Travelodge Hotel Accuses You

At the Travelodge Hotel You Are Guilty Till Proven Innocent


At the Travelodge Hotel, (Burlington on the Lake) you are guilty till proven innocent. How’s that for customer service? How’s that for marketing?

I attended a morning seminar at the Travelodge Hotel in Burlington. After the seminar I found this notice on the windshield of my car which I had parked in the Travelodge parking lot.

________________________________________________________
Travelodge Hotel
Burlington on the Lake

PARKING NOTICE
PRIVATE PROPERTY

YOU ARE CURRENTLY PARKED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY RESEVERED FOR HOTEL GUESTS AND RESTAURANT PARTRONS IN THE DESIGNATED AREA. SHOULD YOU REQUIRE A MONTHLY PARKING PASS PLEASE CONTACT THE FRONT DESK.

PLEASE REMOVE YOUR CAR

YOU WILL BE TICKETED OR TOWED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE, SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO IGNORE THIS NOTICE.

______________________________________________________________

(Yes it was typed in all CAPS with the extra large and bold print.)

How would you feel if you found this notice on your car? You just attended a meeting at the hotel. You parked legitimately in the regular parking lot and you are accused of being a trespasser, thief or worst. And you are threatened with fines and the hassle and embarrassment of having your car towed.

How would you feel?

Confused? Annoyed? Ticked?

I was all of those – plus curious. Curious about how anyone could be so stupid, insensitive and I was curious about the “explanation”.

So unlike most unhappy customers who would simple feel pissed-off and drive away – I walked back into the hotel.

I was curious and on a mission of discovery. I approached the front counter, placed the notice on the counter and asked the clerk, “What is this about?” She backed away as if I had vampire fangs. A manager from the back room approached the front desk to address my concerns. He did not introduce himself.

Same question for him, “What is this about?”

He immediately went into a defensive tirade. This was for my protection so I would have a place to park.

My next question, “Why have you accused me of an offense?”

“This was the only way we can protect your ability to park” After a few rounds of nonsense I left. There was no apology – only a self-righteous defense. And most importantly no “Thank you for bringing this to our attention.”

Not only did I feel falsely accused and abused by the Travelodge Hotel – I also felt unappreciated for bringing this mistake to their attention.

Anyone can make a mistake. Only a fool would persist in defending that mistake.

I guess that the Travelodge Hotel is a fool.

George Torok

Power Marketing

Marketing Blog Milestone: Post 251

Marketing Blog Milestone: Post 251

Celebrate your milestones - that's good marketing. Reaching significant milestones in your business speaks to your credibility, stability and persistence. All those things scream lasting value.

This marketing blog has surpassed blog post number 250. This is post number 251.

Let's review some of the best and significant posts over the past two and 1/2 years:


1. It started with a confession and epiphany in January 2006.

Post Alpha - a new marketing blog
Just recently I remarked to a friend that, "Blogs are for hobbyists and dabblers. Serious business people don't have blogs. They have real websites."So here I am starting my own blog. Why?


2. A new marketing term is revealed and defined.

Barketing Defined
A few posts ago on this blog I introduced the term “Barketing”. Since then some of you have expressed an interest in that term and asked for further clarification. Where did the term originate? Right here on this blog. This is the first time in public.


3. An example of using controversy as a marketing tool.

Christian Crusaders want to discuss DaVinci
That headline in the Globe and Mail (May 19, 2006) caught my attention. Why? Because with the reported religious controversy over the movie, The DaVinci Code, this sounded like a different approach. And that statement is a positive one.


4. Lessons to make blogging easier.

How to Create Content for your Blog
The keys to a successful blog are: relevance, frequent updates and practicality. How can you create the content for your blog? Here are a few examples:


5. The best branding example I've seen.

Branding: Death Cigarettes
I heard the best yet “How to create your Brand” story on this podcast with UK entrepreneur BJ Cunnigham.BJ created a company called The Enlightened Tobacco Company in 1991, selling a cigarette called “Death Cigarettes”. It was presented in a black package emblazoned with a white skull-and-crossbones logo. Just imagine how this might appeal to the rebels.


