As you may know, Blue Archer is located in Pittsburgh, PA. Our beautiful city was a working class, steel town that pulled itself up by its bootstraps to become what it is today. Many of its residents have done the same.

Pittsburgh is also known for its humid, hot summers and miserbly cold, snowy winters. With that being said, this past week we have experienced cancellations, school delays, work-from-home days, and less than diserable driving conditions. 

I could dedicate this blog to ranting about the cold, but I am going to take a different approach. We are going to discuss some unique ways to market using the season to our advantage. 

Please keep in mind, this piece is for those of our readers who get to experience the seasons. If you have never seen snow before, you may not be able to do this. However, you could always come up north and be in awe. 

Image Source: Pittsburgh Skyline 

Pair up with Local Ski Resorts

We lucked out by being located in Western Pennsylvania with the abundance of ski resorts such as Boyce Park, Seven Springs, and Hidden Valley. Ski resorts provide winter fun and typically summer activities as well. 

What Can I do?

• If you have an applicable winter product, inquire about how to get the ski shops located at the resort (or gift shops) to carry it
• Not all of us have seasonal gear for sale, instead, contact the resort's advertising department to see how you can contribute to have your logo appear at the location
  • Some suggestions may be contributing funds to appear at the actual ski lodge or rental shop

Depending on the size of the resort, you may need quite the budget to actually partner and display your logo. However, most resorts also host a variety of events that could easily get you noticed and possibly on their website or social media platforms. 

Sponsor a Winter Athlete 

This one also requires a sizable budget depending on the athlete's skill level and experience. You may want to contribute to sponsoring someone just starting out if that is a concern. Typically, this would be reserved for someone that can supply gear, however, I am certain funding would suffice.

If you have gear, this would be a great opportunity to get your name out there. 

If you do not, this may be an opportunity to get your logo on some apparel or snow boards during the next event. It may even be at one of the ski resorts mentioned above. Remember, if they are already professional, you will need a budget and you will need to do work with their agent.

However, you could also contribute funds to ski or snowboarding clubs and ask them to return the favor by displaying a logo. Reach out to your community and see who is interested. 

Become Part of a Winter Festivity 

Ice sculpting contests? Ice skating rink?

If your city has winter events set-up for when the snow flies, inquire on how to get a booth to display your services or products. 

If that option does not exist, many events are happy to display your logo on their website if you contribute to their funding or volunteer. 

Community Efforts

This is a piece about marketing, but you may also use this frigid time of the year for community outreach instead. Pittsburgh has recently opened up their shelters and heat centers to those that are in need while the temperature falls below 0 wind chill. They will remain open if the temperature is 18 degrees or below. 

Take this as an opportunity to get your employees active in the community. 

What Can I do?

• Volunteer at a homeless shelter
• Volunteer at a women's shelter to assist families escaping their situation in the cold
• Volunteer at a kitchen to provide food for those in need
• Arrange a donation box to collect blankets, sweaters, and other helpful winter items
• Set-up pet shelters around the neighborhood for stray animals 
• Volunteer at an animal shelter to keep lost or stray pets out of the cold

Winter Wonderland 

You can fight winter all you want, but if you live in a seasonal area, it is better to just make the best of it. This may mean getting on board with seasonal sports and activities, helping those in need, or even arranging a block snowball fight. 

Stay warm and safe, everyone.