Find out how this ebusiness marketing director was able to pry money away from direct mail and radio into online.
As ebusiness marketing director for Booth Creek Ski Resorts (the fourth largest conglomerate in the industry) since Spring 2004, Colleen Dalton has increased online spending from less than one percent to 7.5 percent through lobbying and education of the right people, in the right positions. Dalton, an ebusiness Masters graduate of Phoenix University, applies 15 years of travel, tourism and hospitality experience to the online corporate team at Booth Creek, an entirely new division. Dalton has worked in the online space since 1995, specializing in the application of database solutions to increase revenues and reduce labor costs via the web.
iMedia: With P&G's recent announcement that it's pulling some dollars from network TV, and ZenithOptimedia's new predictions showing internet advertising increasing, it seems "spray and pray" is starting to feel some pressure. Is this a good thing for interactive marketers? Has it opened some budget for you?
Colleen Dalton: I could not attribute budgets opening at Booth Creek Ski resorts to these announcements. Any growth in this industry is a good thing.
iMedia: Following up on that, how has the media mix changed for you over the last few years?
Dalton: I presented eight webinars to educate our marketing directors at six ski resorts regarding the online channel and I have been rewarded with 7.5 percent of each media budget, versus less than one percent last year. Losers were direct mail and radio.
iMedia: What was your most successful online or integrated campaign recently and what made it successful?
Dalton: We really had our first integrated campaign last year and it was a success in that I educated the directors, showed pretty pictures of execution in a PowerPoint presentation, which now has them talking with all ad agencies about integration, integration, integration. So that's a success in my mind.
iMedia: What do you think is the greatest benefit of online advertising? The ability to measure? Precisely target? Gather data? Something else?
Dalton: Targeting and measuring.
iMedia: Is there a "killer app" for you? What is it (email, search, advertising on certain sites, integration of advertising)? Why do you believe that works for your company/product/service?
Dalton: Exact Target and WebTrends.
iMedia: What still frustrates you most about online advertising? What can be done to improve the situation?
Dalton: Continuously educating the non-believers while technology is changing so rapidly. It's very challenging to stay on top of the technology.
iMedia: What's the next big thing and how will it affect you?
Dalton: I don't know.
iMedia: Are you doing any behavioral targeting? If yes, please describe.
Dalton: Yahoo! Fusion, sports. We are a ski business.
iMedia: Are you being affected by any consumer-generated marketing (CGM) -- blogs, user groups, etc.? Are you using any blogs or other social networking tools to market?
Dalton: We have not entered this space yet as we are barely getting our feet wet with online in general right now but I see it looming on the horizon and wish I had more time to know strategically what to get ready for.
iMedia: What's the key for having a successful relationship with agencies?
Dalton: Face time, trade, rapid and consistent response time in a virtual world.
iMedia: Have you done much with wireless, iTV or other emerging mediums?
Dalton: Not yet.
iMedia: Any final words of wisdom for other marketers? Something you've recently learned, perhaps, or some advice someone has given you?
Dalton: Keep an ear to the ground by attending iMedia Summits and by sharing knowledge openly and freely.