By Bryan Welker
Walk into just about any local business in Aspen and you’ll find a familiar scene: a well-worn stack of glossy magazines on the counter, maybe last week’s Aspen Times folded open to a real estate ad, and a flat-screen TV quietly looping a local commercial. It’s a marketing playbook that’s worked here for decades, and for good reason. In this valley, tradition has staying power.
But while print and broadcast have long set the tone, there’s been a quiet shift. Each season, digital marketing carves out a little more space. A local boutique starts running Instagram ads. A builder shows up first on Google. A restaurant fills its tables through a newsletter, not just a full-page spread. Aspen might not be the first to every marketing trend, but digital isn’t just on the horizon anymore. It’s here and it’s everywhere.
We’ve seen businesses hit stride through various channels. When you begin to notice a business on local (or streaming) television commercials (here’s looking at you, Wendalin Whitman!), there is a strategy that brought them to where they are. Some local businesses are dialed into a global audience on Instagram (shoutout to Soffia Wardy for nailing that scroll-stopping aesthetic). Some brands dominate niche advertising, like Aspen Snowmass Sotheby’s International Realty, who have turned otherwise boring airport ads into an art form.
Whether thriving on local commercials, building brand awareness, generating leads, or driving revenue straight from search and social, one thing all successful businesses have in common is a solid marketing strategy and the execution to back it up.
And so the question I hear most from local businesses is this: “Should I be focusing on digital or traditional marketing?”
That’s the wrong question. It’s not about one or the other; it’s about knowing how to play your cards. And most importantly, it’s about having a strategy that delivers the right message to the right person at the right time.
What works for a plumbing company won’t necessarily work for a boutique gym. A ski shop’s marketing strategy shouldn’t look like that of a luxury real estate company. There’s no silver bullet here. One size doesn’t fit all.
Trying to “do it all” is a fast way to burn your budget and your bandwidth. You don’t need to be everywhere. But you do need to be somewhere, and you need to show up there consistently and effectively.
So if you’re a local business trying to make smart marketing decisions, the better question is:
What can I realistically focus on and do well?
Start with the basics. If you don’t have your Google Business Profile dialed in, stop reading now and fix that first. It’s free, it’s powerful, and it’s the bedrock of local search visibility. If someone Googles your service in the valley and you’re not showing up, that’s a real problem, but one that’s easily solved.
Then, pick one or two core marketing channels that make sense for your business. Are you a witty writer who can build a loyal email list? Maybe your audience is glued to Instagram. Perhaps your clientele picks up the Aspen Times with their coffee every morning. Lean into what fits your brand, your capacity, and your customers.
Pull out a calendar. Make a plan. Set simple, realistic goals. Figure out what you can comfortably invest each month (smart tip: you’ll want to spend more in high season and throttle back a bit in the off-season) and do it. Don’t overcomplicate it. Just be consistent.
One thing we’ve learned over the years is that the businesses that find their lane and stay in it are the ones who win. They’re not chasing every shiny object or jumping on every trend. They’re focused. And that focus compounds and builds success.
Also? Keep in mind what kind of website you have. Is it an e-commerce engine that needs traffic to convert? Or is it more of an online brochure to support in-store visits? That makes a big difference in how you should be spending your marketing dollars for the best return.
And finally, remember this: success takes time. Whether you’re buying TV spots or building a digital funnel, you’re not going to see miracles overnight. But with thoughtful, consistent effort, guided by a solid strategy, you’ll see results.
So don’t worry about digital versus traditional. Worry about whether you’ve got a plan that fits your business, your brand, and your bandwidth.
That’s the real question. And the businesses that ask that? They’re the ones who last.
