Benoit Marketing

Background: The ranch is Montana’s premier year-round guest ranch located just 12 miles from Big Sky, Montana. Guests enjoy horseback riding, hiking, fishing, skiing, snowmobiling, sightseeing, rafting and relaxing all in the warm and friendly atmosphere of a classic Western guest ranch.

Challenge: Increase the leisure market business throughout the year, but especially in the winter months.

Results: From 2004 until 2007, business increased by 6% during the off-peak months of June and September and again in December and March. The website played a big factor in that increase, as it now brings in 60% of the reservations. The public relations efforts and familiarization trip resulted in more than 10 stories in newspapers, magazines, and websites.

“Benoit Associates has brought us into the 20th century. They have increased our business by 10% every year for four years in a row.” General Manager, 320 Guest Ranch

Solutions:

• Created a fun and user-friendly website with online bookings, collecting emails and contact information for online visitors. This site is optimized frequently with keywords, based on seasons and occupancy. The site comes up high in search engine rankings.

• Direct mail brochure to qualified leads. This is often the first exposure of the ranch toinquiries. This brochure answers most general questions, and is the ranch’s main promotional piece.

• To increase business during non-peak months, we developed a “Park Your Car, Ride A Horse” promotion to drive traffic to the new site. Reservations had to be made through the new site through a new landing page. We marketed this promotion on the web site, through PR efforts and e-marketing. Within 2 days, 7 reservations were made.