a random example:
  
  I google "oregon banking" and see both quality and nonexistent meta tags.
  
  
  You'll notice Liberty Bank and Northwest Community Credit Union have very on message desciption below their link, and The Commerce Bank of Oregon does not. Take a look at your area of business and see if the auto generated tag is what you want, if not consider adding meta desciption tags to your pages.
  
  This is the primary decision point where you are likely standing alongside your competition, so focus on not only what describes the page well, but what will make you stand out from the others on the page. Don't be afraid to be a little different.
• June 29, 2010
• 8:59

  Bite of Bend and Central Oregon Golf Trail

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Just wrapped up two video projects. One was documenting the events at The Bite of Bend and the other was a video introduction to the Central Oregon Golf Trail, which is now also visible on their homepage.
  
  
  
  
  
  Got an event coming up that you want to remember, or maybe some sponsors you want to impress, business you want to highlight, a wedding, or you need an "on call" videographer for your destination resort? Shoot me a note.
• June 24, 2010
• 12:42

  QR Codes - Bridging the Offline/Online Media Gap

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  If you are unfamiliar with QR codes, the time to start familiarizing yourself is now. They might take off and be the next big thing. That's the challenge of course. Of ten new technologies that pop up for use in marketing, a minority of them end up being widely adopted.
  
  So what's the story with QR? Think supermarket bar code, except you put them on your brochure, print ads, store window, or business cards. People with smartphones can then scan them and be taken to an online location of your choice. Somewhere interesting and not automatically your website. Maybe make it easy for people to follow you on twitter or show them a video that explains what it is they were curious about in their decision to scan your QR code. Maybe load a coupon. Of course we're still looking at a small percentage of public who are knowledgeable enough to be marketed to this way, but that is only likely to increase.
  
  Mashable recently had an article with some basic starter tips that is worth checking out. Check out what Freeskier Magazine is doing with the technology in the snowsports realm (and get your weekly dose of Digi).
  
  
  
  I would bet that this will be the year that we see resorts themselves begin to use it on their brochures and ads to achieve better call to action results. I wonder who it will be and what they'll do with it. I would suggest back of every resort brochure and reasonably easy to find on a trail map. Also distant corner of print ads. Why not allow guests to see live lift status by scanning the trail map, and then you can merchandise that spot. :)
• June 21, 2010
• 14:14

  Newport Oregon (The Movie) Official Trailer

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  I'm kidding yes - there's not a movie on the way nor is this the trailer. But this collection of clips has conflict, triumph, despair, surprises and an epic crescendo so it's traileresque. In reality it's a collection of clips from a trip Laura and I recently got back from. Newport, Oregon is a nice spot for a coast trip. Be sure to get to the Rogue Brewery, Nye Beach, the Harbor among other spots.
  
  
  
  
  Check out the Web Videos page for thoughts on how to put affordable video storytelling to work for your business. Show off your staff, welcome your guests, dispel myths, bring your world to life in a way text simply cannot.
• June 15, 2010
• 20:48

  The New Yellow Pages - Google Places

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  When's the last time you used the yellow pages? They keep getting delivered, and somehow sales people keep selling ads in them, but their usage has dropped off to almost none. Search engines have replaced them nearly to extinction. The question then becomes, how do you show up when people type in "your service Bend Oregon" into google. If you do show up, how do you improve your listing, or make needed changes if they are required? Maybe you'd like to add photos. Maybe your location on the map is incorrect (this is common).
  
  You should add your business to Google Places, which used to be called Google business listings. There are also a number of ways to help your business start to rank higher than others in this space. Some are related to whether your site is registered with google, or properly sitemapped, or the weight of your inbound links, or the metatags associated with your pages, or a variety of other factors.
  
  Either way, find out how you do on a number of terms, decide if you are happy with it, and either do something about it or work with someone who can do it for you. That is.. if you'd like customers to be able to find you properly. Want some help? I'd be happy to.
  
  
• June 14, 2010
• 7:48

  Making the Complex Simple

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  Social Media is not simple. That much we know. If it was then everyone would understand it, be versed in it, and there would not be a conference talking about it every 3.4 seconds. That said, you do not need to be an "expert" at it to participate well and glean some benefit out of time spent there. Though not simple - it can be easily simplified and leveraged.
  
