There’s some attention being paid to social media at this year’s Outdoor Retailer Winter Market, as I mentioned in my last post.  To make it easier for you busy #OIBIZ folk, here’s a summary of the events I’ve heard about so far.  What am I missing?  Chime in, in the comments.

Outdoor Retailer Winter Market Tweetup!

Thursday, January 21, 2010 from 8pm – 11pm

Location:  Juniors Tavern, 30 East Broadway, Salt Lake City, UT (801) 322-0318

A Facebook invitation is online. This one’s going to be just plain fun.

Boots on the Ground:  Real People Getting Things Done with Social Media

Friday, January 22, 2010, from 11am – 12pm

Location:  Salt Lake City Marriott Hotel (Convention Center Location), Deer Valley Room

Speakers:

• Sara Lingafelter, Waypoint Outdoor (AKA The Climber Girl) (yup, that’s me!)
• Brad Werntz, Pemba Serves
• Darren Bush, Rutabaga
• Paul Kirwin, founder Channel Signal, Kirwin Communications
• Steph Davis, Professional Athlete and Brand Ambassador

Moderated by Elizabeth Castro, O’Malley Hansen Communications, communications lead for Expedition Hanesbrands

“Boots on the Ground” is the first of a series of “unofficial” social media panel discussions with key influencers in the outdoor adventure community. The moderated discussion will focus on real-life case studies that have created incredible connections and opportunities for individuals that showcase the true power social media. Panelists will share their experiences — what has worked and not worked — how to use it correctly and the backlash when a brand lacks authenticity.

What makes this session different? It’s been organized and promoted utilizing nothing more than the social media channels that many in the outdoor adventure community are currently using to make connections. And it was organized one week prior to the event. It’s an experiment. Let’s see if it works.

Format: Traditional panel format where panelists will be asked a series of questions by a moderator. The second half of the session will be dedicated to audience discussion and questions.  A Facebook invitation is online.

The Social Media and Shopper Marketing Confluence: Taking Outdoor Brands Well Beyond the Weekend

Friday, January 22, 2010 from 12pm – 1pm

Speaker(s):

• John Andrews, Managing Director — Collective Bias, MARS
• Rob Rivenburgh, Executive Vice President & General Manager MARS, MARS

Location: Salt Lake City Marriott Downtown, Salon E

Is it time for you to blaze your brand’s own social media and shopper marketing trails? From dedicated channel blog groups to customized apps and more, the ways you can reach your outdoor shopper enthusiasts are limitless. They also happen to be some of the best ways to create followings for your products that last long past the weekend and through the workweek. So why go with your old flow when you can elevate your brands in ways you never imagined?

The Media is Dead.  Long Live Media

Panelists:

• Steve Casimiro, The Adventure Life;
• Stiv Wilson, Wend;
• Rich Kelly, Nielsen;
• Dustin Robertson, CMO of Backcountry.com

Moderator:  Drew Simmons, Pale Morning Media.

The Media is Dead.  Long Live Media:    A panel discussion on the blurring lines between traditional media and social media, journalism and advertising, and selling products and telling stories.   What lies ahead for storytelling in the outdoor community?    What’s the future of advertising in outdoor magazines and websites?   Who will be telling the outdoors’ most important stories …and who will be reading them?  Topics to be discussed include the sobering decline of “old” media in 2009, the Facebook-fueled boom of social media, and prognostications of what new opportunities might lie ahead in 2010 and beyond.

What am I missing?  Speak up, in the comments!

This is what a trade show looks like before the trade show.

There’s something new afoot for this year’s Outdoor Retailer Winter Market.  Channel Signal has partnered with Outdoor Retailer to give some exposure to the show buzz on Twitter.  The official “hashtag” for this year’s show is #ORWinter, so that users who broadcast content via Twitter related to the show can quickly and easily find those tweets.

