Monthly Archives: February 2014

Frequent Stay and Referral Program

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Did you know that you can reward your guests for staying frequently and for referring their friends to you?  Repeat business and referrals bring in money.  As a bed and breakfast owner, you can put in place a program to encourage guests to come again and tell their friends about your B&B.  Having a frequent stay and referral program is a great way to reward your guests.

You can say, “The highest compliment you can give us is to return again as a guest and to refer us to others.”  There are a variety of arrangements bed and breakfasts offer, such as:

  • When five of your referrals have booked with us, you get a free night’s stay.
  • Refer another couple who stays two nights, and you get $50 off your next visit.
  • With three referrals, you earn a free night in our standard room or 50% off one of our hot tub suites.

You may need to specify certain restrictions including:

  • When your friends make a reservation online, they must type your name as the referral.
  • Must show their receipts from previous stays.
  • Only when your first night’s stay is on a Sunday through a Thursday.
  • Excludes special events, holidays, and peak periods.
  • Not redeemable for cash.
  • Other restrictions may apply.
  • Expiration date (if any).

You can promote this frequent stay and referral program on your website, in your blog, and through social media. Make sure you mention this as your guests leave to remind them of this unique opportunity.  You will enjoy seeing the familiar faces of your returning guests as well as meeting their friends!

 

Image by Marcus Berg of Unique Angles Photography

Posted in Blog and Social Media, Guests, Promotion

The Business Traveler

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Have you thought about promoting your bed and breakfast to the business traveler? Your B&B may be in a quiet area that is not too far from major companies.  You can offer a discounted rate to corporate business people.  One bed and breakfast called their promotion code “BIZRATE”.

You can emphasize all the reasons why traveling employees want to stay with you:

  • Their own desk area with comfortable office chair
  • Wi-fi
  • Fax machine
  • Alarm clock
  • Located near a copy store like Kinko’s
  • Peace and quiet
  • Free parking
  • Flexible check-in times
  • Adjustable breakfast arrangements (including “to go”)
  • Lenient cancellation policy (ex: no penalty for canceling by noon on the day prior to your scheduled arrival)

Some B&B’s choose to limit this offer to specific rooms or do not make this promotion available at certain times of the year.  As an innkeeper, you can offer the traveler a certain percentage off their room.  One bed and breakfast offers 20% off the first night and 33% off all other nights.

You can emphasize that they will receive the same great breakfast, same wonderful service, and they are staying at an awesome place.  Be sure to discuss this promotion on your website, in your blog, and through social media. You may even contact local area major corporations to let them know their out-of-town employees and customers can stay at your bed and breakfast.  Be sure to take advantage of your closeness to major businesses.

 

Image by Marcus Berg of Unique Angles Photography

Posted in Blog and Social Media, Guests, Promotion

Parents of College Students

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Is your bed and breakfast located near a college or university?  You should attract the parents of college students who live in your area.  Specify what schools their students must attend in order for their parents to receive the discount.  You may decide to blackout certain dates such as graduation weekend or holidays.

One bed and breakfast offers college parents who stay six nights, to have the seventh night for free.  Discounting the room rate or taking a certain dollar amount off are other ways to provide value to their parents.

You can advertise your bed and breakfast discount in a university magazine or newspaper as well as list it on your website, blog, and through social media. This is a great way to get repeat visitors since their son or daughter will likely attend the school for several years!

 

Image by Marcus Berg of Unique Angles Photography

Posted in Blog and Social Media, Guests, Promotion

Military Special

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military-special

Do you want to show your appreciation for the men and women in the military who protect our freedoms?  As a bed and breakfast owner, you can offer a military special discount to all United States military men and women.  It is a good idea to require they show you their military identification when they check in so you can apply that discount. You may set limitations such as cannot be applied towards a package or a gift certificate purchase. Patriotic Americans will salute your generosity to those in service to our country.

