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Key Results

Strategic Clarity

Provided clarity on current practices and identified potential gaps, opportunities and efficiencies through communications audit and strategic consulting

Unified Approach

Consolidated communication and marketing efforts from 7 different resorts into one cohesive and scalable communications plan

Tailored Engagement

Developed personalized, engaging communications for diverse audiences, using mediums like email newsletters, print materials, and videos

Proactive Messaging

Established a communications-driven model for effective change management during ownership shifts, property additions, and platform changes

Odyssey Resorts

Communications Strategy to Unify & Scale Company

In the midst of a significant growth curve, Odyssey Resorts understood the significance of taking a step back and establishing a solid foundation for ongoing success. To achieve this goal, Odyssey selected Craft Impact as its trusted strategic partner to provide communications strategy, guidance, and support. The collaboration led to professional, consistent communication across the resorts, and evolved into a partnership of 4 years and counting and numerous successful initiatives. 

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The Challenge

Disjointed and inefficient marketing & communications for growing resort company
Upon gaining new leadership, it became apparent that Odyssey Resorts, while well-known for its growing boutique resort portfolio, had communications that were fragmented. Each of the individual resort's materials were homegrown – and tended to differ in look, feel, and tone from the overarching Odyssey Resorts brand. This led to a missed opportunity for consistently and effectively representing Odyssey’s high caliber hospitality and experiences. It also resulted in inefficiencies – resort general managers were overloaded with creating ad hoc communications. With multiple levels of stakeholders (resort guests, property homeowners, homeowner association members, investors, board members, and employees), Odyssey knew that they’d reached a point in their maturity curve that required them to streamline and improve their communications strategy, but didn’t know where to start. 

Chuck Paton
“Craft Impact has been a tremendous resource for Odyssey. They've summarized our communications challenges and meticulously developed next steps to get us to our goals. They consistently give our efforts highly personalized attention - effectively listening and doing what it takes to get the work done. Craft Impact is a team of true professionals. I appreciate their authenticity and look forward to partnering with them in the future.”
Chuck Paton
President of Resort Operations

The Craft Impact Solution

Communication recommendations to demonstrate unique value and scale 

After a successful collaboration to introduce new leadership following a private equity acquisition, Odyssey Resorts entrusted Craft Impact with leading a comprehensive communications and marketing audit across guest, homeowner, investor, and employee communications. The primary objective was to provide transparency into the current communication landscape, assess effectiveness, identify opportunities for improvement, and construct a scalable, results-driven communications strategy.

Craft Impact initiated in-depth discussions with key stakeholders at Odyssey Resorts to compile an inventory of company-wide and resort-specific communications. These discussions, including interviews with executives and personnel, offered insights into existing communication processes, materials, goals, challenges, gaps, and opportunities.

This approach yielded a comprehensive set of recommendations to address specific challenges faced by Odyssey Resorts, resulting in the development of the following key deliverables:

Caribou Guides

Homeowner Orientation Packets

  • Comprehensive resource clarifying the homeowner relationship from day one.
  • Simplified rental guides enhancing the rental process.
odyssey newsletter example

Quarterly Homeowner and Employee Newsletters

  • Consistent updates to inform homeowners and employees.
  • Engaging content to keep the audience informed and involved.
Odyssey Onboarding Materials

Employee Onboarding and Recruiting Materials

  • Streamlined recruiting materials positioning Odyssey Resorts as an employer of choice.
  • Informative and user-friendly onboarding materials for a smoother transition.
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Complex Homeowner and Employee Communications

  • Carefully crafted speaker talking points designed to convey key messages through video communication.
  • Timely personnel updates and protocol communication.
  • Strategic communication during critical timeframes and holiday touch points.
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Branded Board and Investor Touchpoints

  • Elevating investor and board communications through a consistent and branded approach.
  • Quarterly slide decks and speaker support for polished, professional communication.
  • Providing communications support for supplemental operational reports to the board and memos to investors. 
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Growth Strategy and Concept Plans Frameworks

  • Crafting comprehensive communication frameworks to foster growth and boost profitability.
  • Developing RFPs, memos, and supplemental materials to support strategic growth initiatives.
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Acquisition Communication Plans and Deliverables

  • Formulating strategies and materials for effective communication throughout acquisitions.
  • Managing the narrative and ensuring consistency across multiple communication channels, including FAQs, press releases, emails, and leader talking points, to address various stakeholder groups.
Kirk Schultz
“During a large acquisition, we worked with Craft Impact to help us set a strategy and direction for our messaging. The team's ability to guide the messaging was key to keeping employees engaged and ultimately ensuring a smooth transition. We had such a great experience that we've continued to engage with them on communication initiatives and strategic organizational consulting for three years and counting!”
Kirk Schultz
Chief Executive Officer
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Client Spotlight

Odyssey Resorts is Minnesota’s largest developer of resort properties and a successful leader in fractional home ownership. Odyssey operates eight properties along the North Shore of Lake Superior, and extends its presence into the Brainerd Lakes region with the newest addition to the Odyssey Resorts family, the iconic Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort.  With nearly 400 employees, ~425 unique homeowners, and 90,000+ annual guests, Odyssey Resorts requires a strong communications strategy to foster engagement with various stakeholders. Its values and guiding principle are also important to Odyssey Resorts, and is something the company looks for in those with whom it partners.

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