intervalworld.com | resortdeveloper.com
Aruba Resort Boosts Sales With DVW
Powering Up With Premiums
Virtual Board Meetings Prove a Win-Win
Increased Attendance, Reduced Costs
TBMA Webinar Shows How
Secrets to Dynamic Communications
Copyright© 2021 Interval International. All rights reserved.
The newly redesigned HOA Insights e-newsletter offers an interactive experience
that brings the latest HOA news to life. Begin exploring selecting your desired topic, returning to this page by selecting READ MORE READ MORE READ MORE READ MORE READ MORE READ MORE Virtual meetings aren’t new to Lisa Mutz-Nelson. As general manager of Avon, Colorado–based Falcon Point, she’s hosted at least one or two a year. That is until COVID hit. As of the end ... How frequently should resorts communicate with owners? How has the pandemic shaped the way we communicate? What makes a winning owner newsletter? A webinar hosted ... Special incentives have long been successful in attracting prospects, closing sales, and even retaining owners. HOA Insights recently spoke with Harold de Koning, director of sales and ... The Latest News for HOA–Run Resort Boards and Management January 2021
READ MORE
Virtual meetings aren’t new to Lisa Mutz-Nelson. As general manager of Avon, Colorado–based Falcon Point, she’s hosted at least one or two a year. That is until COVID hit. As of the end ...
How frequently should resorts communicate with owners? How has the pandemic shaped the way we communicate? What makes a winning owner newsletter? A webinar hosted ...
Special incentives have long been successful in attracting prospects, closing sales, and even retaining owners. HOA Insights recently spoke with Harold de Koning, director of sales and ...
The Latest News for HOA–Run Resort Boards and Management
January 2021
< BACK
Special incentives have long been successful in attracting prospects, closing sales, and even retaining owners. HOA Insights recently spoke with Harold de Koning, director of sales and marketing for Eagle Aruba Resort & Casino, on how the Oranjestad resort has enhanced its sales results through the use of Interval International’s Dream Vacation Week (DVW) certificates. Other creative uses are also under consideration for this premium that delivers a high value proposition and helps improve the resort’s bottom line. The resort reopened in December, after a period of inactivity due to the pandemic allowed for stepped-up renovation of 362 villas and two pools, with construction of a third, adults-only, pool. Eagle Aruba’s much-anticipated reopening also permitted de Koning and his team to re-engage their efforts using DVW, which initially proved beneficial as a sales tool when Eagle Aruba began timeshare sales in 2015, the year of its original affiliation with Interval. “We said, let’s try the Dream Vacation Week certificates as a first-day incentive at the sales table,” recalls de Koning. “We were successful.” Prior to the pandemic, utilizing the certificates as an extra first-day benefit produced a 45 percent close rate — a successful add-on for resort sales. “The Dream Vacation Week vacation certificate program provides tremendous flexibility and may be utilized in numerous ways to support business objectives,” says Neil Kolton, Interval’s director of business development for the Caribbean and Southeast U.S. “In addition to using it as a sales incentive or marketing premium, it has also been successfully used as a referral program, a maintenance fee payment incentive, and even to reward employees. Most importantly, the program is fulfillment-driven and provides a high-quality consumer experience for long-term consumer engagement and loyalty.” De Koning says that he hopes to capitalize on the product’s consumer appeal by offering it as a retention incentive, rewarding employees who make successful sales referrals.
DVW: A Sales and Marketing Power Tool
Offering year-round access in the best global travel destinations, Dream Vacation Week certificates fill the bill in a host of ways:
For more information, email Claudia Nash at claudia.nash@intervalintl.com.