 

Image by Marcus Berg of Unique Angles Photography

Posted in Guests, Promotion

Senior Citizen Discount

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senior-citizen-discount

Have you ever thought about attracting seniors to stay at your bed and breakfast?  They are a group that generally has more free time and less responsibilities at home because they have grown children.  Seniors may also have a more limited budget.  By extending a senior citizen discount, you are welcoming them to visit your inn.

You can specify:

  • Age (ex: 60+)
  • Time of week (ex: Sun-Thurs.)
  • Discount (percentage off or flat rate off)

You should state that you require they show proof of age upon arrival.  You may want to exclude holidays or other peak times.  Sometimes bed and breakfasts accept AARP discount cards.  Your willingness to lower your prices can earn you more money because you have more guests visiting your bed and breakfast.  Be sure to promote this on your website, blog, and social media.

 

Image by Marcus Berg of Unique Angles Photography

Posted in Blog and Social Media, Guests, Promotion

Murder Mysteries

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Do you know that you could host murder mysteries at your bed and breakfast?  Not real ones of course!  Many bed and breakfasts invite guests to participate in a who-did-it type murder mystery.

The variety of murder mystery options include any of the following:

  • Using written kits with script booklets.
  • Assigning roles ahead of time and providing each guest with lines.
  • Some of the murders occur in previous eras such as the 1920’s.
  • Providing wardrobe options including outfits, hats, and scarves. 
  • Hosting a meal during the mystery.
  • Having participants look for clues in pairs.  
  • Encouraging guests to take pictures to prove their alibis.
  • Having your staff act as characters in the mystery. 
  • Spreading the scenes of the mystery out over the weekend.
  • Solving the mystery in one evening.

Advise your guests:

  • Arrive in plenty of time to settle in and participate.
  • If applicable, to bring their scripts.
  • They can bring clothes and props for their roles (if they know it ahead of time).
  • Inspire your guests to question or point to others with motive and opportunity.
  • Assure your guests that you will not let them fall out of character.

You can market your murder mystery weekend(s) on your website, in your blog, on social media, and through your associations.  Some bed and breakfast owners even offer a promotion code for guests to get a discount on their room. Your bed and breakfast does not necessarily have to be historic or haunted in order to offer this type of event.  The bottom line is that your guests thoroughly enjoy themselves in the process of solving the murder mystery!

 

Image by Marcus Berg of Unique Angles Photography

Posted in Activities, Blog and Social Media, Events, Promotion

Are You Media Friendly?

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Are you media friendly?  Why not make it easy for a journalist or reporter to do a story on your bed and breakfast? Have a press kit on your website.  Consider asking, “Are you a journalist working on a story about inns or bed and breakfasts? We would love to help you with your story or article.”

The press kit can include:

  • Media contact‘s name, phone number, e-mail address (owner, innkeeper, public relations person for your B&B)
  • The history of the bed and breakfast: location, year it was built, original owners, type of architecture, date it became a bed and breakfast, etc.
  • Information about the innkeepers/owners: where they are originally from, their career history, their hobbies, pets, kids, etc.
  • Awards you and your B&B have received: from bed and breakfast associations, cooking contests won, your AAA rating, your Better Business Bureau grade, etc.
  • Press coverage: list of and link to articles in newspapers, magazines, online attention
  • High resolution photos of the inside including the rooms as well as the outside of the bed and breakfast as well as the best breakfasts and other food you serve
  • Map of area and nearby attractions
  • Videos made about your B&B or ones that you have had filmed to promote your bed and breakfast
  • Amenities: private hot tub, fireplace, library, spa, garden, etc.
  • Current promotions: such as special packages and upcoming events like weddings
  • Online guest reviews: share positive guest testimonials
  • Your blog

Anything that you think will enhance your reputation as providing exceptional hospitality, this is your opportunity make it accessible for the press to report on it.  Even curious potential guests will be impressed by it when they see it.

If you do not mind members of the press coming to your bed and breakfast to interview you and/or make a video, then be sure to state that on-site tours can be arranged.  There is nothing better than free publicity!

