Something New This Year

Boundary Waters Webinars

While operating a Boundary Waters wilderness outfitting business has its challenges, by far the biggest challenge we have year after year is putting cars in the parking lot.  Guests often ask what we do in the winter?  Well, I wish we could say that we just luxuriate under a palm tree somewhere.  I especially wish that when the January temps in Minnesota get down to 30 or 40 below Zero!  This is the time that we spend trying to attract new customers while at the same time convincing repeat guests that it is time to get the calendars out and give us a call to lock in their summer trip. 

Traditional Marketing For 28 Years Coming to an End

No Sports Shows or Boundary Waters Nights This Year

Traditionally, we have participated in a series of consumer sport shows around the country, and also hosted a number of what we call, Boundary Waters Nights. These are presentations that focus on first, general information about BWCA wilderness canoe trips and then always include a short seminar on some relevant topic that we hope will enhance your next visit.

 For the past 28 years this has been our main marketing effort along with our website, social media and other internet initiatives.  Print advertising has greatly diminished in effectiveness as digital channels have become pervasive.

 The benefits of this approach were that we got to see so many of you.  We were able to get potential summer guests thinking early about next summer’s trip. We were able to answer lots of questions from folks that had not previously considered a Boundary Waters trip.  Plus, it had the added benefit of giving our wives a month “off.” 

 Cancelled Sport Shows and Boundary Waters Nights

 Well, as I have said all year, when this pandemic thing is over, there will be a new normal. So many of you have survived and even thrived in this new environment. In my true fashion, I would have been content to plod ahead as per usual for the foreseeable future.  The situation has slapped us in the face and forced us to think of a new plan.  Perhaps a blueprint into the future……

 It comes as no surprise that the sport shows have all been cancelled for this winter.  Some of them have been turned into virtual events, but that seems to us, like kissing your sister.  If the shows have been cancelled, it really would make no sense to attempt to do our Boundary Waters Nights.

 The New Normal – Great Webinars!

 So, we are going to hold a series of Webinars in January.  We will announce the dates and times in the next couple weeks.  We think these live events hold a tremendous amount of promise and an opportunity to have a little fun as well.

·       We can reach many more of you than we can at a sport show (especially now).  We can still answer questions.  

·       We can avoid bringing folks out in bad weather, and we can avoid all the hassle of wading through crowds in a convention center. 

·       We hope to share information with you on how to plan and execute a great wilderness trip, for those of you who have never been here. 

·       We hope to share some ideas with youth groups of how to put together a great high adventure trip and we promise not to neglect our fishermen. 

 Any Suggestions?

 We would love to hear from any of you that may have topics you would like to know more about.

 We know that a lot of you are “Tech Tired”, but also that the experience of this year has made many of you “Tech Savvy.”  We will do our best to make it work for everyone.   So, we hope that you will be as excited as we are to visit in January.

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 

Finally, we want to wish all of you a wonderful Holiday Season.  All our best for a Merry Christmas and Happy and HEALTHY New Year!