Backcountry Marketing

This episode is part of our 2021 top episode round-up - it was originally published on 12/01/2021.   In 2021 the most valuable commodity is attention. As marketers, we all seek to earn the attention of our audience. But how often do we consider our own focus while on the job? Are those trips to the water cooler really helping your creativity? Does keeping your email tab open or closed help or hind...

For a small business owner, adding another task to the to-do list can seem like the straw that broke the camel's back. Chloe - Anne Swink is a small business owner herself and runs the Chloe - Anne Copy Agency. As a copywriter, she comes across many small businesses that have never actually defined what their core values are. This lack of a foundation can create a number of problems for business o...

This episode is part of our 2021 top episode round-up - it was originally published on 03/01/2021. If you're a freelancer in the outdoor industry, chances are you've asked yourself the following questions: How do I turn my passion into a business? How do I charge? How do I position myself? How do I conquer my inner critic?   In this episode, we're changing up the focus a bit. We've talked with age...

We have all heard about the great resignation that's been sweeping the industry. Chris Cashbaugh is the Director of Product Strategy at SOG. In this episode, he discusses the decision he made to switch from marketing to product design. Finding a new job can be intimidating. Especially if it's in a field that we don't have any experience in. Chris shares his thoughts on how he made the transition,...

In this episode, Nicole Handel, the Director of Marketing at MAMMUT joins me to discuss psychology and the consumer's decision-making process. Psychology is at the core of everything. We examine multiple intersections of marketing and psychology by dissecting paradigms across the marketing industry as well as some of Mammut's initiatives and processes. Follow Nicole and Mammut: @mammutna @nicoleha...

57 Hours is a business that connects customers with local guides for adventures. Viktor Marohnic, the Founder and CEO, joins me on the podcast to discuss the challenges they have faced in streamlining their customer acquisition pipeline. For many businesses that sell "big-ticket items" or services that require lots of planning a simple social media ad isn't enough to convert a customer. This chall...

In 2021 the most valuable commodity is attention. As marketers, we all seek to earn the attention of our audience. But how often do we consider our own focus while on the job? Are those trips to the water cooler really helping our creativity? Does keeping your email tab open or closed help or hinder communication? In this episode, Jeremy Jensen joins me to discuss flow. Many of us are probably fam...

Al Perkinson, the CEO of Bajio Sunglasses, joins me on the podcast for Part 2 of this series. We pick up the conversation where we left off in Part 1 of episode 77. Creating and building a community is all the rage. As marketers, we want to build companies that are surrounded by loving, supportive, passionate community members. But how does one go about creating these communities? In this episode,...

Are creativity and structure inherently at odds with each other? Jonathan Ronzio is the CMO at Trainual, a filmmaker, and host of the Stokecast. Any creative undertaking as an individual or a solopreneur can be daunting in itself. But as soon as you start to grow, you inevitably add more people to the mix. However, without a clear process, these people will create more work for each other and spen...

Of all the industries to get hammered the most during COVID, the events industry has been hit hard. Forced to cancel, post-pone, shutter doors, and limit capacities. Events around the world have been struggling to operate with the restrictions. To make matters more challenging, many events have had to come up with creative ways to continue to provide value to sponsors even if their signature event...

Rick Saez is an industry veteran when it comes to podcasting. With over 300 episodes published of his Outdoor Biz Podcast, he's been in the game a long time. During that time, he's noticed that many brands have yet to fully harness the power of the podcast. In this episode, we discuss the future of the podcast platform, sponsorships, the opportunity for brands, and we even help you get started by...

Licensing rights can be very overwhelming to a lot of photographers. How do licenses work? How much do they cost? What is work for hire? Ian Coble is a photographer who has shot photos commercially since his early 20's. He's shot for brands like Salomon, K2, Helly Hansen, and many others. In this episode, he breaks down licensing rights and how to navigate them as a photographer. Follow Ian: @ianc...

These days many companies are losing trust with their consumers and are looking for ways to rebuild that trust. The outdoor industry has always had a staple of "authentic brands" in its ranks, however, what does being an authentic brand mean? How does a brand achieve this status?   In this two-part episode, Al Perkinson from Bajio Sunglasses breaks down the 5 steps required to build an authentic b...

