[Editor's Note: This is part two of a three-part series of articles on selected panel discussions. This one addresses the Outdoor Marketing Toolkit.]

On the first full morning of the Outdoor Economic Conference held in Silver City on Oct. 2-4, 2019, the second panel after welcome and opening remarks, discussed the Outdoor Marketing Toolkit.

The first panel, State Outdoor Recreation Resources, can be read about at http://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/53851-the-outdoor-economics-conference-got-underway-on-oct-2-and-panels-began-on-oct-3

State Senator Jeff Steinborn served as the moderator for the second panel. Panelists included Amy Camp of Cycle Forward; Kevney Dugan, CEO of Visit Bend; Dave Stanton, TALWEG, NM True creator and started Eco-NM; James Glover, Once a Day Marketing owner.

Steinborn asked what successful policies the panelists had used.

Glover:
Case studies. Farmington is an example. It's not an accident to build a brand. Theirs is Jolt Your Journey. They started moving their outdoor recreation initiative about six years ago. Start with a brand. It has to be a compelling idea. They have exhibited in Denver. Their mayor walked the walk, talked the talk and rode the bike. The informercial shows the great experiences people can have. Make the ask. Capture people as residents in the future.

Stanton:
New Mexico True is a brand. It came from placing and immersing ourselves in the authenticity of the state. Take a deeper dive into a piece of the experience that is totally different. Expand it to a certified business, like we have in New Mexico True.

Camp:
The Ride of Your Life is bicycle trails of 335 miles from Pittsburg to Washington, D.C. We had a trail organization. The tourism department and local organizations worked together. Trails were able to have a $50 million impact just on two of the trails. The destination was the appeal of the campaign. It started with a business, the Golden Triangle bike shop. Now, it's part bike shop and part tourism shop. He plans trips and employs about 12 local people.

Dugan:
Bend, Oregon, is not the best at anything, but Bend has everything. We can accept everyone, and it is attainable to everyone. We led off to focus on women, who are the family trip planners. We target those from 20-44 years of age, with an income of at least $100,000, with one kid in the household and coming from Washington, Oregon or northern California. Authenticity is who we are. We're OK with that. One of the most successful campaigns was with Google and partnering with communities. If you Google Silver City, on the right you can see information and content. You have four million visits to Silver City. Give good information and control the message.

Steinborn:
A community may not have a budget. If you were starting marking, what are the first three steps?

Dugan:
Do your research. 1) get as much data as you can. On lodging rooms, and seasonality when more capacity is available. 2) the advent of social media has helped. Before with TV or radio, it took lots of contractors to get the content. Now you can control the content, and you should work with a local photographer. 3) some conversation about where you want to be in three years, where you want to grow. In Bend, we were intent on getting out of the recession. We took a hard look at taking care of public lands.

Camp:
1)Ground any initiative in place. Believe in marketing communities as a group. How does it serve the local residents? 2) Develop a photo library. Often places don't have enough strong photos and videos. Hire someone. 3) Whatever campaign will attract regional visitors, develop programming, invite people outside and make it easy.

Stanton:
Begin with knowing your product. Find out what is unique about what you have to offer. The state is providing at lot at newmexico.org, not how to do a True ad, but it gives you basics for building a brand.

Glover:
Two things. We did a lot of work in Farmington.

1) There are two sides to outdoor recreation economics. Some want to enhance the trails for hikes or equestrians. When visitors show up, are you giving them a path?
2) Job creation. Are you thinking about job creation and what is needed? Not just experiences, but also jobs. Build mountain bikes. I went to Moab. I hadn't thought about jobs.

Dugan:
Voice. I encourage you to take time to get it right. Build the brand into the foundation. It's easier to get it right the first time.

Glover:
Partnerships. Get the right people in the room. You need a champion, not a dabbler.

Stanton:
One you have the story dialed in, make sure you can deliver on it.

Steinborn:
We'll start with Dave (Stanton) on this one. He is one of the creators of New Mexico True and also worked in Panama. What are the key ingredients of a good effective marketing ad?

Stanton:
What is helpful is to know the definition of branding. Branding is emotional and effective in communicating a human need. For instance, Apple is selling connectivity to the world with cool products. What's the need? Give the connection to people. Fill a need and have a function. What am I going for to fill a need?