Impactful first-day incentive
Low-cost marketing premium
High value thank-you gift
Motivational employee reward
Fast Facts
Eagle Aruba Resort & Casino
Location: Oranjestad, Aruba
Product: Lifetime deeded, fixed weeks
Units: 362 one- and two-bedroom suites, one-bedroom condos, and three-bedroom penthouses
Price: US$10,000 to US$60,000 (per week)
Website: eaglearuba.com
Virtual meetings aren’t new to Lisa Mutz-Nelson. As general manager of Avon, Colorado–based Falcon Point Resort, she’s hosted at least one or two a year. That is until COVID hit. By the end of the year, the number of Falcon Point virtual board gatherings had reached nine. And that’s not a bad thing, she says. As other companies and organizations have found, Mutz-Nelson has discovered that virtual meetings offer benefits. Such as boosting attendance: “Our annual meeting needed to be virtual because of pandemic concerns,” she recalls. “Over 50 attended, which was wonderful. And now, moving forward, we’re talking about making annual meetings virtual because we touched a lot of our owners who wouldn’t have been able to come in person.” Perhaps as important as increasing attendance among owners, virtual meetings also result in cost savings — which can then be passed on to the owners. Mutz-Nelson reports that shifting to all virtual meetings after March reduced Falcon Point’s meetings budget by 90 percent. “The board is always looking for ways to save, and one way is to reduce travel for the board members. When we keep our costs down, we can keep maintenance fees down.” While she misses the face-to-face interaction of in-person meetings, Mutz-Nelson recognizes that virtual gatherings are “the way of the future” and anticipates a rapid transition, not only in terms of board meetings, but staff enrichment and management training, as well. But she’s most excited about the impact of virtual attendance on the annual meeting. “This year, we had people from Europe, the East Coast, and the West Coast log in. We have 3,200 owners at Falcon Point, and we’d like to see hundreds participate. With virtual meetings, it’s doable.”
Top Tips for Productive Virtual Board Meetings
From Lisa Mutz-Nelson, general manager, Falcon Point
Review HOA governing documents before transitioning to virtual meetings. For example, you may be required to set a location for every meeting. It may be necessary to amend the documents to accommodate for virtual meetings.
Allow for a 15-minute logon window. “Our early meetings were delayed as people logged in after the start time,” says Mutz-Nelson. Providing an adequate check-in period allows participants to overcome technical issues before the meeting begins.
Use a PowerPoint presentation to share on screen and structure the meeting. This allows an easy-to-follow outline with visible data and information, and can be emailed to participants afterward.
Record the meeting. Most meeting platforms have a pretty straightforward recording function. This serves as a reliable account of the meeting, and is a resource for those who couldn’t attend.
Make sure board members are visible. Not everyone is comfortable with showing themselves in the meeting. But as board members and key presenters play a more active role, Mutz-Nelson suggests they keep their camera on — especially when speaking.
Secrets to Dynamic Owner Communications
TBMA Webinar Reveals
How frequently should resorts communicate with owners? How has the pandemic shaped the way we communicate? What makes a winning owner newsletter? A webinar hosted by the Timeshare Board Members Association (TBMA) in October addressed these questions and more. Chauncey Schwendeman, Interval International’s manager of business development, participated in the discussion, along with TBMA president Shep Altshuler; John Verity, general manager of Edgewater Beach Resort and Seawinds II Resort in Massachusetts; and Scott Spelfogel, president and chairman of the board of directors at Killington Grand Resort Hotel in Vermont. The webinar was just one in a series of weekly events hosted by TBMA since March 2020. “Our webinars enable members to find valuable information to deal with the key issues facing legacy resorts during this critical time,” notes Altshuler. “Members and industry professionals share their insights, experiences, and suggestions that help those responsible for governing their resorts.” For the schedule of upcoming webinars, visit tbmassoc.org.
“During these challenging times, having multiple touchpoints to ensure that all owners are reached is of the utmost importance. Successful resorts are reinforcing and communicating their increased safety measures and guidelines, while generating excitement to travel again.” — Chauncey Schwendeman, manager of business development, Interval International
To view and download high-quality ads that communicate Interval International’s popular member products and benefits, visit resortdeveloper.com. Interval also makes available entertaining and informative travel articles that can be used in owner newsletters.
Interval Membership Ad Half page
For more information on the ads and articles, contact Claudia Nash at claudia.nash@intervalintl.com.
Interval Membership Ad full page
Interval Gold Membership full page
Interval GOLD Membership Ad Half page
Interval GETAWAYS Ad full page
Interval GETAWAYS Ad Half page