TIME has just come out with its top 100 Influencers. Fine. Movers and shakers in their industries. National prominence. Operating in the stratosphere. Good for them. This has prompted me to consider their importance to the outdoor recreational industry. Sure, its important if Bono has an outdoor brand on his feet. But really, will that grow our businesses, in the long run? I don’t think so. What will?

Let’s start here. In the last few weeks I have been on the road presenting Channel Signal to major companies in the outdoor space. I have been struck by how open they are to new media, how they understand it as a new marketing/pr vehicle, and that they need to engage. Why? Because they get that our industry is made up of millions of enthusiasts, disciples, gear heads, adrenaline junkies, huckers…whatever you want to call them. Many are influencers and that is the point. They talk with lots of people. 

And many of these influencers use new media to communicate about new gear, a great new single-track, a new climbing route. Their friends listen to them. Influencers have reach in their universe and there are many influencers and universes out there. And these networks are becoming more and more local. 

Why is this so important right now? Because the recession has made backyard recreation option one. Traveling to the Santa Rosa area last week, I was struck by how many bikers, joggers, and hikers I saw. More than I’ve ever seen before. 

In Park City, Utah, where I live, the city is building new trails and can’t seem to keep up with the demand. People are staying home and they must find new ways to deal with the stress of everyday life. They look at the window and see a whole new world. 

Will a consumer spend a couple hundred bucks for running shoes if she thinks it will help with the quality of her life? Yep. Will a consumer spend a couple thousands bucks if he has a vision of himself taking long road bike rides with friends to get his mind off work? Yep. 

Is the family going to Hawaii? Nope. Florida? Nope. The Rockies? Nope. Are the kids enrolled in summer soccer? Yep. 

It is a perfect time for the outdoor recreational industry to find the local influencers, engage them, educate them about new products, new ways to improve performance, and new grassroots initiatives being undertaken by the company. 

You reach them through New Media. Twitter, Facebook, the Blogsphere. They learn and they text. Most charge up their phones at night and use that communication device all day and half the night.

Text Talk: 

A: Where r u?

B: On Flag. Gonna boulder

A. Wanna come but got Sally w/me. 

B. Bring her. We’ll teach her. 

A. Cool. See u in few.  

Get there. These Influencers have always been our bread and butter. Our biggest salesforce. And with the recession in full swing, get there faster. Local areas from North Carolina to Wisconsin to the Cascades are buzzing.

There is a there to there. It’s new media, and with it you can be everywhere. 

Get there.