  One company that seems to have figured that out, and has since boiled down some corporate policies in that regard is Intel. Check out this page dedicated to their company social media guidelines. You will notice even these guidelines are simple to read, understand and relate to, which makes them much more likely to be embraced and followed.
  
  These guidelines not only make sense for Intel social media - if you use them at your next cocktail party you might be more popular too.
  
  Looking to set a simple and deliverable social media direction for your company or new brand? Have a dull presence you want to perk up? Got a festering online problem you're not quite sure how to tackle? Let's talk.
• June 09, 2010
• 18:08

  Contributor to Snow Industry Letter

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  The Snow Industry Letter (TSIL) is a Snowsports industry publication that has been around for over 30 years. It's the latest news from around the globe concerning all things snowsports delivered right to the inbox. No amount of trolling the net for what's new brings you the concise and timely industry information you get weekly from TSIL. Trust me - I've spent years following the chat rooms, blogs, tweets and posts on the industry. Your business and staff can't all do that, nor do it efficiently. TSIL does it for you and boils the issues down to their relevant parts. Do you want to know the latest...
  

  • Industry Trends
  • Resort Developments
  • Environmental Impacts
  • Competition News
  • People and Awards

  I have recently joined TSIL Managing Editor Mary McKhann as a TSIL Contributor. I'll be covering certain west coast, online and youth oriented topics as they pertain to the snowsports industry. Save yourself the impossible hassle of trying to keep up to date all the time. TSIL boils it down and delivers it to you 48 times per year. You can sign up for 2 free trial issues at [snowindustryletter.com] or email me and I'll hook you up with a recent example.

  What businesses should consider a corporate subscription?

  • Resorts (All the latest news to have a more informed staff)
  • Lodging properties that rely on resorts (industry trends that can help your business)
  • Ski/tourism publications (get the prelim scoop on tons of potential breaking stories)
  • Mainstream media in snow centric locales (improve your snowsports coverage)
  • Airlines that fly skiers (who doesn't)
  • Ski town retail outfits
  • Anyone involved in SIA

  
• 12:01

  Building the B-Roll Library

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  Just picked myself up a new external hard drive that will be the home to the MediawithAK b-roll library. Been populating it with a wide array of Central Oregon scenes and experiences. Mountain views, the Deschutes River, The Old Mill, downtown, mountain biking, watersports, etc. These scenes are useful in any number of projects when an interviewee mentions any of those items the viewer can be shown and not just told.
  
  Worried that you don't have adequate video resources to tell a good story? Interview soundbites, mixed with still shots and b-roll can bring any topic to life for your audience. Make your internet prescence shine with a video story that can be used for years. Highlight an employee of the month, do your event justice with a film in its memory, or show off your amenities. Heck - go for a hike and take me along. You and/or your business will be the star of the show.
• June 07, 2010
• 16:06

  What Do You Want to Say? Music Matters

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  In any video project, you can adjust the tone and message simply by changing the soundtrack or using different speeds of playback. A happy scene of dogs playing can be made to seem sad, or heroic, or funny simply by choosing the right song and employing some slow motion editing. It doesn't take a lot of resources to tell a story with video, it just takes a storyteller. More information on the web videos page.
  
  Maybe you want one video that covers the who, what, why, where, when and how of your business or event. Or you'd like a series that covers all of your offerings. Or maybe an employee of the month feature to boost morale and make your brand more human. All these and more can be done quickly and affordably. The average 2-4 minute video story is between $300 - $500 soup to nuts depending on the complexity. Turn around time is 2-3 days. Want bang for your marketing buck? This is it. Mediawithak is open to trade offers as well.
  
  Here's those pups..
  
  
• June 06, 2010
• 10:49

  Learning Something New Everyday

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  Want flashy post production in your video, or an ad destined for TV, or extreme sports captured at its peak? You should look to Alport Innovations, Rage Films or Pinnacle Media to name a few in Bend. They are your best bets and they do a super job. I have a different purpose - make the luxury of compelling video storytelling accessible to everyone inlcuding those at the lower end of the budget spectrum. Done fast, done without sucking up your time, and done affordably. In the last two years the power of web video has jumped by leaps and bounds, but it requires faster delivery and less staging to be effective. This is the medium we can leverage together. A marketing and communications pro by trade - I use video to connect with the audience through personable non-staged interviews, informative voice overs, and still photos. That said, I am trying to teach myself a new useful editing trick everyday. Here's the one I played with today..
  
