Behind the Biz: A Deep Dive into the Success of C Lazy U Ranch with Brady Johnson

Behind the Biz: Real Stories, Real Digital Marketing & Development Success

Welcome to another edition of “Behind the Biz: Real Stories, Real Results,” where we spotlight real stories and real results from our client partners and team members. In this interview, Brady Johnson, Director of Sales and Marketing from C Lazy U Ranch and Lynne Craig, VP of Digital Marketing from Fruition, discuss their ten-year partnership that transformed their premier dude ranch’s online presence and business results.

The interview explores the evolution of C Lazy U’s digital marketing needs, the core services provided by Fruition, and the significant impact of SEO and paid advertising on the ranch’s business growth. Brady also shares insights on team dynamics, memorable experiences, and the impressive results achieved through their collaboration. The conversation reveals practical advice about marketing as a “marathon, not a sprint.” Brady offers straightforward guidance for businesses looking to improve their marketing - from working with professionals to creating a balanced plan that doesn’t put “all your eggs in one basket.”

Watch the full interview to discover how this luxury Colorado ranch achieved remarkable growth and how their approach could help your business succeed.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to C Lazy U Ranch and Partnership
• 02:43 The Evolution of Digital Marketing Needs
• 04:59 Core Marketing Strategies and Their Impact
• 07:56 The Importance of Team Expertise
• 11:06 Memorable Experiences and Team Retreats
• 13:56 Measuring Success and Growth
• 16:58 Future Initiatives and Innovations
• 20:11 Lessons Learned and Marketing Philosophy
• 22:58 Advice for Businesses Considering Digital Marketing
• 28:37 Fruition video outro_1.mp4

Intervew Highlights

Meet Brady Johnson: The Driving Force Behind C Lazy U Ranch

Brady Johnson has been with C Lazy U Ranch for an impressive 17 years, beginning his journey in various roles from activities to food and beverage, before finding his niche in sales and marketing. In his current position, Brady has been instrumental in transforming the ranch into a premier vacation destination.

C Lazy U Ranch offers an exclusive 8,500-acre luxury experience, catering to families, corporate retreats, and weddings year-round.

The Evolution of C Lazy U’s Digital Marketing Strategy

Ten years ago, C Lazy U Ranch faced a turning point. Brady found himself in need of a digital marketing partner as their previous resources were no longer sufficient to meet their growing needs. This led to their partnership with Fruition, a Colorado-based digital marketing agency, which was recommended by their PR company.

Fruition’s team stepped in, providing expertise in various areas, including search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and social media management. Brady highlights that this partnership has been pivotal in driving traffic to the ranch’s website, which serves as the main funnel for bookings.

Core Marketing Strategies and Their Impact

A cohesive marketing plan is essential, and for C Lazy U Ranch, it starts with SEO. The ranch’s website acts as the lifeblood of their business, and Fruition helps ensure that the site functions smoothly, optimizing it with the right keywords and content to attract potential guests. Additionally, they manage various paid campaigns on Google and social media platforms to boost visibility and engagement.

Brady emphasizes the importance of their PPC campaigns, noting that these have been especially effective in generating immediate business. With the ability to adjust campaigns on short notice, Fruition has consistently helped the ranch achieve impressive returns on investment, often 5x to 10x of their ad spend.

Key Marketing Strategies

The digital marketing approach implemented by Fruition focuses on several interconnected strategies:

• Search engine optimization (SEO) as the foundation
• Website optimization to drive bookings
• Content creation through blogs
• Google paid campaigns (Performance Max and Search)
• Social media management with strategic paid promotion

Impressive Results

The partnership has yielded remarkable results over the past decade and these achievements support their misson of being “Colorado’s premier guest ranch”:

• Revenue has doubled since beginning work with Fruition - >“When we started working with Fruition, our revenue was about half of what it is now. And we’ve doubled our revenue.”
• Lead volume grew from roughly 100 per month to 750-1,000 monthly leads - >“When we were first working together, we were psyched if we got 100 leads a month. I had one reservationist that could easily handle it. What we’re seeing now is anywhere from 750 to a thousand leads a month coming through our website. So that’s like a 10X on incoming leads.”
• Strenthened brand positioning - >“We’ve solidified our brand awareness, not only in Colorado, but nationally.”

What Makes the Partnership Work

Brady attributes much of their success to Fruition’s team of experts - “It’s obvious to me and the people in our organization that work with Fruition that everybody’s an expert in their field.” He also values the collaborative, fun working relationship, mentioning that annual planning retreats at the ranch have produced some of their best marketing ideas.

Marketing Philosophy and Advice

Brady shared valuable insights about marketing as a long-term investment.

“Marketing is a multi-year journey. I always think it’s funny when people are like, I’m going to spend a bunch of money and then turn it on, turn it off. It’s a marathon. It’s not a sprint.”

He credited their decision to maintain marketing during COVID-19 as key to their success: “We’ve had a multi-year success story coming out of COVID because of that”.

Advice for Businesses

For businesses considering a digital marketing partner, Brady recommends:

• You need a digital marketing company. Things are just moving too fast right now.
• Approach it with an open mind when it comes to budget allocation
• Build a well-rounded marketing plan and don’t spread yourself too thin in one channel
• Utilize multiple marketing channels that work together like SEO and Paid Search

In closing, Brady’s story is a reminder that with the right strategies and partnerships, businesses can not only weather challenges but thrive in the long run. As C Lazy U Ranch continues to grow and innovate, we look forward to seeing what the future holds for this exceptional destination.

For those interested in experiencing the magic of C Lazy U Ranch firsthand, we’ve included links to their property. Who knows, you might just find yourself as their next guest!