6. A good example of bad marketing.

Travelodge Hotel Accuses You
At the Travelodge Hotel You Are Guilty Till Proven Innocent. At the Travelodge Hotel, (Burlington on the Lake) you are guilty till proven innocent. How’s that for customer service? How’s that for marketing?


7. The power of controversy and how it stimulates viral marketing.

Flick off!
How do you create a powerful viral marketing campaign? Clearly identify and know your target market. Really know them – what they do, where they go, how they think, what motivates them, how to grab their attention and how to speak their language. (How much of that do you know about your target market?)



8. A branding genius in the buff.

Richard Branson has Chahones
Richard Branson has ChahonesRichard Branson has chahones and he likes to show them off. Here he is running nude in the waves. Sir Richard thrives on challenge and controversy. He is the billionaire that has retained or reclaimed the boldness and brashness of a teenager. (How many boomers remember streaking?)


9. Example of partnering with a movie for cross promotion

Iron Man - the latest movie from Marvel Comics
Watch the trailer. It looks sharp. Looks like Marvel has successfully made the transition from comic book producer to movie producer. Several Marvel Comics have been transformed into movies but this is the first movie that Marvel had produced since they decided that they could do it themselves. (It's always enlightening to watch a child grow up.) Can you guess the name of the theme song for the Iron Man movie? Hint: The band is Black Sabbath.


10. Wake up call for small business - stop wasting your money on branding!

Forget branding, invest in relations
George Torok, Financial Post Published: Monday, May 12, 2008
The majority of business owners could be headed for disaster this year. Small business does best when it acts like small business. It does poorly when it blindly attempts to copy big business.The results of an Ipsos-Reid poll in March, 2008, should scare you. It found "a majority (59%) of small to medium-sized business owners have identified branding as a top priority."

----------------

George Torok
Marketing Speaker
Business Speaker

Marketing Blog Milestone: Post 200

Marketing Blog Milestone: Post 200

200 Posts on this blog!

Celebrate your milestones!

Your milestones are a reason to pat yourself on the back and it’s a reason to market.

This is Marketing Blog Post 200. That’s reason to celebrate – even if that means quietly sipping some fine brandy in my easy chair.

Two hundred of anything is worth celebrating. What milestones have you reached or are approaching? Do something to let folks know. Why? Because everyone loves a party and everyone wants to associate with winners.

If you were here since the beginning – thank you for your loyalty. And of course you read many insightful marketing ideas and tips.

If you joined us along the way then you might appreciate this list of high points of our marketing blog. Look back at the provocative and helpful marketing gems.


Post Alpha
January 1, 2006
A realization hit me. Blogs might be a good marketing thing. This was the start of my blogging. At last count I have at least five four active blogs. This from a guy who thought blogs were a waste of time.



Aspirin – relief from pain
April 13, 2006
We take aspirin or equivalent when it hurts. We seek a solution when the pain or threat of more pain is enough to move us to change. Have you noticed that the changes you make in your life are more often the result of pain than anything else?



Harry Houdini – the great brand
November 16, 2006
The first look at the power of branding – especially personal branding as demonstrated by Escape artist – Harry Houdini.



Travelodge Hotel Accuses you
January 28, 2007
One of several exposés of really bad customer service.



Over 100 Posts
February 23 2007
We failed to flag the 100th post so this post was the recognition of passing that milestone.



Flick Off: Powerful Viral Marketing
April 26, 2007
Out first embrace of controversial viral marketing by acknowledging the strengths of the controversial Flick Off campaign. This post led to posts about Mac’s convenience stores and their Bloody Zit and WTF Nun poster. Also had a few media interviews about this topic.



Richard Branson has Chahones
October 8, 2007
Our first nude photo on this blog. Might be the only one. It’s Richard Branson running through the surf covering his chahones. He's a great marketer. And yes he has billionare sized chahones.



George Torok

Power Marketing

Marketing Author and Expert

Marketing Speaker