Skyline Hikers of the Canadian Rockies

Ambassadors

Word-of-mouth and testimonials remain the most powerful publicity tool to promote the Skyline Hikers and its annual summer camp and hike program.

We invite members to become a Skyline Hiker Ambassador to promote the Skyline Hikers in your local community. Working together, we can spread the word.

A summary of the available publicity methods and materials is outlined below. Click on each of the images to see more detail.

If you wish to become an Ambassador, have questions, or wish to order any of the materials listed below, please contact us at info@skylinehikers.ca.

Word of Mouth

Word of mouth is the most powerful marketing tool for Skyline Hikers.

It’s also the easiest and most immediate way for Ambassadors to be effective and make an impact.

Simply start a conversation with your friends, family, neighbours, people at your local club or even business associates. It doesn’t have to be much. A brief mention is all that is needed and, if there is interest, you can follow-up with details.

You could develop a “20 second elevator speech” if you’d like or use some key phrases that will catch people’s interest. One of our favourites is “I had a fantastic week of hiking in the back country of the Rocky Mountains without backpacking!”.

Of course, word of mouth need not be a verbal conversation. You can certainly use social media. Post a message and picture on Facebook, tweet your experience, pin a picture, and more.

Skyline Hikers does have a Facebook page and we encourage you to “like” the page. Click on the image to see the Facebook page.

Please talk about Skyline Hikers in your hiking club. You could make a full presentation (see the presentation below that you can use) but just mentioning that you went to camp, enjoyed it and have information on this year’s camp works too. Of course, having a one-page information sheet or poster in hand helps.

Please, take a minute or two to mention this year’s camp in a conversation. It’s easy to do, and effective!

Calendar

This is a new offering with a 2020 calendar featuring the winners of the 2019 photo contest with pictures from Sunset Pass.

Currently, it is available in download format only as a PDF file (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).

It can be printed easily by taking this file to a copy centre or an office supplies outlet with copy/print services. It is intended to be printed in colour on 11/17 paper but can also be printed on smaller sheets or in black & white.

If this proves popular, then glossy printed versions could be created in future years.

Poster

This is a letter sized (8.5 x 11 inches) colour glossy poster to tease hikers to investigate further:

  • The poster is updated annually with summary information about this year’s camp.
  • In particular, it has the camp location, dates, and very brief information about what is included in the trip.
  • The poster has information on how to find out more, namely the website address

It’s designed to be pinned to bulletin boards:

  • Always check with the location whether a poster may be displayed (they may be removed without notice otherwise).
  • Normally posters placed in locations where no “posting fees” are required.
  • Check back occasionally to see the poster is still on display. Others may move the poster, cover it up with other posters, or even take it with them because they are interested in attending.

If you’d like some posters, please indicate how many you need.

Click on the image to see the full poster.

Promotional Sheet

There is a single sheet with both general information and more specific information about the current year’s camp.

It is in a standard format that is used by the tourism industry.

Printed double-sided, they can be used stand-alone as handouts or form an insert to be placed in the colour brochure.

The sheet encourages people to register for the upcoming season.

They can be printed and handed out to anyone who expresses interest.

If you wish to receive some colour copies, please let us know how many you’d like.

Click on the image to see the full information sheet.

Advertising

Some funds have been allocated for advertising. We will consider ads with trail associations, local trail clubs, professional associations, and post-employment group newsletters.

To help evaluate the feasibility and impact of proposed ad placement please provide the following information:

  • Cost
  • How is publication distributed — electronically or in hard copy
  • Estimated circulation number, and whether circulation is local, regional or national
  • Whether advertisement will be a classified ad or spot graphic

To maintain consistency in branding and messaging, Skyline Hikers will provide the ad copy.

Click on the sample quarter page advertisement to see a larger image.

Introductory Presentation

An introduction to Skyline Hikers presentation is available.

The presentation is used to introduce audiences to the Skyline Hikers of the Canadian Rockies and the annual hike and camp program.

The presentation is available in both native PowerPoint and PDF formats. If you do not have the PowerPoint software from Microsoft, a PowerPoint Viewer can be downloaded and used. Adobe Reader or similar software (e.g. Foxit Reader) is required to display the PDF format.

The presentation is best viewed using a digital projector on a projection screen for large audiences but can also be shown using a stand-alone computer setup for individual interaction.

Click on the image to see an outline of the presentation. Contact us to request a full version of the presentation.

Videos

Videos have been prepared for individual years and are posted in the Galleries. These are the submissions and winning entries of the Sandy Somerville Memorial Trophy for Photography.

  • Each video is a self-contained slideshow with music
  • Play time is less than 10 minutes
  • All videos are posted on YouTube
    (look for the Skyline Hikers channel or click on the YouTube icon on the website home page)
  • Videos can be viewed on all sizes of monitors and via digital projection

Testimonials

Consider writing an article for your local hiking club, professional association, or post-employment group newsletter relating your experience and reflections on having participated in Skyline Hikers.

Should you decide to pen an article we would ask that you consider working into your narrative the following points:

  • Skyline Hikers has held annual camps continuously since 1933
    Skyline Hikers is a non-profit organization and operated entirely by volunteers from across Canada
    Annual camps and hikes are held at a different location in the Canadian Rockies each year
    Information about SHCR and current annual camp can be found on our website.

Here are some examples of articles written by members:

It would be appreciated if you could share your article with the Skyline Hikers – if possible provide copy of publication (scan of article or link to it).

Colour Display Brochure

These brochures are discontinued.

If you have any of the newer versions (as illustrated on the far right with the red banner at the top), you should note that the postal address in the brochure is no longer correct. These should no longer be used.

If you have the older versions (as illustrated on the near right with the blue banner at the top), there is no postal address in the brochure and it may continue to be used.

If you decide to use any of the older versions, it is designed to be placed on display racks at sports and recreation equipment retailers, recreation centres, libraries, and travel information centres for walk-by cliental to take.

  • Always check with the location whether brochures may be displayed (they may be removed without notice otherwise).
  • Normally brochures are placed in locations where no “rack fees” are required.
  • Check frequently to ensure that there are sufficient brochures remaining.

They can also be mailed or handed out to interested hikers. It is designed to fit into a standard business-sized envelope.

Click on either image to see the full brochure.