September 2009 Developments - 56

Sa e Salles Sales same period. Forecasts for Myrtle Beach sales are looking good, on track to exceed the nine-month goal of $10 million in sales out of that resort. Marketing in Myrtle Sutherland notes that the sales success from Myrtle Beach has been fueled by the strong marketing support introduced here by Dennis DeLorenzo, a long-time friend and colleague of Sutherland from his tenure at Starwood Resorts (then Vistana Resorts) more than 20 years ago. DeLorenzo is now senior vice president of marketing and has led the development of nine OPC locations in Myrtle Beach placed in key tourist areas—primarily at the popular Broadway at the Beach complex. Keith Hill, regional vice president of marketing and a key leader on DeLorenzo’s team, has fostered area marketing relationships and implemented a marketing-run front desk operation at the Holiday Inn Club Vacations at South Beach Resort, where daily tour bookings have remained steady while keeping a low overhead. Hill said, “About 70% of the owners we’ve checked in here have taken an informative tour with us to learn about what Holiday Inn Club Vacations means to them—and the opportunities and beneﬁts membership will provide.” Myrtle Beach sales center ribbon-cutting development of a second sales center in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Sales Hit the Beach In April this year, we expanded our sales and marketing operations to a second location at Holiday Inn Club Vacations at South Beach Resort in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Home to 120 golf courses, an estimated 10 million annual visitors and countless amusement parks, shopping and dining experiences, Myrtle Beach has provided a prime testing ground for this time-honored sales and marketing model. So far, the journey of transferring our model from one site to the next has been seamless, although there are different obstacles. Sutherland says of this new location: “Myrtle Beach is a very popular destination, but it’s a seasonal and mostly local market, so we know we’re going to be facing a different trafﬁc pattern than that of our ever-steady Orlando resort. Regardless, there was no doubt in my mind that if we hired the best people in the industry from the area and used the same process that’s worked in Orlando for more than 25 years, our model would work there, too.” He attributes the success at the new sales operation to the team of 75—each who have been groomed through a formalized, 12-week training program that focuses on brand recognition, reputation and fulﬁllment, destination options, and club member beneﬁts. In Orlando, Sutherland’s 350-person sales team met their goals for the ﬁrst quarter of 2009, up from last year in this 56 Sutherland’s secrets to success have been (1) developing long-lasting relationships with his people—many of whom have been working with him for more than a decade; (2) creating a formalized, ﬁve-step sales process and managing to it, and (3) developing one of the most competitive compensation plans in the business. Brooke Doucha manages the Corporate Communications division of Orange Lake Resorts, which includes media relations and employee communications. She is a member of ARDA’s Communications & Awards Committees and can be reached at bdoucha@ holidayinnclub.com. Secret to Success? Don’t Keep Secrets An important factor for Sutherland in keeping the sales on target both in Orlando and Myrtle Beach has been remaining transparent. “There are no secrets about how we sell,” he says. “We pride ourselves in delivering an honest, straightforward message to our guests and want everyone we meet to go away from the tour, whether they purchase or not, feeling like they understand how Holiday Inn Club Vacations can enhance their lifestyle.” Developments • September 2009
September 2009 Developments

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2009 Developments
