"Got Milk"-11 Years Later and an Update

Many, many years ago, when I was still quite naive about the timeshare industry, I wrote the following piece for an online publication called "The Timeshare Beat." About a month ago, I received an e-mail from someone who had read the piece and wanted to know if I still had a copy I could send to him. I found it and re-read it. There's still a lot of sense in what I wrote, however naive I may have been back in 2011. I'm posting it here and including an update.

Enjoy.

GOT MILK? No, this week's column is not about good nutrition, although having seen too many timeshare salespeople's diets, it could be. No, today, I'm going to ask a simple question of you with the knowledge that someone from a resort or from ARDA is reading and paying attention. I've talked previously about truth in advertising and why its so important.

We, as timeshare professionals also know that there is a lot of bad talk on the streets about our industry and many misinformed consumers. So why doesn't ARDA come up with a national advertising campaign to educate people about timeshare? Yes, ARDA is there to serve the industry, but as the governing body, shouldn't they bear some of the responsibility for saying good things about timeshare to the vast majority of people who don't know about timeshare?

A web site is a nice adjunct to an advertising campaign, but who exactly is hitting the website? My very educated guess is that people who access the ARDA website don't need to be sold on the timeshare concept.

Just as the National Dairy Board developed their wonderful "Got Milk?" campaign, ARDA can and should do the same thing. Something quick to remember, something catchy, something to make people smile. I can see everyone scrambling around right now, pen and paper in hand trying to come up with an award winning campaign. STOP. Yes, right now...stop. The idea is NOT to come up with something that is designed to win awards. The idea is to come up with something useful, educational and memorable.

After many years in advertising, I've discovered one simple truth...if you try to create something award winning, you will miss the boat. If you stick with KISS-Keep It Simple, Stupid and think as consumers do, you may succeed. The campaign needs to be carefully thought out, simple, easy to remember and most of all, informatie without giving away too much. ARDA needs to concentrate on selling the concept, or more specifically, un-selling the negative concepts that put many consumers on full alert.

Here's just one of a variety of ideas that I have...show a family on vacation using a hotel room vs. a timeshare. Simple enough. Plant the seed. UPDATE... RCI has done some great commericals that clearly illustrate timeshare vacations and non-timeshare vacations. Great stuff! And since I strongly believe that the timeshare industry has to acknowledge the fact that there is still a negative image out there, I would strongly urge everyone to take a look at the latests spots from Chrysler...the ones with the tagline "Imported From Detroit." THAT is how you get over a negative image and move on. Who's going to be first?

Soon Available on Kindle

We're pleased to announce that The Word From The Timeshare Crusader will soon be available for download on the Amazon Kindle! Modern technology never ceases to amaze me. Thanks to everyone for their continued support.

10 Reasons To Buy A Timeshare-#10

You like and use the many discounts that timeshare offers you. Bonus Weeks, Getaway Weeks, discounts on airfare, car rentals, attraction tickets, restaurants, dinner shows and travel services just to name a few. When was the last time you renting a hotel room for a week and they gave you access to another week for only $259? When was the last time you used, or even looked at all those perks that came with your timeshare way back when you bought it? And if you haven't taken the jump into timeshares yet, remember to ask about all of these discounts and perks. Timeshares are NOT for everyone. And no, timeshares can't be sold for a profit. But they will give you better vacations, they will open the door to vacations that you never thought you would be able to experience, they do make total financial sense and the vast majority of regular vacationers can find affordable ones by doing some simple searches.

What If Apple Owned A Timeshare

With Apple stock toying with new highs every month, their ful retail stores, people waiting in line to buy their newest products and the fact that you don't hear a whole lot of bad things about their people, their products or their service---it got me thinking---what if Apple owned a timeshare?

First of all, there would be no gifting, i.e. bribery to get people to come in and see what everything was about. Maybe some cool advertising, but no free stuff. There would be no price drops...you could either afford the timeshare or you couldn't. It's called holding the value of your product. There would be less of a chasm between a "new" timeshare and a "used" one...sure you could save some bucks, but there would be significant differences between the two.

The people who sold the timeshare and the people who worked at the timeshare would be staunch supporters of the timeshare and owned one or more of them. The people that worked at the timeshare would know their stuff and wouldn't have to exagerate any of the benefits of the timeshare. It would work the way they said it would. If you had questions on how to best use your timeshare, you could sign up for a few free classes where you'd actually learn and no one would try to "upgrade" you.

Timeshares would be...what's the word? Oh yeah, cool. Timeshares would be cool and you would want to own one. Prehaps Mr. Jobs is looking to expand?

10 Reasons To Buy A Timeshare-#9

You want more of a home feeling when vacationing. One of the reasons people, maybe you, don't enjoy vacationing is that you move yourself and your family from a 3 or 4 bedroom home into one small room for a week or more and find all you all suffer from cabin fever. You don't live in one small room at home, why do you settle for that on vacation? If you like to make snacks at midnight and watch movies at home, 15 stale bags of Cheetos and flat Coke from the vending machine down the hall at the hotel isn't going to cut it, is it?

10 Reasons To Buy A Timeshare-#8

You want more control of your vacations. Get involved. You can run for a seat on a hotel's Association Board because it doesn't exist. You can, and should, have an active voice in vote on your resort's HOA. Understand the trading process...which gives you more control; deposit first or request first? Understand your trading power...which gives you more control; weeks or points?

10 Reasons To Buy A Timeshare-#7

You can cut through the bull and understand exactly what timeshare will and won't do for you. Don't believe everything you hear, good or bad. Get yourself some education, talk to other owners, do your homework, do some research, hire a consultant.