  
  
  Check out the web video section for more information and a growing assortment of examples.
• June 05, 2010
• 10:36

  Bikes and Beards In Bend - Cog Wild Tours

   » ‎ MediawithAK

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  MediawithAK joined a group of Beard and Moustache Championship visitors on a recent Cog Wild mountain bike tour just west of Bend. Join in the fun.
  
  
  
  Want to tell the story of your opertation with video? That's what I do. Click on my profile for contact info. More info on Web Videos from MediawithAK.
• June 03, 2010
• 18:20

  Video That Doesn't Get In The Way

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Worried that making a video will take the fun out of whatever you are doing? Sometimes it does. Doing multiple takes to get the perfect shot, staging everything and stumbling over lines instead of enjoying yourself. That's no fun, and surely not how you want to remember an activity like golfing or a bike ride with the family. But there is another way.
  
  A skilled chaser doesn't impede your fun or force you to fake anything. MediawithAK is skilled at capturing the scene, illiciting funny soundbites, and creating lasting memories without ruining the fun. Only once in a while will he ask you to stop and say that line again or stand with your buddies for a photo.
  
  Your next birthday party, golf outing, bike ride, or community event will live on forever through a 2-5 minute web video, edited down to show and hear only the good stuff and be entertaining start to finish. Hosted online for the world, or just your family to see. The entire service soup to nuts is in the hundreds, not thousands of dollars. Simple is less, complex is more, but memories are gauranteed. Wow that sounded corny. Tune in soon for the first edit, being shot Friday, if the weather holds.
  
  
  
• 10:38

  Launching MediawithAK - Bend Oregon

   » ‎ MediawithAK

  Tags:    [edit]

  Welcome - thanks for stopping by.
  
  Yes. I'm the guy who came from Maine to take possibly the most daunting job in the ski business in 2008 - being the face, voice and fingers of Mt. Bachelor tasked with rebuilding the resort's credibility, communications, and marketing in the face of maybe the strongest public opinion headwind the ski industry has seen in the modern era. Guests, media, the blogosphere and even the local chamber of commerce had lined up to call out the resort. Need a refresher? This was the local media's take. And here's what was being circurlated in the business community. These are not blogs of conspiracy theorists or anonymous comments, this is the professional community who was treading lightly, while sounding the alarm in more professional terms than the public at large. Could this environ be remedied? The answer was unclear.
  Flash forward two years. Mt. Bachelor's credibility has been reborn. The snow report is more accurate than what your buddy tells you. The mountain leveraged social media to answer questions and rumors to the point that people are skeptical. Video has told the story of operations to better inform a hungry public. The news media is covering Mt. Bachelor as a community member, rather than a target. In bound emails have gone from 10-1 negative to 2-1 positive. Charitable efforts have expanded and created a wide network of evangelists. I was invited to speak to Central Oregon Ad Fed to show the strategies employed to accomplish this and more. Maybe you were there.
  How was this possible alongside these daunting PR challenges?

  • Cancelling Free Ski Day
  • Raising Daily Prices
  • Eliminating 70+ Free Skiing
  • Restricting Uphill Access
  • Shortening The Ski Day
  • Discontinuing Flex Ride Passes
  • New Sliding Scale Pricing
  • Crippling Ice Storm
  • 2 Full Mtn Power Outages

  It was possible due to the heroic efforts of Mt Bachelor staff, a vision to get the resort back to a strategic and sustainable operating plan, and in part to a healthy diet of communications efforts to address, respond, and inform the public and media across all mediums so that these significant changes were accepted over time, rather than the alternative. It was a bruising task, and I wish them well in continuing in such efforts.
  I am now in a position to offer my services to Bend's professional community. My wife is pregnant, we like Bend, I no longer exist on behalf of Mt. Bachelor, I can help small business get their (less controversial) messages out, so MediawithAK for local business is the result. Check out the pages detailing my services (still in development). I will also be doing a bit of "pro bono" work at the outset to grow my portfolio. Ask and you may receive.