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What's wrong with this picture?
-- by Lisa
Ann Schreier
Mr. and Mrs. William Highfill have just finished the tedious deeding process, signing
page after page after page of legal documents. Finally, the salesperson and the deeder stand up, shake the new
owners' hands and give them all of their paperwork in bag of some sort. And if Mr. and Mrs. Highfill have been
lucky enough, inside the bag is a Frisbee, a coffee mug or a cozy cup with the resort's name on it.
And next year, there they are at the resort at the Owner's Party. And what does the resort raffle off at this party?
Well, for the Highfills and others like them who have dropped $10,000, $15,000, $20,000 or more, we have ANOTHER
Frisbee, coffee mug or cozy cup again with the resort's name on it.
What's wrong with this picture is that the developer, the marketing company or someone does not understand the
concept of advertising premiums or specialty items. If you were the Highfills, or the Williams, or the Millers,
how would you feel? Let's see; you drop $20,000 of your hard-earned money, and now as a valued owner, you have
a chance to win a cozy cup that you can pick up at a rest area for $1.50.
People; let's be serious. Let's show some originality. Let's show some genuine appreciation for the business. Let's
spend a little money in developing and cementing a business relationship. Now, I can already hear the groans beginning
from the developers bemoaning the fact that they can't afford anything more than the $1.50 cozy cup. NONSENSE.
Again, go and see what other non-timeshare companies are doing for their clients. The world of premiums or advertising
specialties has exploded in recent years. There are thousands upon thousands of interesting, useful premiums that
timeshares can use as gifts. Gifts that serve several useful purposes…a thank you, a reminder and a traveling advertisement.
I cannot tell you how many complaints I received from the owners at the first resort that I worked at. This was
an RCI Gold Crown Resort. The owner's parties consisted of some wilted lettuce, some cheese cubes, some luncheon
meat, and the raffling off of "exciting, valuable and useful" prizes such as a Frisbee or a cozy cup.
Alternatives? How about giving each buyer a personalized license plate holder that says "I'm A Proud Owner
at XYZ Resort"? How about giving each buyer a renewable calling card with 20 minutes of free time featuring
a four-color photo of him or her at the resort? How about encouraging people to come to the Owner's Party by pulling
three or four names of attending owners and paying off their yearly maintenance fee? Yes, I know, I sneaked that
one in there…that is not advertising, but a fine idea nonetheless. How about putting a personalized welcome message
from the developer on a CD-ROM that can (and will) be popped into a personal computer?
If you haven't seen what is out there in personalized advertising premiums or specialties drop me a line. You will
be stunned at what is available out there, what goodwill these premiums insure, what word of mouth advertising
these premiums can do for your resort, how much your owners will appreciate your thoughtfulness and "seal"
their business and yes, how affordable these things really are.
Look at it this way, you know all those silly calendars that your insurance agent sends you year after year after
year? The ones that you always throw out? Now imagine spending $20,000 on a timeshare and getting a faded aqua
cozy cup. Really warms the cockles of your heart doesn't it?
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| Lisa Ann Schreier
is a dynamic, outspoken, devout believer in the power of advertising done correctly. Lisa brings a wealth of advertising,
marketing and promotional knowledge to her many business interests. She is the director of her own marketing/advertising
agency, a full-time timeshare salesperson, a contributing writer and a part time Cast Member of the Walt Disney
World Resort. After one too many long cold winters in Chicago, she now happily lives in the Orlando area where
she is known for her consumer insights and "back to basics" style of business. When she is not working,
sharing insights with the best bartender on Disney property (you'll be famous soon!) or learning the hard way that
the sun really is much stronger in Orlando than it ever was up north, she occasionally runs back to Chicago to
catch up on the best radio station in the world and see some incredible concerts. Lisa can be reached at GRQ1@aol.com. |
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