Keeping the guests coming is a lot more work than you'd think.It's something that you have to constantly work on.
Some bed and breakfast locations are easier to book than others. Places like the beach or a good sized lake or a ski resort always have lots of visitors so it's easy for guests to find you on line.
If you are off the beaten path, as we are, it takes a bit of creativity to keep those rooms filled.
When we first opened, we signed up with one of those coupon deal sites (think Groupon) and it was great. Effortlessly, we were packed solid for our entire first year.
Our contact person held our hand every step of the way. He helped us design a package that had wide appeal and he knew how to target the right audience. He was easy to reach and was in constant contact with us. Unlike expensive ads in magazines or travel guides that generated no business, we only had to pay a fee for actual bookings. It was a sweet deal and we made a ton of money. We were thrilled! That's the good news.
The second year, our terrific contact person had left the company and we were assigned someone new. Everything that was great about the first year was bad with the second. The contact person was hard to reach, audiences suggested for promotion were clearly wrong and the company fees went sky high while they insisted we cut our prices way below our profit threshold. The good news was that we only had to pay when rooms were actually booked so we didn't have to pay much because, the second year, the coupon deal company did not book many rooms for us.
The point is that most marketing, promotion and/or booking companies know very little (if anything) about you and your business. What they know about is THEIR business and that's what they're selling.... their business, not yours.
Oh sure there are excellent marketing firms out there but they handle big clients who can absorb losses from campaigns that are not successful. With an independently owned B&B, every penny counts.
Bed and breakfasts are perhaps the smallest of all small businesses. Marketing companies find B&B's easy targets because owners rarely have many employees (if any) and are often overwhelmed with day to day operations. To weary owners, these companies seem like salvation.
But the truth is that marketing is perhaps the easiest (and can be the cheapest) part of owning a B&B and certainly more fun than cleaning rooms or making beds.
Marketing is something you need to do for yourself.
And no one knows your B&B like you do.
So how can you market your business and get bookings without paying a lot of money to a marketing firm?
Start here....
1. First decide who you are and where you are.
Are you a secluded weekend get-away? A family vacation spot? A stop over to somewhere else?
Some B&B's cater to only quilters. Others to honeymooners. Others to outlet shoppers, fishermen, bridge players, business travelers, whatever. Some are only open seasonally or when there is a regional festival or event.
2. Target your customer.
Once you've decided who and where you are, focus on that. Everything you do should pin point your potential customer. Continually ask yourself..... will doing this help me bring in my type of guest?
3. Create simple packages.
Focus on your targeted guests by putting together a package or two that really enhances the reason they are coming to your B&B.
For example, a winery tour package that includes a picnic lunch, a wine trail map and a brochure on how to taste wine.
Or, for an antique shopping package, how about an itinerary that includes local antiques shops, driving directions, suggestions for lunch spots and some munchies for the road.
A quilters package might include a pop up shop for forgotten quilting supplies, a help yourself refreshment table, a brown bag lunch and dinner reservations at a local restaurant.
Get the idea?
4. Offer discounts to promoters and organizers.
A reduced (or free!) room or package might be just the thing to motivate someone into organizing a group to book your B&B. Something like "Bring a group of 10 to our B&B and you stay free!" Giving away a free room to someone who organizes a group of 10 to stay at your B&B is a lot cheaper than paying for an ad that doesn't bring in anyone.
5. Over flow lodgings.
Get information to places that may need lodgings from time to time. Schools and colleges at graduation time. Military bases where parents and friends attend ceremonies. Churches holding revivals. Wedding venues and wedding planners. Corporate and training offices.
Email works well but a nice brochure sent via snail mail is something they can have at hand. You could even invite contact people to lunch or tea and show them around. The personal touch is always the best.
6. Get a web site.
If you don't already have a web site, get one up immediately. It doesn't have to be expensive.... maybe a few dollars a month for a basic site. It doesn't have to be elaborate and you don't have to hire anyone to do it for you.
With today's point and click, DIY websites, you can easily put up a one page site with your basic information. Just google "DIY Web Sites". BTW, stay away from free web sites. They are not always reliable.
Set up a FaceBook page, too.
7. Get a business phone.
A land line, business phone is still a good business idea because you will get a phone number that people can find on line.
Cell phones are a nice back up and alternative but can result in missed calls during bad weather or if you're out of the area.
8. Send out press releases.
Don't be shy. Newspapers, magazines, radio stations, TV, bloggers are always looking for fun information to share with their audience. Keep it short and sweet.
9. Ask for samples.
When people try to sell you advertising, always ask for a (free) sample. If they won't let you try before you buy, skip it. If their advertising vehicle was really able to bring in business for you, they'd be happy to let you have a try because you'd then become their customer for life!
10. Designate one day each week for marketing.
It's easy to let marketing slide. No matter how busy you are (or not) use some time each week for promoting your business.
Put it on your calendar. Don't be slip shod about it. Schedule it! It doesn't have to be a whole day. An hour may be enough.... but make that a consistent, regularly scheduled hour.
Regular marketing will make all the difference.
Marketing is your life line!
