 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey,
Hoping you can help me out a bit here.
I'm working on a small project to help fund plane tickets/new skis, editing and writing English copy for Austrian businesses with UK/international clients: http://potentproofreading.wordpress.com/
I've got a meeting with a guide from Stubaital next week to discuss some work for his website, and he's really keen to attract more British clients visiting the area.
I'm not an SEO expert, though it's something I've been trying to learn more about recently. I'm interested to know how you guys find guides and instructors online, simple google search for "guide in X resort," or are you more particular in your search terms?
Also, do you ever go to an area specifically to join a particular guide, or do you decide the area/routes you'd like to ski, then find a guide to fit with that?
Cheers!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I use snowheads/word of mouth.....
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Now snowheads or personal recommendations.
Previously I'd go to the resort website, find the guiding companies and ski schools listed and check out their own websites from there. Still do sometimes.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
Also, do you ever go to an area specifically to join a particular guide, or do you decide the area/routes you'd like to ski, then find a guide to fit with that?
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I'll deliberately plan trips to Val Thorens to ski my preferred instructor, who nowadays is much more of a guide - we spend most of our time off-piste now, and I trust him completely.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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fixx + 1
I've previously gone from resort website listings, these days would check snowheads first but probably also still look at the resort websites. If I couldn't find anyone that way, I guess I'd resort to Google.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Word of mouth. I 'm an IT bod. So you need to get testimonials up and get them returned by the search. A good website does not mean a good guide. Everything else always seems like BS. Don't always just print the "fantastic" Feedback. The multiple good ones over a season is what I would look for. So if you just print one saying spectacular I would ignore. So the search needs to pick up area, resort, feedback.
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I used to go on a lot of Ski Club of GB off-piste holidays and discovered a few I particularly liked. I also ask the Club for recommendations and get recommendations from friends who ski with guides. I also once looked on-line for information from the Guides Office of a resort. Our favourite guide we discovered by chance when in resort and wanting an off-piste day.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Mostly it's word of mouth/mouse via snowHeads.
The last 'new' guide we took on was in Feb and as a result of HarrisonTheRabbit waving around his new book, about off-piste routes in the Dolomites, just before the Birthday Bash... so we hired its author 
He was brilliant! He brought a mate along too who was OK but not quite the same league.
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Mixture of word of mouth, guides who have run trips I have been on(eg through Eagle Ski Club), and random pot luck (eg searching the interweb or using a local guides' office).
The last time I found a guide through the internet I was researching skiing in a particular area which doesn't get a lot of skiers and they popped up in the search. I wasn't looking for guides specifically at that point. So maybe a lesson is to make sure that specific ski routes turn up on their website, not just "guide in [ski area]"
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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That's great, thanks a lot everyone!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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One tip is to recommend they keep a regular eye on emails/enquiries. I sent about 20 emails to individual guides on the Chamonix bureau de guide list and only one replied (who ironically was British). So following up on enquiries will get much more business.
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| fixx wrote: |
| Quote: |
Also, do you ever go to an area specifically to join a particular guide, or do you decide the area/routes you'd like to ski, then find a guide to fit with that?
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I'll deliberately plan trips to Val Thorens to ski my preferred instructor, who nowadays is much more of a guide - we spend most of our time off-piste now, and I trust him completely. |
I'm off there late season next year; do you have contact details for him?
</hijack>
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You know it makes sense.
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| Mosha Marc wrote: |
I'm off there late season next year; do you have contact details for him?
</hijack> |
Pm'ed you 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I'd say on here is a great place to find that kind of thing! Everyone's very helpful
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Poster: A snowHead
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| ish303 wrote: |
| One tip is to recommend they keep a regular eye on emails/enquiries. I sent about 20 emails to individual guides on the Chamonix bureau de guide list and only one replied (who ironically was British). So following up on enquiries will get much more business. |
Yes what's the deal there? I have found all French businesses (hotels, guides, ski-schools) to be very leisurely to respond to emails. And you are definitely more likely to do business with aanyone who gets back to you promptly
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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For ski tours I would send a message out on the BMG site, sadly I don't think this helps you clarky999, but for ski tours or you are just looking for a UIAGM qualified guide there will definitely be few replies to any message you send.
http://www.bmg.org.uk/index.php/eng/Hire-a-Guide
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FAQ
