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2015 Best of the Boat survey goes live

Eugene Buchanan
It's the Mountain Brew crew! Posing for a picture at the 2014 Best of the Boat party at the Steamboat Grand.
Courtesy Photo

How to vote

Simply visit http://www.bestoftheboat... anytime before Friday, Sept. 4. For promotional materials for your store, call 970-871-4231.

— Have what it takes to be a five-time winner?

For the fifth year in a row, Steamboat Living magazine, along with the Steamboat Pilot & Today and Explore Steamboat, has launched its annual Best of the Boat survey, giving locals and visitors a chance to chime in on everything they love about this hamlet we call home.

With six categories, including shopping, dining, food specialties, home and garden, business and community and professionals, this year’s Best of the Boat survey launched Friday, Aug. 7 and will run through Friday, Sept. 4, giving voters a month to make their voices heard.



One of the most popular contests in town, last year’s survey tallied more than 83,000 votes from 4,500 individual voters, prompting Doug Villhard, presdient of survey company Second Street, to call it “one of the largest promotions we’ve ever run in a market that size.”

“We’re super excited to see which businesses will join the ‘winner’s circle’ by being voted Best of the Boat in a category for five years in a row,” said contest organizer and Steamboat Pilot & Today multimedia sales manager Laura Tamucci. “Last year, we saw a lot of businesses promote themselves for it to their customers, and it’s fun to see everyone encourage people to vote.”



Voting is easier than ever at http://www.bestoftheboat.com, with answers saved as soon as a vote is cast, meaning voters can come back later to finish the entire survey if they don’t have time to complete it all at once. Voters can also skip a question if they don’t have a favorite in a certain category. Everyone who votes is automatically entered to win Chamber Bucks gift certificates for participating.

“We updated our branding this year for the fifth anniversary and have some great ads for it coming out in the paper and on posters around town,” Tamucci said, adding businesses can ask for posters to hang in their windows by calling 970-871-4231.

The winners, who often use their finishes for branding and marketing efforts throughout the year, will be announced at a special awards party in late October, as well as in the winter edition of Steamboat Living magazine, whose season-long shelf life ensures the results will be seen by visitors through the entire ski season.

“The contest is a win for locals, visitors, businesses and us alike,” said Steamboat Pilot & Today Publisher Suzanne Schlicht. “Residents and visitors get great information and ratings about local products and services, businesses get well-deserved recognition and we get a great opportunity to interact with our readers. Plus, it’s a lot of fun.”

From third-party survey host Second Street’s perspective, the Steamboat contest is always a resounding success.

“We do these ballots all over the country and we’re always amazed at how much of Steamboat’s population participates,” Villard said. “It’s one of the largest promotions we’ve ever run in a market that size.”


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