Getting SaaS-y . . . (it’s not what you think!)

Oh My Gosh, What if Someone Complains...

Like many college students, I slept through most of my economics classes.  My University held Wednesday night dances that didn’t start until 10:00 and “of course” I only stayed for 30 minutes because I wanted to be alert for my 8:00AM Economics class the next morning.  Needless to say, occasionally I would raise my head off my desk and try to listen to the concepts of Supply and Demand.  At the time, little did I realize that I would see Supply and Demand permeate everywhere throughout my adult life.   Ever try to buy tickets to a sold out Jimmy Buffet concert?  Prepare to pay double the ticket list price.  A few years ago my wife needed to buy a Furby for a Christmas present and I couldn’t find one in any store.  So I ended up paying over $100 on eBay only to watch the prices drop to $30 the week after Christmas.  And then the ultimate example of Supply and Demand is Gasoline prices, for which we all love making our weekly contributions toward the construction of palm island and indoor skiing resorts in Dubai.

I Dont Know About You, But I'm Excited !

written by Gary Pace, CEO and President of Leisure Holding, Inc

I try to make most of my postings fun to read by inserting a bit of “tongue and cheek” humor into my comments and examples.  When I decided to write about different approaches to Accrual Accounting in property management systems, I thought “now there is a hot topic.”  As my mind wandered, I thought of the little tax accountant in the movie Ghostbusters who threw a party and claimed “I’m deducting this party from my taxes, that’s why I invited clients instead of friends.”  As a CPA myself, I realized it just doesn’t get any better than that.

Should Campground Operators Continue to Participate in Discount Clubs?

Booking Camper Nights at Any Cost
Do you know what Deep Discounts Really Cost You?

There is a commercial that runs on TV in Southern California that drives me crazy.  It’s a personal injury attorney who claims that he can “get you back”.  For purposes of discussion, let’s call him Tony A. Walker.  The advertisement presents a series of former clients who claim …..”Tony A Walker got me $250,000”, or “Tony A Walker got me $500,000”  The ad then goes on to imply that if you have even the smallest injury, this personal injury attorney can turn your injury into free money.

So the thought hit me…….Hey, if these attorneys are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars building their name on TV so that everyone thinks of them when they have a slight injury, why not see if they would simultaneously promote your campground and they might even promote you for free…… Here is how the ad might work …. “if you like camping, stay at XYZ Campground.  Then if you get injured, call Tony A Walker”.

Now before you think Gary has lost his mind, consider these arguments:
The ad probably won’t cost you anything.
It will get broad exposure.
It might drive more guests into your park.
It helps you market to consumers who are looking to get something for free.
If you get sued, who cares, the insurance company pays for it.
If it dilutes your brand and guest loyalty over time, who cares, it’s bringing in camper nights NOW.