 

Image by Marcus Berg of Unique Angles Photography

Posted in Amenities, Associations and Ratings, Blog and Social Media, Food, Promotion

Is Your B&B Green?

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Is your B&B green? Would you like to know a way to possibly reduce your costs and be environmentally friendly? A “green” bed and breakfast has the goal of promoting the sustainability of the earth’s natural resources.

There are four main areas of green initiatives:

  • energy efficiency
  • conservation of water and other natural resources
  • waste reduction
  • education

Some practical applications of this include:

  • encouraging guests to re-use their towels and linens
  • using soap dispensers instead of individually wrapped bars of soap
  • low-flow shower heads and toilets
  • using green cleaning supplies with safe cleaning agents
  • replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact flourescent light bulbs
  • re-insulating your bed and breakfast
  • installing solar panels on the roof
  • having an energy efficient furnace
  • installing a rainwater collection system to redirect the water to your inn’s garden
  • composting everything possible
  • recycling and purchasing recycled products

You can proclaim your inn’s commitment to protecting the environment by implementing these practices.  In the long run, this could save you money with lower energy bills.  If you belong to a state bed and breakfast association, they may be able to endorse you as a green bed and breakfast if someone evaluates your green practices.  You can promote to your guests that you are a green bed and breakfast.

 

Image by Marcus Berg of Unique Angles Photography

Posted in Associations and Ratings, Gardening and Lawns, Guests

Bed and Breakfast Gazebos

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As bed and breakfast owners, you know it is the little things that make a big difference.  Did you know that just by adding a gazebo to your property, you are making it more appealing to potential guests?  Attractive landscaping, including bed and breakfast gazebos, enhances the look for your bed and breakfast.

A gazebo is sometimes octagonal or tent shaped and can be free standing or attached to a garden wall.  It is typically built with wood and has standard roofing materials.  It can be open on all sides or have netting to keep out bugs.

Gazebos have a variety of styles and serve a variety of purposes:

  • A quiet place to enjoy the view outdoors
  • Provides shade
  • Shelter from rain
  • Ornamental feature in landscaping lawns
  • In weddings, it is used for exchanging vows and cutting the cake

If you have a gazebo, do you feature it by landscaping around it and by using it for outdoor events?  If you do not have a gazebo, is there room for one and do you know your reasons for adding one?

You don’t have to be a professional builder in order to build one yourself. They can also be purchased from home improvement stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot.  It would be great to feature pictures of your gazebo on your website. You can also talk about its construction in a new blog post.

 

Image by Marcus Berg of Unique Angles Photography

Posted in Amenities, Decorating, Gardening and Lawns

Bed and Breakfast Gardens

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bed-and-breakfast-gardens

Bed and breakfasts have been very creative with the way they design and develop their gardens.  There are so many terrific ideas to make it a breathtaking, peaceful, and romantic place for your guests.  Bed and breakfast gardens may have or can include:

  • benches
  • bird baths
  • bicycle or boot used as a planter
  • conifers
  • curving paths
  • fish ponds
  • hosta plants
  • magnolia bushes
  • ornamental grasses
  • perennials
  • pines
  • planters
  • pottery
  • reflecting pond
  • rock garden
  • roses
  • shrubs
  • terraced wall garden
  • tulips
  • waterfall
  • water lilies
  • woods

Your garden will attract the beauty of gorgeous butterflies and hopping bunnies as well as the pleasant chirping of birds and sound of babbling brooks.  You can make it informative by placing little signs throughout to label what you planted.  You can make it as personal as you want by naming your garden and inscribing its benches.  If it is a historical bed and breakfast, you can use the names of former residents.

There is no limit to the joyous possibilities of your ever changing and growing garden.   By planting things that bloom at different times in the year, it can look great all year round.

 

Image by Marcus Berg of Unique Angles Photography

Posted in Amenities, Blog and Social Media, Gardening and Lawns, Guests
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