-Harnessing the power of a multi-faceted sales and marketing program  to assist upscale resort clients wishing to target the affluent demographic concerning rental, sales and management opportunities-

DENVER, CO -October 22, 2009 - The Society and La Sarenne Luxury Properties today announced the debut of their newest online marketing opportunity, The Diamond Affinity Program, a turnkey luxury resort marketing and sales platform.

“The Diamond Affinity Program has been designed and executed to overcome a major void in how resorts market and sell their products.” said Bruce Cuthbertson, partner with La Sarenne Luxury Properties, a California-based resort development firm adding, “The present economic malaise has impacted many resorts which have relied on antiquated sales and marketing tactics to achieve their goals. The Diamond Affinity program is a whole new sales and marketing platform designed for today, tomorrow and the future. We did not replace the tools in the toolbox, we designed a whole new container, inside and out.”

The Diamond Affinity Program is an all-in-one resort sales and marketing package. Using a multi-pronged approach, The Diamond Affinity Program harnesses the power of:

• Online Marketing: targeting the affluent and luxury lifestyle audience.
• CRM Tracking: including initial contact to close concierge assistance.
• VIP Events: in select markets to provide prospective clients in-person introductions.
• Public Relations: focused on the lifestyle, consumer and business marketplace.  

“No other entity in the industry has brought together the expansive marketing relationships, leveraged media purchases and targeted demographics combined to deliver not only large quantities of highly qualified prospects but exceeding close-rates above the industry standard,” said Michael McFadden, co-founder of The Society, a Colorado-based marketing firm representing hospitality and vacation oriented companies. McFadden added, “The economy has dictated the call for new ways to market luxury resorts and the Diamond Affinity program beckons that call.”

The Society and La Sarenne came together to leverage their resources to create the Diamond Affinity Program. “It just made sense to create this program jointly, taking advantage of our complimentary services to best serve the resort client desiring to turn lookers into bookers and visitors into owners.” said Cuthbertson.

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Contact: Bruce Cuthbertson   
La Sarenne Luxury Properties, LLC  
1-877-336-3942     
Bruce@LaSarenne.com    

Contact: Michael McFadden
The Society
1-866-789-8222 X1
Mike@TheSociety.com

Most respected hoteliers will provide an upgrade if available. The rationale of offering an upgrade as part of a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) plan is simple; 1) it makes the client feel special and 2) builds a lasting relationship i.e. repeat business.

Now, we understand a hotel is a “physical plant”, usually under one roof with services and amenities centralized. Yes, vacation home rentals are very opposite of this physical model. However, consider the following scenarios to allow upgrading to work to your advantage:

A client inquires about a 2-bedroom villa, one block from the beach. While it is available, you also have a similar unit on the beach. While the rack rate is higher, it is vacant. Why not consider offering to upgrade the client to the beachfront property? The client will feel their business is especially appreciated and you, the property manager will have a repeat client due to your generosity.

What if the properties are vastly different even though it is an upgrade? Location, design and amenities are easily quantifiable. It is a process of communication. Of course, if the client is set on a specific property based on their desires, no matter what you offer, it will be moot. However, if you can communicate to the client how your offer is an upgrade while the price remains the same; you may enjoy a life-long client.

Please note, communication is paramount and the goal is to build a lasting client relationship. Hoteliers are doing this around the globe i.e. discounting rates and providing an upgrade upon arrival. Even the travel agent consortium Virtuoso specifies in their hotel vendor contracts, “Virtuoso guests are to be offered an upgrade upon arrival if available.”

Our goal at The Society is to build a client base; an upgrade can go a long way towards this goal and insure revenues during flush times and when economic challenges arise. Your short-term generosity may lead to long-term benefits.