Q2 Retail Newsletter 2022

THE QUARTERLY XPLORER: Q2 2022

 

And just like that, summer has finally arrived in Montana!! Here’s what happened the past few months and what’s ahead for the rest of the summer for Xplorer Maps.


Q2 HIGHLIGHTS

  • New Maps: New Hampshire & Maine! We’re excited to add these two New England states to our growing line of hand-drawn maps (now over 50 in total!). Including our map releases of Boston and Cape Cod in 2021, we’re steadily inching closer each year to completing our “New England Collection”. Vermont: you’re next!!

 

  • Team Growth: In order to keep up with the growth in online sales and maintain our high level of customer service and turnaround times, Xplorer Maps added more bandwidth to our warehouse and order fulfillment team in Q2. 
  1. Zach Smith (full-time position as Associate Warehouse Manager)
  2. Emily Rose Ashton (full-time Social Media and Communications Manager)
  3. Becca Robitaille and Asya Pringle (summer interns from Toronto, Canada focused on media engagement and warehouse fulfillment)
  • New Partnerships:

Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority - look for more info about this exciting and unique partnership in the coming weeks. It’s a “first of its kind” custom map for Xplorer Maps and one that many of you will find very interesting, enlightening, and hopefully super cool to add to your XM collections. From Chicago to Seattle, this Greater Northwest Passenger Rail map is a full custom collaborative partnership.

Ecology Project International: While just in its preliminary phase, this exciting new collaboration with a Missoula-based non-profit organization is shaping up to be one of our most interesting partnership projects to date. Stay tuned over the next few weeks to learn more about XM rendering a new hand-drawn “story” map of Costa Rica to be released sometime late in 2023.

 

and HOPES for Q3

Xplorer Maps continues to grow online sales through our e-commerce platform, Shopify, making improvements and pivoting where necessary to enhance the overall customer buying experience.

Toward the end of this summer, we will be unveiling a re-branded Xplorer Maps website with significant upgrades in the overall user experience:

Xplorer’s Club: Our objective is to significantly increase the awareness, features, and benefits of our Rewards Program

Customer Support: We have increased our customer support team to better serve the growing demand in online sales

Brand Awareness: Through new partnerships and enhanced social media, the Xplorer Maps story and our ongoing philanthropic efforts will be shared in a more creative, compelling, and comprehensive way.

Xplorer Maps E-Commerce: Improvements are coming to our Shopify Store to make the ordering process quicker, simpler, and more enjoyable. All updates and upgrades will be completed in Q3.

 

NEW HAND-DRAWN MAP RELEASES for Q3

Pennsylvania state map (late July)

Greater Northwest Passenger Rail (late July)

Chesapeake Bay (mid-August)

Outer Banks (late September)

We are SOOO excited to expand our brand into the mid-Atlantic region over the next 2 years.



QUARTERLY FEATURE: Connecting People & Place 

Xplorer Maps is a small (but rapidly growing!), family-run business. Always needing extra hands to help in the warehouse, it was a perfect opportunity to bring in additional support. So, when Becca Robitaille and her good friend Asya Pringle brought up the idea of working as “interns” in Montana for the summer, everything fell into place perfectly! Becca is the daughter of Xplorer Maps artist and co-founder, Chris Robitaille. Both ladies are artists and creatives who helped immensely with Social Media content creation, as well as heavy-lifting in the warehouse. Read more about their adventures around Western Montana!


FREE FRAMED PRINT GIVEAWAY - Announce winners of the Chesapeake Bay & Pennsylvania giveaways.

When Xplorer Maps begins the journey of creating a new custom hand-drawn map, it all starts with a few “conceptual sketches'' experimenting with different scale, scope and content ideas. At this early stage is when we typically like to involve you, folks, in the creative process; seeking advice from the people that know and appreciate that special place best. To make things fun, we offer you the opportunity to win a Free Framed Print of the featured map; simply answer a few questions and you’ll be entered in the contest. Keep an eye out on our Social Media channels for future giveaways!

THE WINNER OF OUR Chesapeake Bay Facebook CONTEST IS: Teresa!

They will receive a free Framed Print of the Outer Banks once the custom artwork is completed! Congratulations, Teresa!

THE WINNER OF OUR Pennsylvania Facebook CONTEST IS: Jim! 

They will receive a Framed Print once the custom artwork is completed! Congratulations, Jim!



Team Updates

Zach:

We continue to grow here at Xplorer Maps, allowing for our team to expand! Our warehouse is always buzzing with growth, so we were so lucky to have found our newest warehouse team member, Zach Smith. He is essential to the organization and execution of shipments. Zach and his family have called Missoula home for the past ten years. A music lover and avid outdoors person, you can often find Zach and his family at local music shows or kayaking at the lake.

 

Emily Rose:

Emily Rose started with Xplorer Maps in November of 2021 as the Media and Communications Manager. Taking over all things Social Media, Emily Rose has been hard at work telling the story of Xplorer Maps through photography, videography, and creative writing. Originally from Western North Carolina, Emily has been living in Missoula for the past year. When she's not diligently responding to comments on Social Media, you can find her hiking or rafting.

 

New Map Updates: Coming Soon

Pennsylvania: Available for sale in late July

Chesapeake Bay: Available for sale in mid-August

Greater Northwest Passenger Rail: Available in late July


Special Announcements:

The inaugural Xplorer Maps warehouse sale was a great kick-off to our summer! With the idea of getting our local community members together for a cook-out with the opportunity to buy older stock & slightly damaged goods. It was a beautiful day to enjoy a Missoula moment.

@xplorermaps If you’re in Missoula, come get Burgers, drinks🍻 and great deals (500 S Inez St) #missoula #montana #sale #fyp #explore #maps #puzzles ♬ Hey Lover - The Daughters Of Eve