The most “talked about” brands who are identified in tweets using their username (so, this applies to companies who actually have a Twitter account) will be featured on a ticker updated every half hour during the show, and additional analysis will be shared by Channel Signal.

There’s a lot here that isn’t new.  During Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, traffic using the #ORSM09 hash tag went froma trickle slow enough on day one that I could keep up during breaks between meetings, to a flood later on in the show, which even I couldn’t keep up with.  People used the #ORSM09 hash tag to share their thoughts about products and brands they’d seen on the show floor, and also to organize impromptu “I’ve got 15 minutes and desperately need some caffiene, who wants to meet by the coffee stand?” tweetups.  The Channel Signal / Outdoor Retailer effort doesn’t change that — as long as brands do their social media homework before dipping a toe into the pool.

This is an opportunity for participants to do it right.  To organically inspire buzz, and get the word out about what their Twitter username is.  Twitter usernames aren’t always what you’d guess because they’re handed out first come first serve.

What’s new is the tracking and compiling data with regard to this feed.  It sounds like brands must be mentioned by Twitter username (e.g. @BrandX) as opposed to hashtag (e.g. #BrandY) which will be an advantage for companies who have obvious or easy to remember usernames and a communication opportunity for those who don’t.

I’m optimistic that our biz “gets it” enough at this point that we won’t see companies spamming the #ORWinter tag in an unsophisticated effort to make the ticker.  Valid use by the brands themselves to spread the word about buzz-worthy things:  Sweet.  Despite the best efforts of the show organizers and journalists who do show coverage, the Outdoor Retailer show floor can be a bit like a game of two cans and a string, so having the #ORWinter channel to communicate about events and what’s cool is a fantastic use of the technology, and it’s completely appropriate for brands to use that channel wisely.

As Channel Signal might say… join in the conversation.  I don’t know how much time I’ll actually have to listen in this show, since I’m on the clock rather than on my own time.  But, this time around, someone is definitely listening.

For more information:

• Join the Conversation:  How does your brand add up?
• Living on the Dark Side of the Moon

Sara Lingafelter Joins Waypoint Outdoor

Sara Lingafelter recently joined Waypoint Outdoor as a Field Service Representative.  Sara is better known in the outdoor industry as TheClimberGirl on Twitter, and the climber and writer behind RockClimberGirl.com.

After a starting her career in the tech sector, Sara became an attorney and has practiced law and worked in environmental policy since graduating from Seattle University in 2005.  Over the last two years, she’s become increasingly involved in the outdoor industry through social media, participation in events, and writing for her own blog and for other industry publications.

“I’m just so excited to come to work every day,” Sara said about her career change.  “The most important factor to me in a job is the team I get to work with.  The team at Waypoint, and the larger family of great people I get to work with at our brands, made the decision to transition into this role very easy.”

In addition to other special projects, Sara’s work as a Field Service Representative will be focused mostly on education and relationship-building with shop staff in the Northwestern U.S.

“Sara’s wide ranging background and skills will provide value to Waypoint and our brands.  We’re excited to have her on board, and look forward to having her as a member of our team.” said Bob Holding, co-owner of Waypoint Outdoor.

Sara will be bringing her social media background to work to better serve customers and brands, and to continue building relationships in the industry.  Connect with Sara at work and on the road via Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/waypointroadwarrior.  She can also be reached via email at sara@waypointoutdoor.com, and will be based in Waypoint’s Seattle headquarters.

Waypoint Outdoor, owned by Bob Holding and Jim Purdy, is based in Seattle, WA.  Waypoint represents Arc’Teryx, KEEN, Solio, Suunto, Vasque and Waterbox in the Pacific Northwest.

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Waypoint Outdoor

1434 Elliott Ave W #B

Seattle, WA  98119

206.781.1984

To the right, you’ll find links from the places I blog online.  For those of you who are interested in my professional life as well as my free time activities, this can be a one-stop place to keep up with my wide range of activities in law, policy, politics, climbing, and writing.