Channel Mastery - Ep. 44: Sarah Lockwood, Founder & CEO of College Outside

**College Outside**

**the art of channel reinvention**

“In the application, we ask a lot of questions about [the college] program. Over time that accumulates to a pretty significant amount of data and information we have on this demographic and on these programs.”
- Sarah Lockwood

show highlights

Hook ‘em while they’re young…on the outdoors, of course! Outdoor recreation clubs have long had a presence on most college campuses, and they are crucial to building a lifelong appreciation of outdoor adventure and experiences. Their influence is only growing as formal outdoor recreation majors are cropping up around the country. On today’s episode, I speak with Sarah Lockwood, the founder and CEO of College Outside. She has revolutionized the gear/outdoor rec program relationship. Her organization works with colleges and outdoor brands to get the schools the gear they need, and to help brands connect with this crucial age group.

Talk about multichannel MASTER?!? College Outside is effectively leveraging sales reps, email marketing, content, DTC, pro deals, reviews and testimonials, experiences and events, and social media prowess to engage 18-23 year olds and develop a love for outdoor adventure.

featuring

Sarah lockwood

Sarah Lockwood is the founder and CEO of College Outside. The business supports and provides resources to over 150+ collegiate outing clubs and outdoor education programs. College Outside gives students the hands-on tools they need for outdoor adventure and experiences. The members-only online retail site connects dozens of outdoor industry brands with the next generation of outdoorsmen and women.

topics covered

Outdoor education, creating lifelong outdoor enthusiasts, pro deal programs, efficiencies, guide schools, relationship building in bureaucracies, demographic profiling, new customer acquisition, targeted email marketing, content marketing, reviews, experiential marketing, social media for college age

select quotes

“Outdoor education has become a program: a reason why students are choosing to go to university.”
“In the application, we ask a lot of questions about [the college] program. Over time that accumulates to a pretty significant amount of data and information we have on this demographic and on these programs.”
“We have that direct channel into those university buyers, which is a valuable tool for the brands that we work with.”
“This is a demographic that our brand is really focused on, and sees the importance of, in terms of building their future user base and their future customer.”
“Introducing a college student to your brand is a really key moment in time. It’s when an individual is forming their own personal identity, and making their own choices for the first time. To be able to connect at that point is a really powerful moment [for a brand].”