February 25, 2023
Park City, Utah

“You know – I can’t believe so many are still taking ski vacations!” 

(Can’t read the full email – click here for the online version.)

I’ve been skiing since I was 4 or 5. Back then, the ski boots had laces and were made out of hard rubber. The skis had a plastic base, screw-on edges and cable bindings. When it was cold out (like when was it not?) the soles of your feet got so cold as to feel numb. It was easy to break skis and it wasn’t unusual to lose parts of an edge.

The hill we skied at had two lifts. One a T-bar and the other a rope tow. Lift tickets were pulled and ripped off of large rolls, an inch wide and 4 inches in length – a different colour for each day of the week. Then they folded it inside and out of the sleeve of your jacket and stapled it in place. Kind of rubbed the skin on your wrist raw.

So, the equipment was very basic, the lifts slow (except for the rope tow. It was so fast it tore through mitts like no tomorrow), the clothing bulky and the hill tiny. 

But the thrill of sliding at great speeds down a hill, somehow overcame it all and the sport’s been a passion for me ever since.

I am still amazed, however, that so many are still doing it.

Let me explain.

Wednesday, we drove from Ketchum, Idaho to Salt Lake City. Strong winds were blowing from the north and as we turned south on the I-15, north of Ogden – visibility became very poor. The blowing snow was melting on the highway, making for a constant spray of dirty water from all the trucks and vehicular traffic, converging onto the big city.

The closer we got, the harder it snowed and the worse the visibility got.

I was grateful to pull off in good daylight, to check into our hotel. The city had received 6 inches that day of wet snow and the temperatures were dropping. Park City, our ski destination the next day, had received 2 feet! The Interstate to Wyoming was closed and accidents to the mountain resorts were backing up traffic.

The next morning, we got up early to get to the resort well before it opened. Due to the snow storm, it felt like the entire city had the same idea. It was like Formula 1 on the turnpike – but the roads were bad and visibility low.

Once at the hill, it was blizzard conditions. 

I felt for the beginners and intermediate skiers for whom this was likely the only week they would ski all winter. Tough visibility, cold temperatures, with horrid driving conditions, just to get there.

And expensive.

As I watched a little 5 year old, following his mom, then get stuck in a deep snow patch, I couldn’t help thinking, it’s amazing so many, spend so much, to do this sport. 

The resorts often don’t make it easy either.

Take parking for instance. As we were getting closer to the main parking lot, we saw signs that read, “reserved parking only”. 

Ahh, that was a detail I don’t remember being there before and something I didn’t see on their website.

Fortunately, the lot was still pretty empty and many arrived without that bit of knowledge either, so the parking lot attendant, had us scan the parking app so we could pay.

Except, it didn’t work for our cards, without wi-fi. 

So, up to the main resort village – grab our passes and search for wi-fi. 

None was available. I had to sneak into the Marriot to find a connection, all to pay for the parking I didn’t know was necessary.

You’d think the resorts, who charge a small fortune for people to ride the lifts, would include that little feature. As I’ve said before, skiing or riding is not only an expensive endeavour but there is a lot of inconvenience too. 

So, how to explain the large number of participants? 

More importantly, will your customers, patients, clients, overcome massive inconvenience and high prices to cheerfully do business with you?

Or as Dan Kennedy coined; “What would it take for your customer to run barefoot over sharp nails, in a rainstorm, at 4 AM in the morning, to buy what you are selling?”

Basically, how can you either help create or tap into, a passion for what you sell, so great, that your customers cheerfully overcome obstacles like ski resorts do?

Until next week, 

Stay healthy and focus on profit! 

 - Hugh 
The “Profit Accelerator” Expert

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