The M4 Brand of Marketing

M4 attributes a great deal of their success to an aggressive marketing strategy. They utilize the most cutting-edge technology and a variety of deep integrated digital marketing tactics, in addition to proven and established print media, including two in-house magazines featuring the full scope of their listings, and national impact print marketing. They also regularly attend gatherings of a wide variety of organizations such as the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association because they “want to know everyone connected with land through livestock and wildlife.”

M4 Ranch Group takes great pleasure in really getting to know people outside of their offices. Relationships thrive and understanding grows when people get away from the constant pinging of cell phones and out of the relentless reach of email.

To that end, they employ—and enjoy—their “handshake” marketing initiative. The M4 Ranch Group Team puts current and prospective clients in the field for local events: floating the Rio Grande River during the famous salmon fly hatch during M4’s Wild Trout Week or riding the Rockies horseback on the 100-mile annual Roundup Ride. They also sponsor and guide hunts for one of their favorite charities, the Colors of Heroes hunts celebrating the sacrifices of our veterans. Rodeo is a huge part of our lifestyle and this company. Dan’s daughter is currently rodeoing her way through college and represented the state of Colorado as High School Rodeo Queen. Dan stated “Rodeo to me is true America, a group of athletes that have pride in our flag, fight hard for what they believe in and love true competition.

“Our goal is not just selling the ranches we are blessed to work on, but building something bigger and longer lasting than a closing,” Dan said.

The M4 Brand of Stewardship

M4 Ranch Groups Team love of people and wildlife has inspired him to be heavily involved in protecting the western lifestyle.

“Generally, most land is managed better privately than publicly due to the landowners’ passion, finances and ability to make and carry out a decision,” Dan said. “The private, long-term commitment to manage for the most diversity is far beyond most government agency’s desires or capabilities.”

Dan characterizes his philosophy as “cowboy conservatism” noting that his first line of defense for the western lifestyle is first-hand knowledge gained through leadership at the local and state levels.

Dan is currently serving on the Upper Gunnison Water Advisory Group, is vice chair of Hinsdale County Planning Commission, and has served on the Sportsman’s Round Table and its advisory committee to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department. He previously served on the Big Game License Application, Big Game Allocation Program, and the Colorado Wildlife Federation. In 2021-22 Dan was President of the Colorado Chapter of Realtors Land Instutite and currently holds the postion of VP of National Realtors Land Institute.

“One of the team’s most important duties is “match making.” The team excels at identifying the right property for the right buyers—and helping the new owners see what the property can become with good stewardship.

“Our job is to understand a property,” Dan said. M4 Ranch Group relies on cutting-edge technology in all aspects of the business, including their own 3D virtual camera, drone filming and editing department to showcase the height, depth, breadth and nuances of each property.

M4 Ranch Groups goal is to give potential buyers a true sense of a ranch before they ever tour it. Once boots are on the ground, Dan uses his experience and expansive network of restoration and preservation professionals to help the potential owners see what the land can be rather than simply what it is. For instance, if a ranch has a degraded stream, Dan would help the client understand what it will take to restore it to a healthy, productive fishery.

“We’re the concierges of conservation,” noting they introduce landowners to some of the best conservation practitioners in their respective fields.

Dan has prompted the restoration of miles upon miles of streams and thousands of acres of habitat. This has helped greatly increase the value of numerous ranches while greatly increasing the volume of habitat Colorado’s wildlife depends on.

To keep space open in the west, the intrinsic value of undeveloped land has to be recognized, they believe.

“Habitat has value from an ecological and emotional standpoint as well as a financial one,” Dan said.

To be clear, conservation work is not an income stream for the business, but a passion.

“What makes us proud is sharing what we’ve helped conserve with generations to come,” Dan said. When we’ve helped build legacy ranches that families can convey to their children or when we see a kid reel in a big brown or a cut-throat on a fly while fishing an enhanced stream, the circle is complete. We’ve passed forward what’s important to us.”

“OUR TEAM UNDERSTANDS THAT WE’RE ON THIS EARTH FOR A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME AND IT’S ABOUT LEAVING THIS PLACE BETTER THAN WE FOUND IT. FOR US, THAT MEANS CREATING A LEGACY THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS AND CONSERVATION.”