Today's blog is written by "Scoop". If you aren't familar with Scoop, you owe it to yourself to check out his column at www.insidethegate.com.
This sums up what is wrong with timeshare marketing and sales. Having been a salesperson as well as seen enough timeshare presentations in my day, I can attest that this is all true.
Sad, sad, sad that no one is willing to do anything different. And then "they" wonder why timeshare has such a poor reputation among non-owners.
July 20, 2012 — In the timeshare game I find myself constantly amazed at the number of ‘balls’ (lies) that I watch being ‘pitched’ during sales presentations whilst I ’slide’ through marketing locations (OPC booths) and sales centers during my ’scouting’ expeditions (snooping around).
What equally amazes me is that often those ‘balls’ are nothing more than a simple case of inadequate training (product/service knowledge) that was never provided for the ‘pitchers’ (marketing and sales staff) by the coaching staff (developer/management) in the first place.
What training that is provided for these people is poor at best; after more than 40 years most developers and their management staffs still haven’t figured out that we are really in the travel business and we simply offer a unique travel product and service.
‘Pitching’ travel (aka: Vacations) is a no brainer and when most consumers are asked if they like to travel and/or vacation, I would submit that the vast majority would respond in the affirmative.
However that is not the case when prospects attend a timeshare sales presentation. In fact, upon the conclusion of each presentation, the majority, approximately 88%, say “No thanks” and we ’strike out’.
Despite what many Ph.D.s (philosophiae doctors and/or expounders of doctrine) in ‘the biz’ promulgate, the real consumer objection (‘No’) to a TS plan is —before ‘use’ and ‘affordability’— first and foremost, a lack of trust (assured reliance on the character, ability, strength of someone or something).
From both the marketing and selling perspective, trustworthiness is a critical factor when offering any product/service to the general public. Yet our industry almost always avoids that reality and very useful tool as if it were the dreaded plague.
From the moment prospects are approached and invited (smoke and mirrors) to attend an orientation (sales presentation), preview a new hotel, resort (TS plan), etc. we most often conceal our true identity, intentions and objectives as if we had leprosy.
We don’t even understand that the very people whom we invite to a presentation are inundated daily (as we all are) with a plethora of false and misleading offers (advertisements) and that they intrinsically distrust just about any and every sort of offer they receive.
Instead of using that knowledge to everyone’s advantage we continue to disguise ourselves, play cat (us) and mouse (them) and offer ‘gifts’ (bribes) to get consumers to attend a 60-90 minute (four-hour) presentation (often a grind) which, statistically, fails miserably.
Once the ‘mice’ (prospects) have been captured, we introduce them (potential TS owners) to ‘vacation counselors’ (liners, closers, managers, more closers and more managers… sales people) whose primary focus is to get (close) a ‘deal’ (timeshare plan).
The end result is that every day of the year about 88% of the consumers who attend a timeshare presentation say no thanks to traveling and enjoying fine accommodations around the world that caters to most budgets, tastes and lifestyles imaginable.
Although a financial situation may stand in the way of a yes, considering the various and affordable programs that developers are offering these days most consumers are really saying no to the ‘game’ (marketing and selling system) and not to traveling and a vacation lifestyle.
As long as the ‘coaching staffs’ (management in the marketing and sales centers) are happy campers with their ‘RBI’, their antiquated system will not change soon. They will continue to play the numbers game and ignore the team’s poor batting (sales) averages, including the damage they cause, from a public relations perspective, to our industry.
I would bet the farm that if I were to walk down Kalakaua Blvd. in Waikiki or along the strip in Las Vegas and ask visitors if they like to travel and vacation in luxurious accommodations, at least 90% (assuming they trust me) would say yes.
If I also asked these people if they won a lifetime of vacations and could travel the world and stay in any sort of accommodations that suited their travel needs, absolutely free of charge with no strings attached, 98% (again, assuming they trust me) would say yes.
On the other hand if I went down the street wearing a trench coat, fedora and dark glasses and approached these same people while whispering my questions and glancing over my shoulders, well, the outcome might be different.
