Vacation Incentives – A new trend.

By Pav Sangha, Director of Marketing with Odenza Vacations.

Vacation incentives are one of the most powerful methods of attracting new business, retaining existing business and enhancing product awareness.  Companies that have used vacation incentives in their advertising and promotions with Odenza have seen at least a 25% increase in their sales.

Today’s business environment has changed dramatically and it can be a real challenge to make a sale.  Sales skills alone aren't enough to compete with so many new products and services becoming everyday commodities.  This means you have to distinctively separate your business from the competition and lead each of your potential customers to think it would be a waste of time to do business with anyone else regardless of the price.

Consumers are shopping for the best bargains and they all want more than what they paid for. Every industry needs a marketing tool or competitive edge that appeals to a wide range of customers.  Many companies have already discovered that standard incentives (i.e. factory hard premiums and incentives) just don’t cut it with the customers in our continuously changing economy. The incentives you select have to appeal to your customers’ interests in order to measure up and get the results you are looking for.

Thousands of promotional companies offer incentive programs that are designed to evoke an emotional response and motivate people to take a positive action. It’s obvious from industry surveys provided by the Incentive Federation that travel is the most widely appealing incentive where everyone wins. Your sales people will close more sales, your clients will enjoy an exciting vacation experience and your business will continue to grow.

Areas you can use vacation incentives for:

• Sales Incentives – To increase sales.
• Employee Incentives – To motivate, retain and reward efficient employees.
• Customer Loyalty Incentives – To build customer loyalty and trust.
• Referral Incentives – To develop contacts and promote referrals.
• Purchase Incentives – Increase immediate sales and obtain money up front.
• Membership Perks – Sell new memberships.
• Trial Incentives – Encourage trial of product or service.  (i.e. car test drives)
• Up-sell Incentives – Encourage product or service upgrades.

Some examples of industries that are currently using vacation incentives:

• Banks and Financial Firms
• Medical Companies
• Car Dealers
• Jewelry Stores
• Furniture Retailers
• Service Providers
• Real Estate Firms
• Manufacturers
• Distributors

 

Vacation Incentives in Action!

“Our sales event worked out well, and the amount of interest that the Las Vegas package generated was outstanding!” - Doug Arnet, Sales Manager at Yorkton Dodge.

The Auto Manufacturing Industry

The auto manufacturing industry is considered to be highly competitive and labour intensive. Automobiles depend heavily on consumer trends, interests, and tastes. Consumer sales are the largest source of revenue and for this reason, taking consumer confidence and interests into account is a higher priority than considering the regular factors like earnings growth, debt load, etc.

Yorkton Dodge Key Challenges:

• Find a promotion that will entice customers to attend Yorkton Dodge dealership sales events held periodically during the year.
• Generate loyalty and trust from the local market, set themselves apart from their competitors in the surrounding area, and increase showroom traffic.
• Find a promotional travel provider that offers reliable and dependable travel packages that accommodate their customer’s needs and interests – demographically and geographically tailored.

Odenza Solution

• Fly Away N’ Play Las Vegas vacation packages; Las Vegas Nevada is still one of the top 10 travel destination for 2007.
• Vacation packages are designed to increase attendance volumes at dealership promotional events.
• Full-service travel agency with knowledgeable travel agents.
• Additional marketing and advertising materials – graphic designs, web development, print and web media, to support the campaign.

Implementation

Yorkton Dodge had used Odenza’s “Fly Away N’ Play” vacation packages to build enthusiasm among sales staff and sales event attendees. It added excitement to their showroom environment; they implemented a ‘One Day Sale’ that rewarded attendees who purchased a car with a getaway to Las Vegas, Nevada.

Key Marketing Benefits and Results

The Fly Away N’ Play Las Vegas package made their sales events highly appealing. It motivated their sales staff and built excitement, increased showroom attendance volume and helped push the sales of Dodge vehicles for their second-quarter. Odenza’s travel products presented Yorkton Dodge with a suitable means of attracting new and existing customers and established their niche market in an otherwise difficult geographical setting.