We Asked:
Recent events have made it clear that travelers (especially past guests) within driving distance of your region should be a key marketing priority. Please comment on what you've tried, and what has worked.
You Replied:
"Since we are not a 'destination,' we use specials to generate off-season business. In the past we have run a variety of Chocolate Specials that have been very successful. We've just introduced a 10-pound Lobster Special, and I really expect it to work well, but only time will tell. Lobster is one of our biggest draws and in season it is a wonderful marketing tool (as we catch our own, there is minimal expense to us). In season, our lobster specials easily fill our midweek gaps so we decided to try a winter special, with a ten-pound lobster -- a truly decadent temptation (we hope). Often specials don't bring immediate business, but they generate interest that turns into bookings later in the year. We try to create interesting specials, not just a third night free deal. Potential guests may not book the specials, but they definitely remember them. This winter should be especially challenging as travel patterns have changed drastically since Sept 11th. Almost all of my reservations are made less than two weeks from the travel day and even frequently only a day or two in advance."
Cheryl & Brad Leonard, 1831 Zachariah Eddy House B&B, Middleborough, MA
"We are located in the 'Oldest Town in Texas,' in the Piney Woods of East Texas, roughly a two-hour drive from Houston and three hours from Dallas. We get quite a few travelers looking for weekend getaways. I took a shot in the dark some months ago and placed some ads in church bulletins in some large and rather wealthy parishes in Dallas and Houston. These inexpensive ads have generated numerous bookings for us, especially from church groups planning weekend getaways."
Buzz Dutton, Hardeman Guest House Historic B&B, Nacogdoches, TX
"Prufrock's Garden Inn by the Beach is strategically located on the coast between Los Angeles/San Diego (75-175 miles) and the San Francisco Bay Area (300 miles). Many guests from the large metropolitan areas love the escape to what has become known as the 'American Riviera.' To encourage extended stays, we offer 'Always a FREE Night, Always' specials. This includes added nights with weeknights or weekends. In the event that guests are unable to extend their stay, we give a transferable gift certificate for either a return stay or to give as a holiday, birthday, anniversary, or wedding gift. Several have chosen to give the certificates to favorite charities for either auctions or to recognize faithful volunteers or employees."
Judy & Jim Halvorsen, Prufrock's Garden Inn By The Beach, B&B Carpinteria, CA
From the January 2001 issue of the Innkeeper News
Sarah Stotts
Marketing
BedandBreakfast.com
Inns.com
RezOvation
Sarah.Stotts@BedandBreakfast.com