Invitation to Marketing Workshop

Dear Ms. Nalley and POA Board Members:

I am issuing yet another invitation to the “marketing” workshop at the Coronado Center on April 11^th from 6 PM until 8 PM.

In essence, Ms. Nalley, I am directing this invitation to you as I know the POA Board will attend if you give them authorization to do so.

In your email to me on April 4^th, you said some things that were very disconcerting.

Promote tourism to create revenue

In response to an idea regarding using golf tournaments to bring potential property owners to HSV, you said (and I quote), “ I felt the timing of a large scale push promoting heavy tourism into the village was premature”. Tourism, efficient marketing, targeted advertising and promotion all bring people to the Village. So, are we to assume that you have been intentionally holding back on driving traffic here? Because you thought it was premature? Premature to what? We need revenue! Revenue comes from leads … promoting heavy tourism or any other kind of visitation to the Village creates leads … and revenue! You need to attend the workshop!

Focus needed

You said (and I quote), “my position remains that we can no longer be singularly focused but should be appropriately focused and use the assets we have to their maximum potential”. What does this even mean? We need to be singularly focused. Look at the marketing strategies of large companies all over the world …. they are singularly focused … they know who their target markets are and how to reach them. The right marketing plan would make us “singularly focused”. You need to attend the workshop!

Branding strategy needed

You said, “How important I (Ms. Nalley) considered an overall community experience and a cohesive branding model was to such an effort (relating to bringing “tourism/visitors” into the Village)”. I do not believe you understand “branding”. This entire sentence does not make sense. At the seminar/workshop, you can learn all about “branding” and how to adopt a “cohesive branding” strategy. You need to attend the workshop!

Target market needed

You have positioned yourself as the “Marketing Director” for the Village, yet you demonstrate a poor understanding of marketing. Any undergraduate marketing student knows that having multiple target markets for a business our size is counter-productive and erodes the “brand”. When we choose a “target market”, we are not saying these are the only people we want to live here … we are simply concentrating our advertising/marketing dollars so they produce the most results. At the workshop, we will discuss how international companies focus their advertising on an easily identified target market. For example, Burger King wants everyone to come to their restaurants, but that is NOT how they advertise nor select their target market.

Also, it appears to me that your references to marketing, the direction of the Village and other strategic planning issues are essentially buzzwords and rhetoric without foundation. You talk of “cohesive branding”, “enterprise goals” and improving “net equity” seemingly without any real knowledge of what these mean. Your “Forward Together Marketing Forum” was just another of many examples demonstrating your lack of marketing skills. You need to attend the workshop.

Better way to market the Village

There are many things you and the POA Board members will learn at this workshop. However, I am afraid you will not attend because of what you might learn. You will likely learn that your marketing program is off track. You also might learn that your marketing expertise is not as substantial as you or others believe. You will probably learn there is a better way! And, therein lies the problem … if you, and/or the POA Board, learn there is a better way, you will be forced to explain to Villagers why you have spent $500,000+ on a program that will not work and is destined to fail!

We need to admit errors and turn this around

Adopting a sensible marketing strategy will expose the poor decision-making of the past. It will undermine the perceived “marketing” expertise of Village management and affiliated resources. It will diminish the credibility of the POA Board as a governing and management entity. This is all true … but the consequences of continuing on our current pathway will be worse. Creating a CMP steering committee, implementing a CMP subcommittee on marketing and the on-going “Let’s Talk” forums are simply more indications that you do not comprehend. These seem to be simple tactics to divert attention away from poor marketing and minimize the chances your marketing deficiencies will be exposed. This is what you are afraid to face and admit. Therefore, we continue down the pathway of misdirection, ignorance and incompetence. We need to admit our errors and turn this around!

Ms. Nalley, I believe you are a very bright individual. With some basic marketing education, I believe you could set the Village on the right path.

You need to attend the workshop! You might learn something.

With all due respect,

Phil Lemler