The proof in the pudding regarding the use, benefit and need for truth in our marketing and sales system is as simple to understand as it is with our marriages, our business relationships, friends and acquaintances.
If we don’t trust ‘em we aren’t getting involved with them, and the same is true of those millions of prospects who say no to owning and enjoying their vacations each year.
If, as an industry, we applied even in part a more truthful approach to our marketing and sales activities, not only would the natural and exponential effects produce a positive industry image, without question sales would significantly increase across the board as well.
The sad truth of the matter is that over the years to come (as in the past), as an industry we will lose billions of dollars in revenue because those who control the sales and marketing activities don’t understand the consumer appeal of our product and service, aka, vacationing.
If those who control the marketing and sales activities were to ‘try out’ for a major sports team, say baseball, all their boasting of success in our industry probably wouldn’t get them on even a minor league team— unless a coach wanted a ‘hitter’ with a .120 batting average.
Scoop
Friday, July 20, 2012
Monday, July 16, 2012
Going Opposite In Timeshare
I've just finished a great book by Daniel Burrus and John David Mann entitled; "Flash Foresight-How To See The Invisible And Do The Impossible."
In it, the authors talk about seven pillars if you will of flash foresight and why it is so vital in today's business environment. The pillars are:
* Start With Certainty
* Anticipate
* Transform
* Take Your Biggest Problem-And Skip It
* Go Opposite
* Redefine And Reinvent
* Direct Your Future
Great topics, huh? And it is clear that all of them can be used in timeshare.
I'd like to focus on "Go Opposite" for a minute. Here are some of the action steps that the authors talk about:
* Make a list of everything your competitors are doing and then look at each item on the list and ask yourself, How can I gain an advantage by doing the opposite?
* What is the current way of thinking regarding any subject in your industry? Then, think the opposite to see new opportunities.
* The future always wins. Know that "the way we've always done it" is almost certain to become obsolete-and soon. The pathway that will be most profitable in the years ahead is the pathway nobody is taking yet. It can be done, it will be done---and if you don't do it, someone else will.
WOW. Where have I heard all this before other than in this blog of course? I've said for years that the current marketing/sales/operation paradigm in timeshare is obsolete and that the timeshare company that has the "chutzpah" or the courage of their own convictions to actually break away from the pack---especially a pack that is operating as it if was still 1995---has everything to gain.
Timeshare is just like any other industry. Clinging to the notion that it somehow "different" (translation: better) will be its downfall. The upside? It's not too late.
Go Opposite and win.
In it, the authors talk about seven pillars if you will of flash foresight and why it is so vital in today's business environment. The pillars are:
* Start With Certainty
* Anticipate
* Transform
* Take Your Biggest Problem-And Skip It
* Go Opposite
* Redefine And Reinvent
* Direct Your Future
Great topics, huh? And it is clear that all of them can be used in timeshare.
I'd like to focus on "Go Opposite" for a minute. Here are some of the action steps that the authors talk about:
* Make a list of everything your competitors are doing and then look at each item on the list and ask yourself, How can I gain an advantage by doing the opposite?
* What is the current way of thinking regarding any subject in your industry? Then, think the opposite to see new opportunities.
* The future always wins. Know that "the way we've always done it" is almost certain to become obsolete-and soon. The pathway that will be most profitable in the years ahead is the pathway nobody is taking yet. It can be done, it will be done---and if you don't do it, someone else will.
WOW. Where have I heard all this before other than in this blog of course? I've said for years that the current marketing/sales/operation paradigm in timeshare is obsolete and that the timeshare company that has the "chutzpah" or the courage of their own convictions to actually break away from the pack---especially a pack that is operating as it if was still 1995---has everything to gain.
Timeshare is just like any other industry. Clinging to the notion that it somehow "different" (translation: better) will be its downfall. The upside? It's not too late.
Go Opposite and win.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Our First Guest Post! Surviving The Timeshare Resales Process
Chris Green works at Travel & Leisure Group a Timeshare Reseller based in the UK with offices across Europe. Registered members of ARDA, TATOC, RDO, TCA, the British Chambers of Commerce and ATHOC, Travel & Leisure have been buying and selling timeshare for over 20 years, competing with the negative press the industry has been subjected to and had to deal with its fair share of scam companies targeting timeshare owners.
