When Timeshare Speaks to the Hearts of Owners
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
The following excerpt is from an article titled, “Timeshare resort management and the power of understanding your brand.” This article, by Jason Tremblay appears in the June edition of The Resort Trades and this portion is reprinted here with their permission.
In it, we take a serious look at brand messaging and why the timeshare industry may be missing the mark when we fail to speak to the hearts of consumers. Vacations truly are about so much more than resort amenities, yet we as an industry often fail to mention or market the benefits that timeshare owners and renters may value most: the memories, the laughter, the relaxation and the bonding time, to name only a few.
Appeal to the heart
The great thing about the soft spot of a consumer, or in this case a timeshare owner, is that everyone has one. Companies that realize this and speak to the heart of their market are successful. The Olive Garden restaurant is an excellent example of marketing to the heart.
The Olive Garden offers good, consistently predictable food and service. Go into an Olive Garden anywhere in the country and you know what to expect. However, in their marketing message, they do not mention either their food or their service. Instead, they tell you, “When you’re here, you’re Family.”
The marketing strategists behind the message at Olive Garden understand that millions of people long for the stereotypical warmth of a loving family that sits down to a meal together. Because so many people think of strong family bonds when they think of Italian families, the message is easy to convey. Olive Garden restaurants offer predictable décor, comforting menus, moderate prices, and a branding message that people long to feel… come to Olive Garden where Family is so important we even capitalize the word in our slogan.
Timeshare management doesn’t have to offer the newest resort, the most amenities, or even the cheapest fees. Instead, successful resorts make an emotional connection with their member/owners. Branding Rule #2: Appeal to the hearts of timeshare owners.
To find out more about the power of understanding your brand, and what it means for timeshare owners and the industry as a whole, look for this article in the this month’s The Resort Trades.
