Let's Hear It For The Girls!

The ladies having a good time at 2008's Wine and Cheese Reception and Fashion Show

She who holds the purse strings holds the power. I know that's true in my house. I'm only in this business because I spent so much time shopping at Willi's that people just started assuming that I worked there. This season, we will offer sponsors endless opportunities to reach out to this powerful costumer base by sponsoring events/clinics/seminars that will broaden your visibility both on and off the slopes and develop a relationship with the ladies who hold the purse strings.

In planning events, we often overlook the importance of the moms and grandmas and market events directly to the kids and the dads. Yet, according to most surveys, women control between 80 and 85 percent of household spending and a full one third of all sports equipment purchases are made by women. There is no doubt about it, with total combined earnings totaling one trillion dollars and total annual spending topping two trillion, women present us with the biggest opportunity today. They influence 95% of household purchases, 92% of vacations and 80% of sporting goods and apparel purchases.

While nearly half of all first time snowboarders are women only 27 percent of the overall participants are female. "That’s a big drop-out rate,” Says Hillary Sherman, Resort Programs coordinator for Burton Snowboards. “We need to improve the experience for women.”Among her recommendations, create a comfortable learning environment, use friendly influencers (local retail shops) and form an emotional connection. Make their experience fun so they keep coming back.



This season, we're preparing to launch an event marketing campaign directed specifically at the female customers between the ages of 30 and 70. In conjunction with Seven Springs, we are creating a Ladies Club designed around what our research shows women are looking for:

• connections with the brands
• a holistic approach to marketing
• community and shared values
• brand experience
• insider information
• a process of discovering brands.
  

Building upon our success in producing top-notch two day ladies events, we are offering club members six to eight events ranging from special shopping events to opportunities to ride with celebrities, from apres ski parties to two-day clinics in women specific ski and snowboard instruction. This is an opportunity to connect your brand, authentically and interactively, with the ladies who are making the purchasing decisions. If you are interested in talking to and hearing from our female customers I hope that you'll consider sponsoring one of the events for this club.

For the past couple of years, in partnership with with Seven Springs, we've made a tremendous effort to bring the young ladies into the fold of the park and pipe scene. We were highly visible sponsors of the inaugural Kristi Leskinen Homecoming Invitational and we lent our knowledge and connection to the event by sponsoring the "Ski With A Pro" segment. By pairing professional skiers and snowboarders with the young participants, we hoped to encourage girls to try their hand at the male dominated world of freesking and snowboarding. This opportunity was offered free of charge to kids 12 and under and, in keeping with the spirit of inclusion, we asked that participants donate to the Women's Sports Foundation.

Inspired and encouraged by the determination of the girls who showed up and took part in the Oakley, Monster Energy Drink and Willi's sponsored KLHI Amateure Rail Jam, I spent a good deal of time talking to the girls. I asked them what we could do to get them more involved. It came as no surprise that they were reluctant to compete against some of their high level male counterparts. I began implementing a plan to answer their requests and, with the help of our sponsors, created a separate ladies division for last season's Packed Stacked and Jacked event. All of our sponsors stepped up to the plate with separate ladies prizes for first, second and third place. Thanks to Oakley (again) for awarding the girl with the highest ranking with a one-year optics sponsorship!

We've already established sponsorship for all of the 2011 PSJ series and I'm happy to say that, thanks to our generous sponsors, we'll be able to have a ladies division again. I'm hoping to ride the wave a little further this season and would love to work with some sponsors on a girls day in the park. While I haven't found a sponsor yet, I am certain that there are companies interested in getting involved.

As the summer wears on, I'll be blogging about more opportunities to get involved with the promotion of snowsports to the younger generations. We will be offering a kids club and are hoping to support a rider development program. I will do my best to ensure that the girls are supported by these programs as well. I'll let you all know when I post information on those groups.