A Timeshare Presentation Survival Guide
By Sing Li (part 3)
Shark Attack Avoidance
With this understanding, we can easily formulate one single simple strategy (from point 5 above) to avoid timeshare shark attacks:
Be honest with yourself. Regardless of how attractive the gift may be, do not attend a timeshare presentation if you have already decided that you will not buy an interval under any circumstances.
Not only will this strategy save your otherwise perfect holiday, if everyone will only practice this one simple strategy, the timeshare industry will save millions of wasted marketing dollars annually. The developer’s price of timeshare products will most likely fall. This is not to say that you should not attend a presentation if you have no intention to buy. You have full right to find out more about the product if there is even a remote chance of purchasing an interval. It is the job of the front-line salesperson to turn that remote chance into a sale. Most sales professionals will take on the challenge with pride. But if you’ve already decided not to buy before you hit the sales center, you should be psychologically prepared for a potentially brutal session.
More Attack Avoidance Strategies
Assuming that you are practicing the above simple strategy and decide to attend a presentation, problem factors 1-4 can still contribute to an unpleasant experience. If you decide to buy, obviously, none of these problems will arise. All of these factors are out of your control, but there are some things you can do to minimize the chance of them ruining your treasured vacation. Here are some strategies to keep in mind at the sales center:
(A) Develop a deep rapport with your sales rep (if possible) during the breakfast/lunch.
This will help a professional understand your vacation needs and preference more precisely. While it will allow the salesperson to sell the product more effectively, it will also ease the exit should you decided not to buy an interval. You’ve made a new friend, and you could be walking away from the sales floor smiling.
(B) Give your sales rep a chance to present the product and address your concerns.
Allow 90 minutes or more for the breakfast/lunch meeting and presentation of the product. Be honest and upfront with your preferences and concerns. Listen to what the sales rep has to say. Object to anything that seems unreasonable, but give credit to sound reasoning. Remember that you always have the final right to a NO, if you feel uncomfortable with the product, with no other substantiated reason required.
A good sales professional will always respect your final decision, if you will give them the time to tell the whole story and address your concerns.
Do not attempt to leave before the 90 minutes period (or until the sales rep concludes the presentation.) In some cases, a sales rep is required to go through certain scenarios and worksheets before he/she can collect remuneration for a no-sale presentation.
(C) Be prepared for intense persistence.
Study after study has shown that persistence is essential to making a sale. Your sales rep knows this and will be very persistent in overcoming your objections, repeatedly attempting to help you see how great the product can be for you. He or she will not take a simple, single “NO” for an answer. Realize that if the sales rep does that, he or she will not have a job for long.
Unfortunately, many folks feel uncomfortable saying “NO” repeatedly, and this required persistence becomes an unpleasant form of sales pressure. Fortunately, however, if you follow strategy (A) and (B) above, your professional sales rep will keep the number of “NOs” you need to a minimum should you decide not to buy. This is because he or she will not ask for your decision until the presentation is completed and all your concerns are addressed.
(D) Forget about achieving an amiable close.
Some folks, living among highly supportive friends and family, like to tell a salesperson: “Thank you very much for your presentation and time. You have done a great job presenting the facts and we like the resort very much. We greatly enjoyed it. However, we will not buy at this time.” To some sales professionals, this can be the highest degree of insult. It is equivalent to saying: “Too bad you couldn’t sell me on this.” This can immediately trigger another round of sales attempt, or destroy the established rapport. Know and realize the different nature and objective between yourself and your sales rep. Respect him or her; simply end a no-sale session with a universal friendly smile and a handshake.
(E) Know when you’re trapped and exit early.
There will be situations where the salesperson is totally unprofessional (i.e. intimidation and racial remarks have no place in any sales meeting), and the sales organization is totally unsympathetic. Fortunately, this occurs very, very rarely nowadays. If you do find yourself in this situation, ask to be excused at the earliest opportunity. No discount or incentive is worth ruining a vacation.
Observing and practicing these strategies during a timeshare presentation will greatly reduce the chance of an unpleasant experience.
For more information regarding this article or assistance in any other timeshare related issues please contact the TCA on 01908 881058 or email: info@TimeshareConsumerAssociation.org.uk