There is nothing
wrong with the paid listings on Google; however you must be cautious when
clicking on these adverts as a listing at the top of the paid is based more on
how much the advertiser is willing to pay to be there as opposed to being a
trustworthy and relevant source. For example, some searches for “sell
timeshare” in the UK saw 7 out of the top 10 websites in the top sites related
to websites with no connection to TATOC, ARDA, RDO or BBB and one of which was
even an identified cold caller by TATOC.
If you follow timeshare in the news that
closely there is something that is never far from the headlines – fraudulent or
scam timeshare companies. This is hardly a new development in timeshare
resales, however it is something which at least seems to be more prevalent as
economies continue to struggle.
There are more sharks in the water than
ever, but what do you do? If you’re looking to sell your timeshare chances are
there is a good reason for doing so, so you can hardly wait on it and hope for
a more opportune moment.
Many take to the search engines like Google
to do their own research, to find out where is best to try and sell their timeshare.
Google and others endeavour to provide the most accurate and relevant results
from each search, so typing “timeshare” for example, would provide you with
websites linked with timeshares. However, it doesn’t end there, not only are
the results relevant, but they are generally ordered by quality too. So for
example, the 1st result is more likely to be a high-quality,
relevant site, whereas something at the bottom of the second page is deemed to
be less helpful for you.
Without going into the complex ways Google
and others like Bing and Yahoo works out which sites are high quality, it is
usually the case that the websites at the top of search results are trustworthy
and well established. For example searching “timeshare” from the US you’ll see
RCI as the top result, followed by Wikipedia, two authoritative sites with
information about Timeshare, makes sense right? However, this is often
confusion with Google as to what is the top of the search listings. Have you
ever noticed the results in the yellow box at the very top of the page? If you
look closely you’ll see “Adds related to...” written in the top of the box.
Yes, that’s right, these are paid adverts.
This is by no means the case for every
search, and of course it differs from country to country, however the amount of
websites which aren’t governed by any of the industry regulatory bodies is not
good news for those looking to sell their timeshare through resale.
These adverts are not just limited to the
main search engines, most websites also contain advertising space, where you
will also find similar adverts which are targeted at you and what you’ve looked
at before. It isn’t coincidence that all of a sudden every website has garish
adverts boasting an immediate, “no-strings-attached sale” of your timeshare so
don’t get sucked in by them.
If you’re new to timeshare or unsure about
the best place to start, the best thing you can do is get in touch with your
local trade or regulatory body. This may
be the British Chamber of Commerce or the Better Business Bureau, but really
the best people are your local timeshare association or the RDO (Resort
Development Organisation). ARDA and TATOC for example are responsible for the
USA and UK respectively, providing news and information to its members as well
as advice and ensuring the compliance of its members to local legislation.
These organisations can provide details of registered resellers bound by
legislation who will be able to assist you. Monday, July 2, 2012
Mick Jagger And Timeshare Scams
This morning started out with yet another consumer advisory issued by my good friends at TATOC in the UK.
This time, some dude going by the name of Allen Davis got $2,600 from a timeshare owner using both the TATOC name and logo.
While these types of "transactions" MUST be stopped, I also must put some burden of responsibility on the consumer. I mean, it's not like there weren't any red flags:
1) A cursory Google search will show that TATOC does not sell, buy or rent timeshares.
2) Mr. Davis claimed that TATOC stood for "Timeshare Association Timeshare Owners
Commity." Really, what does "commity" mean anyway?
3) The "contract for purchase" was in the amount of $13,000 for...wait for it...10,000
Worldmark points.
If timeshare owners are NOT going to listen to repeated advisories coming at them from TATOC, Timeshare Insights, TimeSharing Today, the NTOA, RedWeek.com, SellMyTimeshareNow.com, TUG and others about not doing business with any timeshare related company that initiates contact, and it is clear that those advisories are for the most part being ignorned, can't we at least get the word out to do some sort of basic checking before handing over $2,600?
