Odenza’s retail clients are tapping directly into consumer concerns about the economy with special travel incentive offers and giveaways. For companies that hit the right tone the payoff can be huge. Odenza’s retail travel incentive sales in January rose 14% even as the overall market slumped 37%. The promotions run by the retailers may look different, but according to Odenza they come down to the same thing. “We essentially help keep the retailers’ daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly campaigns fresh and exciting through the use of travel certificates. If the recession is what’s keeping people away from buying big-ticket items, we have to give them additional reasons on top of product, brand, and price to mitigate that.” Please review some of our recent success stories below demonstrating the benefits that travel incentives can bring to today’s general retailer.

Refusing to stall amid sputtering consumer confidence, Odenza’s new car dealer clients are looking past a slew of manufactured promotions and coming up with their own sales incentives. Car dealers realize that the manufacturers are taking care of overall branding so they’re looking for new travel incentives that can be implemented on the tactical front. The new deals being offered independently by local dealerships range from daring to traditional, from free travel certificates to rock-bottom prices. The timing of this is not coincidental. Car manufacturers in North America and overseas are in many cases revving up their own rebates, low-interest deals and other automotive-related promotions. This means anything done locally makes it that much easier for customers to buy a car.

Odenza is talking openly and honestly to financial firms. They are addressing the biggest single issue inhibiting people’s ability to put down money on a large purchase such as a home mortgage. There is not enough great advertising that is insightfully addressing the issue. The issue is not “things are bad, so buy me, I’m cheaper,” the issue is, “what additional added value can I throw in to help you at this point in time.” It is not uncommon for financial firms to be more focused on special financial rates or reduced fees on new accounts rather than on a creative new promotion. However, you begin to look like everyone else when you focus on just that. Service fees, special rates, brand, and product are always going to be important in the decision-making process for financial firms, but right now, you need something additional, such as a travel incentive.