Marketing

JESSICA SLENDAK Marketing Director jslendak@clpoc.org

Marketing Associate Lindsay Halcomb lhalcomb@clpoc.org Assistant Webmaster Lee Ann McCormick canadianlakes.org

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Instagram: canadianlakes_mi This summer season has been like no other. This high season we have not been allowed to do person-guided visits with those interested in Canadian Lakes, but still, more visitors than years before have come, and all have been very impressed with what they have seen. This is great news! I, along with Yeoman Photography, and out-of-this-world volunteers such as Fran Voci, Shannon Hannon, Mark Zaun, and CLA President, Harold Wolf developed a virtual visit video that has received rave reviews. Our website, canadianlakes.org, has received a complete makeover with a full explanation of the member inclusive amenities along with great photography. Radio and TV ads, along with search and display internet advertising, all continues to enforce our brand and maintain that awareness we have reached in the Grand Rapids Designated Marketing Area (DMA). The Canadian Lakes momentum continues and the GOOD life buzz is stronger than ever. It’s my plan to maintain that momentum in the 2022 season.

I’ve seen (and have been a part of) marketing and advertising plans where the focus was to maintain the awareness in the current DMA while embarking on the next or nearest DMA to begin conquering the market with the message. While this has always been my grand master plan, things have changed. I will have been with the corporation six years this October and I have noticed a whole heck of a lot of things need to be buttoned up and perfected on the inside before we move to another DMA. I can see that there’s simply no way we can bring more and more new people to Canadian Lakes if we simply do not have a rock-solid new member intake process. In no way can we still have new members not knowing they need vehicle stickers. Each week, I hear members in the office confused about the difference between the corporation and the CLA, and Tullymore and The Royal. I remember the new members who thought their annual fee was $25! While yes, some people simply cannot be helped, all these issues really revolve around internal marketing that I am responsible for. For all this time, efforts have been focused externally before I even arrived a year after the Marketing Department was formed. The cart before the horse, if you will, and that concept stops at the end of this high season.

I do plan to maintain our momentum in the Grand Rapids DMA, but instead of beginning to conquer the next DMA, I plan to conquer our own little new member “Canadian Lakes DMA.” I’ll turn my sights to internal marketing while maintaining our awareness in the Grand Rapids DMA. Internal marketing generally involves employees, but in our case, I’m referring to members. Internal marketing means, in my case, the promotion of a company’s objections, products, and services to members within the organization.

With that being said, here is what’s on tap for 2022. I’ve already started with perfecting our corporation logo and simplifying its use. Our corporation stationery has been updated and it’s already beginning to be used. Our Style Guide has also been updated. Relationship marketing will begin with real estate offices (near and far), title offices, chambers, and other relative businesses to educate them on who and what Canadian Lakes is. I’ll know who is buying property and will be connecting with them as soon as title work is ordered. I’m working with my fellow department heads to develop quarterly new member events in efforts to inform and educate new members about where and who to go to for what. Annual meetings are being planned to meet with local stakeholders and governmental agencies, to update them on new happenings here in Canadian Lakes.

Once we are all buttoned up inside and our intake processes are running like a well-oiled machine, we can go back to bringing more new people in and they’ll know how things work in Canadian Lakes! This will take time and won’t happen overnight. It will take consistency and persistence, but it will hit and will eventually take shape with good planning and support. I ask that once you see the internal marketing, you spread that word to your neighbors. Be consistent with what you see in the marketing message. Use terms correctly when referring to the corporation and when referring to the association. They are two very different organizations. Tell visitors to go to canadianlakes. org for information and tell members to go to members. canadianlakes.org for information. It takes a community to make this happen and I’ll take the bull by the horns to start it all. Your support is greatly appreciated! Stay tuned!

Dr. Beckie Kaczmarski Dr. Angela Barton

Canadian Lakes/Mecosta Office 10857 90th Ave • MECOSTA, MI 49332

Metro Health Village 2225 Main St. SW, Ste.140 • WYOMING, MI 49519 Grand Rapids Office 2020 Raybrook Drive SE • GRAND RAPIDS, MI 49546 Walker Office 523 Wilson Ave. NW • WALKER, MI 49534

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