Like Mick Jagger said at Altamont..."brothers and sisters can't we all just get along?" WHY is it so hard for everyone involved in the legitimate side of timeshare to get behind ONE good message to timeshare owners out there?
This time, some dude going by the name of Allen Davis got $2,600 from a timeshare owner using both the TATOC name and logo.
While these types of "transactions" MUST be stopped, I also must put some burden of responsibility on the consumer. I mean, it's not like there weren't any red flags:
1) A cursory Google search will show that TATOC does not sell, buy or rent timeshares.
2) Mr. Davis claimed that TATOC stood for "Timeshare Association Timeshare Owners
Commity." Really, what does "commity" mean anyway?
3) The "contract for purchase" was in the amount of $13,000 for...wait for it...10,000
Worldmark points.
If timeshare owners are NOT going to listen to repeated advisories coming at them from TATOC, Timeshare Insights, TimeSharing Today, the NTOA, RedWeek.com, SellMyTimeshareNow.com, TUG and others about not doing business with any timeshare related company that initiates contact, and it is clear that those advisories are for the most part being ignorned, can't we at least get the word out to do some sort of basic checking before handing over $2,600?
Like Mick Jagger said at Altamont..."brothers and sisters can't we all just get along?" WHY is it so hard for everyone involved in the legitimate side of timeshare to get behind ONE good message to timeshare owners out there?
Friday, June 29, 2012
So, What DO People Wake Up And Decide They Want To Buy?
Today I discuss again, the absurdity of the old "people don't wake up one day and decide to buy a timeshare" arguement that the industry has relied on for years to justify their "marketing" practices---bribing consumers with a discounted hotel stay and two tickets for an insane price in exchange for their attendance at a 90 minute (ha) resort preview (ha).
Several weeks ago, while contemplating the projected end of the world later this year and how stupid I would feel if I continued to save money instead of spending it on something like a vacation, I thought about how nice it would be to take a European river cruise.
So I went online to do some investigating. Now, let me stop here for a minute. I didn't suddenly decide to BUY a European river cruise...I suddenly decided to LOOK INTO a European river cruise.
Yesterday, two weeks later to the day, I received a lovely four color brochure from Tauck in the mail and spent a good hour reading through the lovely descriptions of their varied itineraries.
As usual, I started comparing this type of travel marketing with the timeshare model. What can I say...I'm a VERY focused individual.
The brochure contained all the elements that made for a very compelling sales pitch. Photos, reviews, extremely detailed descriptions of the different sailings, information on included meals, sightseeing, right down to letting me know that the bedding included pillow top bed and 400-thread count satin bed linens. And of course, all the cost details.
I say sales pitch because that's what collateral like this brochure is...a sales pitch. At the bottom of every single page was the phrase, "Call your travel agent or Tauck at 800-xxx-xxxx." Sprinkled in throughout the brochure were QR Codes where I could scan to view videos and access Tauck's website in a snap.
What this sales pitch didn't include of course was a donut and tea with a salesperson. Or a "today only" price or a TO calling me to see if the price was lowered would I jump on the deal.
Now, I haven't bought the cruise yet. So in that way, I fit into the majority of people who attend a timeshare sales presentation and don't buy. But what I do have is the brochure and the website which I can revisit anytime I want. The price doesn't go up, the thread count doesn't go down.
Having just attended a timeshare sales pitch-undercover of course-I did ask for a brouchure of some sort and of course was turned down because "no one ever comes back to buy a timeshare" in the words of the salesperson.
Of course no one comes back to buy, because potential owners are forced to leave empty handed!
Let's get back to the whole "waking up and deciding to buy" theme. Yes, it is very true that no one wakes up and decides to buy a timeshare and no one wakes up and decides to buy a costly European river cruise. Let's just add that no one wakes up and decides to buy ANYTHING unless they have prior knowledge and/or experience with it.
Isn't it high time that the timeshare industry stops using this outdated thinking to "justify" their marketing and sales practices?
What do you think? Leave your comments...and I'll let you know about the river cruise. Since the ships have internet access, I can blog from the Danube!
Several weeks ago, while contemplating the projected end of the world later this year and how stupid I would feel if I continued to save money instead of spending it on something like a vacation, I thought about how nice it would be to take a European river cruise.
So I went online to do some investigating. Now, let me stop here for a minute. I didn't suddenly decide to BUY a European river cruise...I suddenly decided to LOOK INTO a European river cruise.
Yesterday, two weeks later to the day, I received a lovely four color brochure from Tauck in the mail and spent a good hour reading through the lovely descriptions of their varied itineraries.
As usual, I started comparing this type of travel marketing with the timeshare model. What can I say...I'm a VERY focused individual.
The brochure contained all the elements that made for a very compelling sales pitch. Photos, reviews, extremely detailed descriptions of the different sailings, information on included meals, sightseeing, right down to letting me know that the bedding included pillow top bed and 400-thread count satin bed linens. And of course, all the cost details.
I say sales pitch because that's what collateral like this brochure is...a sales pitch. At the bottom of every single page was the phrase, "Call your travel agent or Tauck at 800-xxx-xxxx." Sprinkled in throughout the brochure were QR Codes where I could scan to view videos and access Tauck's website in a snap.
What this sales pitch didn't include of course was a donut and tea with a salesperson. Or a "today only" price or a TO calling me to see if the price was lowered would I jump on the deal.
Now, I haven't bought the cruise yet. So in that way, I fit into the majority of people who attend a timeshare sales presentation and don't buy. But what I do have is the brochure and the website which I can revisit anytime I want. The price doesn't go up, the thread count doesn't go down.
Having just attended a timeshare sales pitch-undercover of course-I did ask for a brouchure of some sort and of course was turned down because "no one ever comes back to buy a timeshare" in the words of the salesperson.
Of course no one comes back to buy, because potential owners are forced to leave empty handed!
Let's get back to the whole "waking up and deciding to buy" theme. Yes, it is very true that no one wakes up and decides to buy a timeshare and no one wakes up and decides to buy a costly European river cruise. Let's just add that no one wakes up and decides to buy ANYTHING unless they have prior knowledge and/or experience with it.
Isn't it high time that the timeshare industry stops using this outdated thinking to "justify" their marketing and sales practices?
What do you think? Leave your comments...and I'll let you know about the river cruise. Since the ships have internet access, I can blog from the Danube!
Sunday, June 24, 2012
100 Timeshares And Not One Partner
I recently had the pleasure of visiting Tuscana Resort near Orlando to find out about their partnership with LEGOLAND Florida.
I've been a vocal, some say too vocal, proponent of the timeshare industry and individual timeshare resorts entering into strategic marketing alliances for some time now. Back when I was a media buyer in Chicago, both I and my clients saw the many advantages that these alliances held. And that was before the advent of social media...when all we had to work with was traditional advertising. And it was quite successful.
LEGOLAND Florida is partnering with several local accommodation providers, including Tuscana Resort, on their Bed and Brick Partnership. You can see all of their partners at www.legoland.com. If you look over the list, you'll see one lone timeshare...Tuscana Resort. (www.tuscana.net)
Now, technically, Tuscana Resort is NOT a timeshare. What I mean by that is that there are no active sales ongoing at the resort. Units are owned by individuals, most of which choose to put inventory in a rental pool that Tuscana rents out for them for a fee. So, what is the timeshare connection? RCI members have access to some of Tuscana's inventory on a pure rental basis from RCI, which some owners take advantage of to spend a week or two extra in the Orlando area.
Now, while I congratulate Tuscana Resort for their foresight in making their wonderful, amenity laden resort a parter with LEGOLAND's Bed and Brick promotion, I question why no timeshare jumped on-board. There are at least 100 timeshare resorts within an easy drive of the new LEGOLAND in Winter Haven. Many of these timeshare resorts offer fabulous amenities which would be a huge plus for the family crowd that LEGOLAND is bound to attract.
You would think that timeshare resorts would pay attention and then learn from Tuscana's example. Anyone?
I've been a vocal, some say too vocal, proponent of the timeshare industry and individual timeshare resorts entering into strategic marketing alliances for some time now. Back when I was a media buyer in Chicago, both I and my clients saw the many advantages that these alliances held. And that was before the advent of social media...when all we had to work with was traditional advertising. And it was quite successful.
