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"Propaganda is the art of persuading others of what you don't believe yourself."- Abba Eban - An entirely new approach to marketing/selling requires fabricating entirely new words to describe the activity. The new line is the articulation and/or indication of an illusion that something is becoming obsolete because otherwise there would be no demand for the newfangled. The first word I have fabricated is "Trasherizing" which is a derivative of both "Debristalk" and "Augmentationhawk". Because these words do not currently appear in any source like a dictionary it is necessary to provide some way you can quickly gain an appreciation for the idiom or jargon. Picture if you will the housewife puttering around in her kitchen attempting to determine what gourmet meal she would prepare for that evening when the front doorbell rings. The housewife daintily crosses the champagne white plush carpet, which covers the floor of her living room and foyer, in order to not smear the obvious elegance. Upon opening the door she was both surprised and thunderstruck when the salesman at the door quickly emptied a bag of trash or debris onto her pristine floor. "Lady" he said: "I am here to provide you the privilege of owning the product which people such as you have demanded be brought to the marketplace. It is obvious that you have an interest in this product or you would have never responded to my arrival at your doorstep. "Just look at your carpet and you will see that the product you now possess is obsolete. "Your carpet will never be the same if you do not take advantage of this phenomenal new product. "You must discard your current product and experience the flexibility of this wondrous new product if you desire to maintain the immaculate lifestyle you have previously become accustomed to." This picture has doubtless provided you with an understanding of "Trasherizing", "Debristalk" and "Augmentationhawk". Simply put, in order to effectively market/sell this newfangled product it has become necessary to "Trash" (something worth little or nothing – empty talk), or reduce to "Debris" (the remains of something broken down or destroyed) the existing product and to "Augment" (to make {something adequately developed} greater, larger or more intent) the pitch of the new product to the prospective client. "Why would anyone develop a product that required such a contrived marketing/selling effort?" you ask. OK, listen up! Assume that there was this product (TS) in existence, which had obvious potential, however its developers were having a difficult time bringing it to the market. Now assume that a group of less than reputable individuals became aware of this situation and presented these hypothetical developers with an offer they couldn’t refuse. "Here is what we will do!" they said. "There is a Sucker born everyday and we will bring in lots of them to the table, browbeat them until about 10% to 15% of them agree to the deal, get them to sign an agreement, take their money and send them on their merry little way." "Yes," they said: "Some of them will wise up and renege on the deal, however, most will be too dumbfounded to do so." These hustlers concluded by stating: "It’s just a numbers game, it will move your TS and it will only cost you half of what we bring in." Being somewhat desperate, the developers did form this alliance and it worked out beyond anyone's imagination. Over the next decade or two this scheme did bring thousands, yes even millions, to those tables and legions did yield to the pressure and become involved with TS. However, because of the methods used by the hustlers and condoned by the developers, the eight to ten who escaped the situation intact did so suspicious, disenchanted or leery about TS and the people involved. Over time the opinions, sentiments and convictions of those who had escaped became commonly known in the market and the whole TS business became tainted.
Individually and collectively, the major players in the TS/VO business understood that the potential of the business was almost unlimited if they could invent methods to harness the positives in the market, gain control of several aspects of the business which were currently beyond their grasp or out of hand and eventually contain or eliminate those which were troublesome. It was relatively easy to identify the positive provided by the high degree of satisfaction found in those who had actually experienced the TS/VO product and it was a proven fact that demographically a whole new group of prospects were coming of age. Likewise, it was relatively easy to identify that money was being left on the table by allowing aspects such as independent, sales & marketing, property management, and the trading benefit to remain viable. Equally important was the elimination of eventual control over the resorts and improvements passing from the developer to an owner association and the competition from a secondary market with the ability to undercut retail prices.
Almost coincidentally the majors and/or brands determined something that looked like an exclusive club and whose benefits could only be accessed with a new currency to become known as points (Cl/Po), would fit the overall criteria. Not being willing to be left off the stage, the major trading firms embraced this TS/VO modification and developed the systems flexibility necessary to interface with the Cl/Po programs. One of the major trade firms developed their own variety of Cl/Po and made a total commitment to marketing their version to Developers, Sales & Marketing Firms and Owner Associations. Having now conceived the marvel product and its several varieties it was necessary to develop an entirely new approach to marketing/selling it. Key to the success of this new approach would be convincing the consumer of the following factors:
The second Key to the success of this new approach will be to avoid discussing the Cl/Po system details during the initial marketing & sales presentation. The more the consumer knows about the details the more likely they will find some objection to raise. Avoid these potentials by maintaining their focus on how they will feel about being part of the in-thing, how they will feel about the experiences they will have, how they will enjoy the flexibility they will gain, and the simplicity determining the amount of points they have available with a phone call or click of a mouse then the freedom of self-determination as to what good feeling things they will grant themselves. Final thought The major players and/or Brands in the TS/VO business have achieved a degree of success with this TS/VO modification or Cl/Po by convincing most of the media that salvation is at hand in the matter of public perception because this system will eventually weed out or render obsolete those negative things which previously existed and that this modification of the product is/was a direct response to consumer demand for greater flexibility. It's just too bad that Individually and collectively they had to revert to ... The first word I have fabricated is "Trasherizing" and it is a derivative of both "Debristalk" and "Augmentationhawk." They were coined to assist with a hypothetical situation that is rapidly becoming all to real. Guess I'm going to have to come up with a second word. |
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Jerry Sikes, RRP / CHA, is President of Professional Resort Operators, Inc., Scottsdale, Arizona. He has 35 years in the Hospitality Industry / 25 years in Timesharing, and is the current Co-Chairman of ARDA Arizona as well as Chairman of the Arizona Timeshare Management Association. Jerry is a frequent guest speaker regionally and nationally on all aspects of Timeshare Management and a frequent contributor of articles for industry publications. Email: boyjerry@cox.net Phone 480-947-3300 Fax 480-947-6853 Web site: http://www.protimeshare.com |
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Because of the overall achievement
during those decades, several more reputable or creditable individuals and/or entities had entered the TS business
and became concerned that the perceived ambiance would begin to permeate their notability; thus they created a
Good Guy Code, however, the "bad guys" saw the Code, alluded to it and went on plying their trade in
the old way and playing the numbers game. Thwarted, the "good guys" renamed their efforts VO in an attempt
to distance themselves from TS and its notoriety. However, having been beguiled once, the general public did not
buy the distinction illusion. No amount of prestidigitation could overcome the years and years of intensity applied
to the millions of consumers in TS sales centers all over the world.
Individually or collectively the
majors and/or brands described a strategy which went something like this:
