Ah, the end of another year...time to reflect and time to look forward.
What does timeshare need? A kick in the ass, that's what.
So I'm calling on both Donald Trump and Richard Branson to give it the well deserved kick in the ass.
I'm not a big fan of Donald's politics nor his "I'm king of the world" stance, but the guy does know real estate and he knows how to keep things holding value.
I am a big fan of Richard's showmanship, marketing skills and sense of fun.
It's time to throw EVERYONE and EVERYTHING out and start fresh and these guys could do it.
Make timeshare fun, make it valuable, make it something that people and media talk about in a good way, make it something that is desired, make it something that holds its value, make it something that doesn't need smarmy marketing and sales techniques.
Let's face it, there hasn't been anything new or interesting or revolutionary in timeshare in, well, since it started. Let's shake things up.
Donald and Richard...my e-mail address is lisa@timeshareinsights.com. Talk to you soon.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
A Blue Light Special Waiting To Happen
This blog and many other blogs talk a great deal about the plight of the timeshare owner, for good reason. However, there are other people that are hurt a great deal by the marketing and sales practices still employed by timeshare resorts worldwide---the timeshare salesperson.
I wrote the following piece many years ago, while I was still a salesperson and it unfortunately is still as timely as it was back then:
In reading the gory details of K-Mart's recent bankruptcy filing, I am struck by the similarities to the situation that many timeshare resorts find themselves in.
K-Mart executives were quick to blame their financial collapse on just about everything other than what it was… poor marketing management. However, I would bet that if K-Mart were a timeshare, K-Mart executives would have written a memo to all of their employees and blamed the debacle on them.
See if this ficticious memo doesn't sound familiar to those of you in timeshare sales…
Of course, K-Mart is in their nasty situation because of poor marketing, not because of inept cashiers or stockers. Need another similarity? The entire decision to bring in Martha Stewart was incredibly poor marketing. K-Mart shoppers ON THE WHOLE, don't know or care who Martha Stewart is. The people who do know and buy Martha Stewart wouldn't be caught dead at K-Mart.
Still muddy? Let me clarify. ON THE WHOLE… the customers that most timeshares pay so-called marketing companies money for don't want to know about timeshare, don't care about timeshare, and don't have the money to afford timeshare. But the people who do care about timeshare, do want to know about timeshare and can afford timeshare aren't being reached at all.
Because the so-called marketing companies are in fact, not doing ANYTHING that resembles what the rest of the world considers marketing.
It is time for Project Directors, Directors of Sales and other non-"marketing" personnel to say "ENOUGH" and demand more. It is time that timeshare companies come down out of their ivory tower and recognize that this wonderful product that we sell has the potential to be so much more if we let it. Timeshares are sold to the public by the salesperson on an emotional basis (and thanks to everyone who finally convinced me of that). Where is the emotion behind any of the so-called marketing and advertising that the resorts do? There is none at all.
Allow yourself to ponder how wonderful of an industry this would be if we would stop doing things the hard way. The writing is on the wall… either do effective marketing and advertising or your resort may be "a blue light special".
I wrote the following piece many years ago, while I was still a salesperson and it unfortunately is still as timely as it was back then:
If K-Mart Were a Timeshare
In reading the gory details of K-Mart's recent bankruptcy filing, I am struck by the similarities to the situation that many timeshare resorts find themselves in.
K-Mart executives were quick to blame their financial collapse on just about everything other than what it was… poor marketing management. However, I would bet that if K-Mart were a timeshare, K-Mart executives would have written a memo to all of their employees and blamed the debacle on them.
See if this ficticious memo doesn't sound familiar to those of you in timeshare sales…
To: All K-Mart Employees
From: The Big Boss
Re: The End
K-Mart will be filing for bankruptcy today. That means that all of you will be out of a job. You are free of course to go to WalMart or Target to see if things will be any better there. You will find however, that things are just the same, the customers are exactly the same.
The reason for your being out of a job is simple… you, the stockers did not keep the right merchandise in stock. You, the cashiers did not meet your sales quota. Simply put, you didn't sell enough.
Remember that we in upper management did our part by bringing you the customers. It was your job to sell them merchandise. You didn't do your job. It is never, ever the fault of the customer. It is always your fault. Perhaps if you had a better attitude and didn't prejudge all of the customers that we pay top dollar to bring to you, you would not all find yourself in this bind.
By the way, you will not be getting your last paycheck. Those paychecks will be used to refund all of those purchases that will be coming back. It was all of your responsibility to follow up with each and every one of your sales to find out if they were satisfied with their vacuum cleaners, towels and oil filters.
From: The Big Boss
Re: The End
K-Mart will be filing for bankruptcy today. That means that all of you will be out of a job. You are free of course to go to WalMart or Target to see if things will be any better there. You will find however, that things are just the same, the customers are exactly the same.
The reason for your being out of a job is simple… you, the stockers did not keep the right merchandise in stock. You, the cashiers did not meet your sales quota. Simply put, you didn't sell enough.
Remember that we in upper management did our part by bringing you the customers. It was your job to sell them merchandise. You didn't do your job. It is never, ever the fault of the customer. It is always your fault. Perhaps if you had a better attitude and didn't prejudge all of the customers that we pay top dollar to bring to you, you would not all find yourself in this bind.
By the way, you will not be getting your last paycheck. Those paychecks will be used to refund all of those purchases that will be coming back. It was all of your responsibility to follow up with each and every one of your sales to find out if they were satisfied with their vacuum cleaners, towels and oil filters.
Of course, K-Mart is in their nasty situation because of poor marketing, not because of inept cashiers or stockers. Need another similarity? The entire decision to bring in Martha Stewart was incredibly poor marketing. K-Mart shoppers ON THE WHOLE, don't know or care who Martha Stewart is. The people who do know and buy Martha Stewart wouldn't be caught dead at K-Mart.
Still muddy? Let me clarify. ON THE WHOLE… the customers that most timeshares pay so-called marketing companies money for don't want to know about timeshare, don't care about timeshare, and don't have the money to afford timeshare. But the people who do care about timeshare, do want to know about timeshare and can afford timeshare aren't being reached at all.
Because the so-called marketing companies are in fact, not doing ANYTHING that resembles what the rest of the world considers marketing.
It is time for Project Directors, Directors of Sales and other non-"marketing" personnel to say "ENOUGH" and demand more. It is time that timeshare companies come down out of their ivory tower and recognize that this wonderful product that we sell has the potential to be so much more if we let it. Timeshares are sold to the public by the salesperson on an emotional basis (and thanks to everyone who finally convinced me of that). Where is the emotion behind any of the so-called marketing and advertising that the resorts do? There is none at all.
Allow yourself to ponder how wonderful of an industry this would be if we would stop doing things the hard way. The writing is on the wall… either do effective marketing and advertising or your resort may be "a blue light special".
Monday, December 5, 2011
Common Sense Tips on Buying Timeshare
You would think that after all this time, these simple tips would not need to be reprinted, but consumers continue to get themselves in trouble.
HOW TO BUY A TIMESHARE
You don't see a lot of ads trying to sell you a timeshare. Timeshare marketing and sales tactics are more subtle, or at least more mysterious than that. If you are one of the more than 3 million Americans who attend one or more timeshare presentations annually, you might have been confused.
Buying, owning and using a timeshare might be the greatest thing for you...or not. But it continues to be one of the most misunderstood products out there. Here's some basic advice:
1) New timeshare doesn't necessarily mean better timeshare
2) A timeshare is not a financial investment
3) Understand the psychology of sales before you sit through a presentation
4) Don't buy more than you can use
5) Don't buy more than you can afford
6) Understand that the salesperson works for the developer, not for you
7) Don't buy with selling or renting in mind
8) If it sounds too good to be true, it is
9) Stay away from the words "free", "perfect", "always" and "never"
HOW TO BUY A TIMESHARE
You don't see a lot of ads trying to sell you a timeshare. Timeshare marketing and sales tactics are more subtle, or at least more mysterious than that. If you are one of the more than 3 million Americans who attend one or more timeshare presentations annually, you might have been confused.
Buying, owning and using a timeshare might be the greatest thing for you...or not. But it continues to be one of the most misunderstood products out there. Here's some basic advice:
1) New timeshare doesn't necessarily mean better timeshare
2) A timeshare is not a financial investment
3) Understand the psychology of sales before you sit through a presentation
4) Don't buy more than you can use
5) Don't buy more than you can afford
6) Understand that the salesperson works for the developer, not for you
7) Don't buy with selling or renting in mind
8) If it sounds too good to be true, it is
9) Stay away from the words "free", "perfect", "always" and "never"
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Comments to This Blog
Just a quick note...the software for this blog automatically marks as "spam" comments that appear to be ads or links to ads.
While we welcome and encourage comments,, questions, etc. on anything that we post, we do not accept ads or links to ads.
Thanks for your understanding.
While we welcome and encourage comments,, questions, etc. on anything that we post, we do not accept ads or links to ads.
Thanks for your understanding.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
We've Been Remiss
We apologize for the delay in posting on this blog. Timeshare Insights is going through a bit of an identity crisis as of lately.
I've taken on the role of "The Timeshare Crusader" and decided early on that I would NOT sell, rent, buy, broker, list or represent any timeshare or any timeshare company.
Unfortunately, as an independent timeshare consultant and educator, that means that the money is shall we say, slow to arrive.
Making matters worse, there are some other companies and organizations out there that proport themselves to the public as consumer advocates and educators, but who make their money buying and selling timeshare. To me, this seems like a clear conflict of interest, but as we've come to expect, consumers are easily fooled when it comes to timeshare matters.
While is it NOT all about money, there are bills to be paid. So, the identity crisis I'm going through right now is a simple one...should Timeshare Insights continue, or should we give up after nearly 6 years?
Thoughts?
I've taken on the role of "The Timeshare Crusader" and decided early on that I would NOT sell, rent, buy, broker, list or represent any timeshare or any timeshare company.
Unfortunately, as an independent timeshare consultant and educator, that means that the money is shall we say, slow to arrive.
Making matters worse, there are some other companies and organizations out there that proport themselves to the public as consumer advocates and educators, but who make their money buying and selling timeshare. To me, this seems like a clear conflict of interest, but as we've come to expect, consumers are easily fooled when it comes to timeshare matters.
While is it NOT all about money, there are bills to be paid. So, the identity crisis I'm going through right now is a simple one...should Timeshare Insights continue, or should we give up after nearly 6 years?
Thoughts?
Friday, November 18, 2011
5,500 Attributes vs. 5 Questions
There's a company out there that claims to have a formula based on 5,500 "attributes" of a consumer to then make accurate predictions on the consumer's propensity to purchase a timeshare.
5,500 attributes? Really? If there were 50 attributes, I'd be more willing to believe this. Even 100 attributers. But 5,500? That is hard for me to believe. Especially when I've said from the onset that timeshare marketing is NOT rocket science.
This company has been VERY successful, i.e. very successful in marketing themselves to timeshare resorts around the world and making a ton of money.
I think back to my timeshare selling days when it came down to these five (5) questions:
Do you like the timeshare?
Do you understand how timeshare would benefit you?
If you had a timeshare, would you use it?
Would paying for the timeshare still allow you to live your life?
Would you like to own this timeshare?
Doesn't get much simpler than that, does it? Gee, I wonder if any of the 5,500 attributes cover "buying today" or "buying from the developer when the same product is available on the secondary market for 30% of the cost"?
5,500 attributes? Really? If there were 50 attributes, I'd be more willing to believe this. Even 100 attributers. But 5,500? That is hard for me to believe. Especially when I've said from the onset that timeshare marketing is NOT rocket science.
This company has been VERY successful, i.e. very successful in marketing themselves to timeshare resorts around the world and making a ton of money.
I think back to my timeshare selling days when it came down to these five (5) questions:
Do you like the timeshare?
Do you understand how timeshare would benefit you?
If you had a timeshare, would you use it?
Would paying for the timeshare still allow you to live your life?
Would you like to own this timeshare?
Doesn't get much simpler than that, does it? Gee, I wonder if any of the 5,500 attributes cover "buying today" or "buying from the developer when the same product is available on the secondary market for 30% of the cost"?
Thursday, November 10, 2011
What's With The Word "Timeshare" Anyway?
I don't know what it is about the word "timeshare" that causes so many otherwise rational people to lose their common sense and all semblance of reality.
Yesterday, at the LTRBA meeting in Orlando, one of the state officials said that his office heard from an individual who had paid a company more than 20 times to the tune of over $100,000 to sell his timeshare. One person!
Now, I know that the big discussion at the meeting was about the "upfront fee" companies vs the licensed (i.e. no upfront fees) brokers. But honestly, the average consumer is not going to know the difference between "commissions", "advertising fees" or "listing fees" or anything else. And I've said before that nothing is free.
So, I think the industry would be better served to issue warnings to consumers to NOT do business with any company that contacts them first. I mean, I can't imagine anyone, not even the poor sap out more than $100,000 and STILL holding on to his timeshare, would fall for these schemes for a house, a car, a computer or a pair of designer jeans.
"Hello, Mr. Consumer...we have a buyer for your 1995 Camry...the one that you haven't even thought of, much less put up for sale. All we need is $3,000 for title transfer and we'll send you the remaining $20,000..."
What is it about the word "timeshare" that causes people to lose touch with reality?
The bottom line is don't do business with companies that contact you out of the blue. Maintain all the control you can. And some smarts for heaven's sake.
Yesterday, at the LTRBA meeting in Orlando, one of the state officials said that his office heard from an individual who had paid a company more than 20 times to the tune of over $100,000 to sell his timeshare. One person!
Now, I know that the big discussion at the meeting was about the "upfront fee" companies vs the licensed (i.e. no upfront fees) brokers. But honestly, the average consumer is not going to know the difference between "commissions", "advertising fees" or "listing fees" or anything else. And I've said before that nothing is free.
So, I think the industry would be better served to issue warnings to consumers to NOT do business with any company that contacts them first. I mean, I can't imagine anyone, not even the poor sap out more than $100,000 and STILL holding on to his timeshare, would fall for these schemes for a house, a car, a computer or a pair of designer jeans.
"Hello, Mr. Consumer...we have a buyer for your 1995 Camry...the one that you haven't even thought of, much less put up for sale. All we need is $3,000 for title transfer and we'll send you the remaining $20,000..."
What is it about the word "timeshare" that causes people to lose touch with reality?
The bottom line is don't do business with companies that contact you out of the blue. Maintain all the control you can. And some smarts for heaven's sake.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)