Jack Wolfskin is a major German outdoor company. Headquartered in Idstein, they were founded in 1981 and are now one of the biggest suppliers of outdoor goods in Germany. After a couple of previous attempts to enter the North American market, Jack Wolfskin has recently started the journey of trying again. Roberto Guiterrez recently took on the Director of Marketing role and discusses the intricaci...

With massive amounts of content rolling out every day, it's easy to let pieces of content slip by that don't align with your brand strategy. In the day-to-day, this might not seem like a big deal. However, the downstream effects of this can be consequential.  Evan Poitras, the Content Marketing Manager from Norco Bicycles, says that when a guest views your content for either the first time or one-...

In this episode, Colton Jacobs, a Seattle-based adventure photographer shares his thoughts on finding and keeping clients. Colton has shot with many brands such as Filson, K2, Hest, and many other reputable brands.   He answers some of the following questions: Does your portfolio matter? How do you use social media? Does cold calling work? How do you manage the feast or famine cycles?    This ques...

In this episode, Emily Holland, the host from the Nature Untold Podcast breaks down all of the details to start a podcast. We discuss defining your "why", format, software, sponsorships, Patreon, and marketing. The podcast world is a bit of a wild west, there are no rules, a few best practices, but the platform is really what you make of it. If you're curious about how to get started, then this ep...

In this episode, Ben O'Meara the VP of Marketing at Huckberry breaks down the core components that make Huckberry, Huckberry. Huckberry is an online shop and journal that inspires active, adventurous, and stylish lives through original storytelling. They're best known for their curated products and collaborations as well as their commitment to storytelling at every touchpoint.   Ben discusses how...

Dave Taylor runs Okaybro as a solo creative. He works with a network of collaborators on branding and advertising projects across a range of industries, primarily focused on the outdoor and cycling space.   In this episode, we discuss the pros and cons of being a solo creative entrepreneur. In a turbulent industry, low overhead and quality output is a common path for many agency owners. Dave also...

Ibex used to be a beloved brand that championed Merino Wool technology and was passionate about its climate impact. These two elements created an undying community of users who loved their Ibex clothing.   Unfortunately in 2018, the brand had to close its doors during a shift from wholesale to direct to consumer. The closure wasn't pretty and left many partners feeling burned. As some would say "T...

In this episode, Rob McSkimming, the former VP of Marketing at Whistler Blackcomb discusses the origins of Crankworx.   Starting in 2004, Crankworx has quickly gone on to fuel the evolution of mountain bike culture, attracting fans and athletes from around the world.    Rob reflects on the evolution of the event and how it's impacted the sport, art, and culture. He discusses the value of a sport-d...

The outdoor industry has been built from passion, innovation, and curiosity. Many of the legacy brands we're familiar with today started in a garage or basement with a single idea. Oftentimes these business owners find themselves running a business by accident and soon find themselves buried in a pit trying to figure out how to source material, pay taxes, manufacture goods, and sell them.    Lloyd...

In this episode, Chris Dickerson, the Director of Digital at Verde Brand Communications joins me to talk about creating a go-to-market strategy.  One of the first questions Chris recommends asking is: "what is the value to the consumer?" Combine that with your brand goals and you have your north star. Every decision from that point whether it be: website wireframes, social media strategy, or a con...

Last year Shaun Durkee's life was turned upside down after he lost his job. 2 days later he decided that it was time to take the plunge full time into his side business. He gave himself a year and said "let's see what happens."   Alpen Fuel is an e-commerce platform, that in addition to selling its own brand of Alpen Fuel granola, sells other brands in its store.    Shaun's relationship with marke...

As people flock to the outdoors, many brands are welcoming and embracing these individuals with open arms. Brands that were once reserved for core users are breaking down their walls to be seen as a more inclusive brand.   In this episode, Andy Bethune, the Director of Strategy at Origin Outside discusses this trend and the implications. As he says, if you try to become something to everyone, you'...