How a small seaside motel changed in a successful year-round resort in just a few years?
Carol Veldt, owner of Seagull Terrace, watched her investment grow from a small, seaside motel to a successful year-round resort in just a few years. Atop a bluff (a cliff) overlooking the Maine coast, Seagull Terrace had attracted thousands of visits during the summer months, but then faced a tremendous downturn in business during the winter months. “But, keeping in view the industry in the nearby towns, very little year-round competition, and our close proximity (nearness) to Portland,” Carol added, “I couldn’t
understand why seasonality had to hit Seagull Terrace so hard!”
So Carol spent her first winter devising (making) a new marketing plan. She put
together a promotional package designed to attract business travelers year-round. Carol’s
plan, then, involved a seasonal promotional gimmick (attention-grabber/device or
trick)—to be implemented from late winter to late spring—that would attract the large
summer crowd. Her idea worked! During her second winter, Carol greeted numerous
business travelers—both satisfied repeat guests as well as new guests who had been
snagged (caught) by her promotional appeals.
“We still have a long way to go,” Carol Veldt admitted. “Our delicatessen (place,
venue for selling goods or restaurant) offers delicious entrees, but we’d like to expand
that. We provide health club privileges (rights) off-site, but we’d like to eventually
provide our own. These are goals I hope to achieve in a few years. Our first project,
however, included a renovation (reconstruction/repair) of our guest rooms and I’m quite
proud of the results.” Carol then added, “Actually there are so many possibilities! With
an indoor pool area, I will eventually offer weekend getaways (vacations/leaves)
throughout winter.”
Questions:
1. How might the marketing mix at Seagull Terrace differ between its two target markets?