LEGOLAND Florida is partnering with several local accommodation providers, including Tuscana Resort, on their Bed and Brick Partnership. You can see all of their partners at www.legoland.com. If you look over the list, you'll see one lone timeshare...Tuscana Resort. (www.tuscana.net)
Now, technically, Tuscana Resort is NOT a timeshare. What I mean by that is that there are no active sales ongoing at the resort. Units are owned by individuals, most of which choose to put inventory in a rental pool that Tuscana rents out for them for a fee. So, what is the timeshare connection? RCI members have access to some of Tuscana's inventory on a pure rental basis from RCI, which some owners take advantage of to spend a week or two extra in the Orlando area.
Now, while I congratulate Tuscana Resort for their foresight in making their wonderful, amenity laden resort a parter with LEGOLAND's Bed and Brick promotion, I question why no timeshare jumped on-board. There are at least 100 timeshare resorts within an easy drive of the new LEGOLAND in Winter Haven. Many of these timeshare resorts offer fabulous amenities which would be a huge plus for the family crowd that LEGOLAND is bound to attract.
You would think that timeshare resorts would pay attention and then learn from Tuscana's example. Anyone?
Monday, June 18, 2012
Who Calls and Who Doesn't
Just when you think it can't get any worse...there is a new warning from TATOC in the UK that a person by the name of David Miller is using the TATOC name and logo in his attempts to get $1,600 out of US timeshare owners in exchange for "getting out of their timeshare."
We've heard of course of countless companies using TATOC's, ARDA's and CRDA's logo in their "outreach programs" but to actually claim to BE TATOC is sinking to new lows.
TATOC http://www.tatoc.com, does NOT contact timeshare owners with "offers" nor demand money upfront. Neither does ARDA http://www.arda.org. Neither does CRDA http://www.crda.com. Neither does any reputable timeshare related company; including but not limited to TimeSharing Today, the National Timeshare Owners Association, the Florida Timeshare Owners Group, TUG, RedWeek.com, SellMyTimeshareNow.com, Travel and Leisure Group (in the UK), Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket (also in the UK), Confused About Timeshare (another UK based company), the LTRBA, RCI, II, SFX Exchange, Dial an Exchange, Trading Places or other exchange companies.
Amazingly, as I write this, I received a call from "Ashley" who wanted to know "if there was no fee to sell my timeshare, would I be interested in selling it?" Of course, the more questions I asked "Ashley", I found out that there was of course a "refundable" fee.
TATOC maintains both a list of members and a toll free number. Both ARDA and CRDA maintain a similar list. TATOC goes a step further and publishes a monthly list of companies who cold-call consumers and should be avoided.
I'm happy to start a list of good and bad guys, so I'm asking for your help in getting the word out.
We've heard of course of countless companies using TATOC's, ARDA's and CRDA's logo in their "outreach programs" but to actually claim to BE TATOC is sinking to new lows.
TATOC http://www.tatoc.com, does NOT contact timeshare owners with "offers" nor demand money upfront. Neither does ARDA http://www.arda.org. Neither does CRDA http://www.crda.com. Neither does any reputable timeshare related company; including but not limited to TimeSharing Today, the National Timeshare Owners Association, the Florida Timeshare Owners Group, TUG, RedWeek.com, SellMyTimeshareNow.com, Travel and Leisure Group (in the UK), Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket (also in the UK), Confused About Timeshare (another UK based company), the LTRBA, RCI, II, SFX Exchange, Dial an Exchange, Trading Places or other exchange companies.
Amazingly, as I write this, I received a call from "Ashley" who wanted to know "if there was no fee to sell my timeshare, would I be interested in selling it?" Of course, the more questions I asked "Ashley", I found out that there was of course a "refundable" fee.
TATOC maintains both a list of members and a toll free number. Both ARDA and CRDA maintain a similar list. TATOC goes a step further and publishes a monthly list of companies who cold-call consumers and should be avoided.
I'm happy to start a list of good and bad guys, so I'm asking for your help in getting the word out.
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