My youngest son, Andre, grabbing some first-run corduroy with me last season.
My grandpa was a charter member of the (now defunct) Big Tupper ski patrol. He was born and raised in New York State's Adirondack Mountains and lived his entire life in the great outdoors. Back in the ‘60s he taught me to ski (at a very young age) and I've been on the slopes (and traipsing around in snowshoes) ever since.
Q: Did you know that the Winter Olympics have been held in New York two times?
A: Yup! 1932 and 1980 - both in Lake Placid.
So, it is a natural that I am on the mailing list for promotional information from Gore Mountain, a New York State-owned ski area that is a couple of hours from my home.
Interestingly, just after I swiped Jim Hisert's idea of posting a TOP 10 LIST of things to do at Semicon West 2008, I received a B2C email from a gal named Em from Gore Mountain. Em totally gets it - and schooled me with her great work.
In my B2B effort, I gave away all Top 10 reasons and called it a day. You (the reader) read it and called it a day, as well. Kind of lame on my part.
Em showed me how it's done by including in her newsletter her TOP 9 LIST (an excerpt of the letter is here):
Em's Top 9 Reasons for Loving Her Gore Mountain Season Pass. The best reply with reason number 10 wins the hot new Burnt Ridge hat (now on sale when you pick up your pass!):
1) It's the quickest way to grab the fresh pow- or the clean corduroy. I'm direct to the lift every time.
2) No need to worry if I can't put in a full day, I can ski a few runs on my own schedule.
3) Let's face it. Having a season pass is cool. Status, you know? Especially featuring my great mug shot...yeah right.
4) Old ski passes make the best Christmas ornaments
Em masterfully engages her target audience - seeking an emotional connection.
Gore Mountain and Indium Corporation have a lot in common. We both:
- appeal to a unique, long-tail-type audience
- enjoy passionate, experienced, customer groups
- enjoy enthusiastic, committed, dedicated teammates
- do what we do well, and are well known for this
- originated in New York
- enjoy creating exciting new products and sharing them with our customers
One difference is that Em is a full step ahead of me with her Marcom, but I'm a fast learner.
Good luck to Em on her contest (I sent in a few reasons).
PS: I love skiing at Gore Mountain. The terrain is super, the grooming is fantastic, and the staff is fun. And I have very fond memories of skiing there with my sons.
