Client Case Study: Fager's Island
Finding ideal guests for hotels & resorts
Client Goal
John W. Fager, the owner of the Fager's Island hotel and restaurant complex, was
seeking to find not only more guests for his two boutique hotels in Ocean City,
Maryland, but also to locate only those that were likely to have the highest average
bills.
Prospect Demographic Criteria
Fager's Island is a high-end luxury property in a town known for family vacations.
The first step in designing the campaign was a detailed analysis of the house file.
Our proprietary analysis methodology was able to uncover demographic information
on the guest who stayed the most nights and had the highest average bills. New prospects
were selected according to the following criteria:
- Specific age, income, marital status, and number of children
- Home residence location, not only by city, but by specific zip codes in the particular
city
Solution
Four groups of new prospects matching the ideal customer profile were selected and
then touched 3 times each (spring, fall and winter) with a colorful postcard that
featured alluring lifestyle photos taken on the property. This piece was the first
in a series of three. The initial card focused on the beauty of the area’s sunsets
and the romantic luxury of the rooms. The tropical scene was delivered to the Baltimore
area in February. The second card focused on the regionally renowned food from Fager’s
Island’s restaurant paired with the high-end interiors and views of the rooms. The
third card featured a close up art photo of monkeys carved into furniture which
is a signature of the hotel's style and the owner’s advertising fit and feel.
Results
The campaign drew an overall response of 3.5%, and generated a significant increase
in brand awareness. The campaign introduced many ideal customers to the Fager’s
Island properties and generated a very healthy return on investment.