Sunday, August 30, 2009

Nudist resorts need to do a better job at marketing themselves


I spend lots of time marketing our nudist resort on line. Although we average just over a 75% repeat guest rate, we still need new customers every day. Marketing is my job at our resort, The Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa.

What makes me write this post is there is a group on Facebook called Sleeping Naked. It is a fun group with fun posts. It has 125,625 members when I checked earlier today. Yes, that is right, over 125,000 members.

I looked at AANR's (American Association for Nude Recreation) Facebook group and they had 469 members. TNS, The Naturist Society was not much better at 529 members. Terra Cotta Inn has less than 100 members. However, our free yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsoftheterracottainn has almost 3000 members. So I am not a complete online idiot :-)

I couldn't believe it, 125,000 members in a group called Sleeping Naked. That is fantastic numbers. Why do they have so many members and nudism so few?

The press loves to cover nudism. Look at how they covered the Guinness World Record Skinny Dip.

The only conclusion I can come to is nudism just is not being portrayed as fun. And if it doesn't seem like fun, people won't be interested.

This is what is on The Naturist Societies Facebook page:

"Our Mission Statement

The mission of The Naturist Society is to promote a culture of body acceptance through clothing-optional recreation using the tools of education and community outreach...

The Naturist Society views clothing-optional recreation as essential to body acceptance. Through clothing-optional recreation, participants, be they individuals, couples or families, learn to appreciate the diversity of body types, gain a better understanding and acceptance of their own bodies, and reap the social, psychological and physical benefits of a healthy and natural way of life..."

No where is the word FUN mentioned. And that is the one thing that all nudists and naturists say about nudism and naturism. It is FUN.

Now the Naturist Society is free to market themselves however they feel to promote their organization. I for one though, think FUN has to be involved. That is why our website is http://sunnyfun.com

This Sleeping Naked Facebook group really opened my eyes as to what a bad job I and most other nudists are doing promoting nudism. And I am sure this affects the bottom line for nudist resorts and organizations.

Now if you want to take a fun vacation, give us a call at The Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa located in sunny Palm Springs, CA.

We are the most mainstream nudist resort in the US and are perfect for couples trying topless or nude sunbathing for the first time. You don't even have to be a nudist to vacation with us.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/nudist_resorts

Hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

2 comments:

Tygepc said...

Wow. You nailed it on the head. I have worked with many groups that have tried to up their participation numbers and none of them understand the value of fun.

They're all like, "Why won't the younger generation join? What are we missing?"

I keep telling them, "FUN!," but it doesn't seem to sink in. They are too stuck in their traditions and ways of thinking.

That mission statement feels like I'm going back to college, not like I'm going to a theme park.

Rick said...

I think you're right, most of us naturists (and nudists) are terrible at promoting our lifestyle. We tend to take ourselves too seriously and try to come up with philosphical, academic reasons for being nude and overlook the most basic reason, it's fun.