Steinborn:
What is the need in New Mexico True?

Stanton:
We met with stakeholders in Tesuque. We got great ideas of uniqueness. We are a tri-cultural diversity that is undiscovered. It's the basic truth of what New Mexico offers. It sets the bar for authenticity and truthfulness. It's a big emotional bucket.

Steinborn:
How do you market New Mexico? It's not just one trail, you want to experience the culture and the food.

Glover:
We started branding 24/7/364. You get the branding mindset. New Mexico True is brand integration. Once a community gets it, it's important to get everyone together. For instance, White Sands is becoming a national park. The product stays the same, but the perception changes.

Stanton:
Brands have life cycles. You may need an adjective at first.

Camp:
There is a convergence of cultural, outdoor, creative. A trail experience happens not just on the trail. It's a richer experience.

Schroer:
It's an adventure steeped in culture.

Dugan:
You have to focus on who the audience is. If you are targeting people from urban areas that's why you focus on sunsets and outdoors Don't overthink it. Build differentiators. In Bend, we faced anti-growth, so we put in jobs creation. I asked businesses: Does the brand of Bend help you fill jobs or build companies? It was overwhelmingly Yes, due to the perception of the brand.

Steinborn:
How important are protected lands with designations? How beneficial is it to recruiting new employees?

Dugan:
Quality of life in Bend is important. We have lots of state parks, nearby recreational assets. People are moving there for the quality of life. Although there are lower salaries and more expensive homes, the outdoor recreation is a draw. It is a challenge to address the growth.

Camp:
In the recent federal shutdown, we don't have data on what happened if parks were closed. For some people, it might have been a trip that year; for some a trip of a lifetime.

Glover:
I go to Alamogordo, which is a client. I stayed at a historic hotel. It was trickle down, and during the shutdown his occupancy dropped.

Dugan:
We did an analysis coming out of the recession. We didn't take the hit but Hawaii did, because people didn't give up their aspirations to go hiking or biking, but they may have had to give up a trip to Hawaii. We are now somewhat recession-proof.

Steinborn:
We have land and culture, which are enduring assets. Why will protecting them continue to give back? What are the variables?

Glover:
You've heard about Gen Z. They spend 8 or 9 hours a day on their digital devices. They don't go outdoors. Efforts to get kids outdoors, the earlier you start the better. What are we doing to tell kids that they can have sustainable careers in outdoor recreation?

Stanton:
One of the best things is networking. There is more strength together. We need to stay connected and communicating.

Camp:
Most of you are from small communities. Whenever there is a disconnect between the local community and the visitors that come, if people don't value and appreciate the trails, for instance, it's a recipe for tourism disaster. People want to go to a vibrant community. My push is community values around trails and outdoor recreation. Everyone has to believe in it.

Dugan:
For us, it's the impact and use. We have had 180 percent growth on our forest trails. It's not just tourism, but also the residents. We are the economic development arm and we deferred to social issues and deferred to ecology. We changed our mission. Stewardship is important. We socially created trails. We had to play a bigger role. We did Pledge for the Wild. A ton of money is coming in from tourism. The majority is going to municipal services like police and fire protection. Thirty percent has to go toward tourism. People came to see the outdoors, but they give to sustain it. They are thinking globally about supporting destinations they love.

Steinborn:
We are leaning on sustainability. We have to protect the resources, so they don't face ecological harm. People are asking where to spend money on marketing.

Dugan:
Our budget is substantial, so we can do TV and radio. We are doing far more digital advertising. Social media is a great way to start, with display and banner ads. TV is expensive. You have to determine where the ROI (return on investment) is coming from.

Camp:
I will make a pitch for infrastructure between the town and trail signs. Murals and sidewalks are the first signs of welcome.

Stanton:
It depends on your plan and budget. Get organic media going with a story.

Glover:
Do PR publicity. TV, radio and print need content every day. Pitch stories that resonate with your target audience. Get visitors and residents to post your story on social media.

Steinborn:
We are live streaming on our Facebook page.

The next article will address one forum on Oct. 4 on the topic, opportunities, challenges and benefits of trails.