I’ve been slacking a bit with blog posts. In fact I’ve been slacking a bit with all my online activities. I’ve been focused on the brand, it’s positioning and retail growth. Last week I was at Boyne Mountain for the MRA show. I did not exhibit, rather took the opportunity to network, see what the other brands were up to, talk with shops and do a little snowboarding.
As the brand has grown and more people have connected with it, there are some obvious consistencies in “who” it resonates with. I have to be very careful not to go down the path of being all things to all people. That is a recipe for disaster. It’s important in these early growth stages to concentrate on the segment of the market that is most passionate for what the brand stands for.
During the show last week I was standing next to one of the veterans in the ski rep world who I had originally met when I first got into the business 15 years ago. We were talking about Snoloha. Off to the side stood a young skier with his baggy pants, Skull Candy, bleach blond hair, and a ball cap that had a perfectly straight bill slightly cocked to the side. He overheard me say “Snoloha”. His response…“Snoloha!?, dude that sounds sick.” From what I can tell, that meant he liked it. And if he ended up being a customer…great! Turning customers away is NOT what I’m talking about here.
The problem is…that youth market, and what they view as “sick”, changes like the weather. What’s sick today is…healthy next week.
I thought it was sick (see, I’m hip) that he liked the word “Snoloha”. And I resisted the urge to reach out, put both hand on the bill of his hat, giving it a little curve, straightening it out a bit and telling him “that’s how you properly wear a hat young man.”
Moving forward there will be subtle adjustments with designs and communications. I need to talk a bit more directly to those who connect with this brand. And if you are a regular reader of this blog, well that probably means you. It also means retail growth takes on a slightly different, more targeted approach that I am very excited about.
The website…it’s being worked on so stand by.
New product…some of it is already here, but I’m patiently waiting to release it with the new site, and more is on the way.
That’s all for now. Unless you are watching the Olympics (which is “real” reality TV)…go outside and play.
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