One of the things I like about having a blog is that communication is fast and easy……yet another effective tool in an ever changing and fast paced technological world.

OK…we know that things are slow, but not dead. We also know that our business, be it timeshare, proper, or fractional/PRC’s will rebound. But, in the meantime, we have to be smart about our operations. It is well known that for the last few years I have, as a consultant, been helping fractional and PRC developers enter the business, provide whatever resources that are required, and make sure they don’t make any mistakes. That was then. Even now I know of several great proposed projects, that are going to be real winners, that are just waiting for money. Hopefully they will still be there when money is available and the market conditions improve.

For those projects already up and running and experiencing difficult times and difficult decisions, I have helpful advice.

1) TRAIN…TRAIN…TRAIN  With fewer prospects coming through the door and salespeople with more time on their hands, training is the best course of action for two reasons. Managers need to keep salespeople occupied with positive activities and you cannot afford to lose even one prospect to ineffective sales practices. Each and every saleperson has to perform at peak efficiency. Toward that end, please allow me to offer my “Sales In The New Bazaar - The Relationship Approach” training program. It has been called the most effective training in the fractional/PRC industry. Ed McMullen, JR at a conference in California a few years ago said that I had probably trained half of all the fractional/PRC salespeople in the industry. I’m not sure about that but scores who attended those training classes have communicated with me to say that the training they received was the primary reason they had become so successful. Many of those people are, today, sales and project directors and a few developers. I recommend a two or three day session that culminates in a customized 11-14 step approach to successful fractional/PRC sales. If you want to maximize current market conditions, please give me a call to get schedules and rates. 407.342.0178 or tomgoetschius@aol.com

2) For my timeshare friends….It is unfortunate and painful that during this time of upheaval and uncertainty you are faced with having to downsize your sales force. Of course, you manage by the numbers (efficiencies) and that’s a proven best practice. There is another tool, however, that you will find helpful. I have promoted for many years the Management Resource Associates (MRA) profiling technology. MRA is one of the most effective tools a manager or supervisor can have to hire the right people and effectively manage them on a daily basis. It may not be readily known that MRA is also effective in determining who to let go. Rather than downsizing, MRA prefers to call it “Right Sizing” . Who has the characteristics and traits to effectively handle the current frustrating time? Who has the behaviours and skill sets to weather the storm and prepare for the recovery? I am a master MRA instructor and, through “The Executive Leadership Seminar” have certified hundreds of managers and supervisors to use the technology during the good times…the boom times. MRA and I stand ready to assist managers and supervisors today as they face today’s challenges. The “ELS” is now offered, live,  online to certify your managers and supervisors or I can administer the MRA to your salespeople, evaluate the instruments and submit helpful reports so that you can sleep at night knowing that you have taken appropriate “Right Sizing” actions.

For more information about MRA  www.mra-ent.com

Thanks for reading.. I look forward to any comments or response.

In my premier posting, I mentioned that I was heading up an exceptional PRC opportunity in Costa Rica. Playa Langosta Private Residence Club is a 10,000 sq. foot ocean front multi million dollar Estate Home that combines the most extraordinary design and features that I have ever seen in a home with exemplary personal ”As You Wish” services. The web site is live at www.playalangostaprc.com

We are taking non binding and fully refundable reservations for the 8 deeded fractional interests, with sales contracts in November and occupancy the first week in January of 2009. The first two fractional shares are priced at $695,000.

Please check out the web site. You can contact me if you need any additonal information.

In my ongoing commitment to affiliate my services, as consultant to the Fractional/PRC industry, with the top practitioners in the industry, I am pleased to announce a strategic alliance with  Robb & Stucky Interiors. Robb & Stucky has long been a leader in resort interior design and has a long list of industry projects. Robb & Stucky provides the finest furniture and accessories, award winning interior design, designer collections, exceptional furniture packages and a legendary reputation for style, selection and service. I have been assured by Dan Lubner, President of the Resort Division, that my clients will receive the best interior design, the best furniture and the best service. They are on the web at www.RobbStucky.com

It’s been a month since I launched the blog site and, boy, a lot has changed since then. Of course, aside from the upcoming election, the US, and apparently a large portion of the rest of the world, seems to be in free fall. I’ve called my financial planner three times to seek assurance that I am going to be OK, financially. I don’t know about you, but I wish the media would lighten up on the dire predictions and sense of doom and impending disaster. Of course, the situation is very serious. We get it. Thanks for letting us know. Now let’s get on with the recovery.

I just returned from the Vacation Ownership Investment Conference, sponsored by Interval International, held here in Orlando. It was quite somber at times and more than a few of the speakers took the opportunity, as the first order of business in their introductory remarks, to advise the assembled audience as to where the stock market was at that very moment…..and the news wasn’t good. But despite the credit freeze and plunging market, there was considerable optimism as to the resiliency of the vacation ownership industry and its ability to be among the first to rebound, based on historical data gathered from the aftermath of the Savings and Loan debacle in the 90’s and after 911.

Fractional Ownership and PRC’s continue to have a bright future, based on the irrefutable underlying logic of the concept and the undying desire of Americans and peoples of the free world to seek vacation and second home lifestyles.

I don’t know to what depths the downturn will go or how long it will last, but, never-the-less, there continues to be extraordinary Fractional/PRC opportunities available, provided by dedicated and passionate developers and there are people who are ready, willing and able to take advantage of those opportunites. We all might have to work a bit harder and smarter to seek out and fulfill the dreams and aspirations of those people, but whoever said this was an easy business, even in good times. One still has to have a project in the right destination and location, understand, precisiely, their clientele, have the right fraction size and use pattern, and rifle target an effective message of the extraordinary lifetsyle opportunity that Fractional Ownership provides, at a fraction of the cost.