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J

JBloggs

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We don't have highway billboards, we are not a chain hotel, we don't pay big bucks for advertising locally. They simply don't think about us and time passes quickly. A lady called who said they stayed with us a ton of times when they were building their house. I checked, it was twice. 8 years ago.
She was inquiring about sending someone to us. They feel like they send people all the time, they don't.
Stay in their face on social media, like mentioned, go to your city or town or regional pages and post photos of your place. I ran into a chap yesterday "You guys still open?" I have about 48 rolls of TP in my cart...so it was kind of a funny question/statement.
 
We recently have had a spate of calls asking if we're still open. All guests who used to come here back before the internet. They don't bother to look to see if there is a website, they just call. Absolute reason why we cannot get rid of either of the inn's phone numbers.
If they got a message saying the phone number was disconnected it would be, of course, because we've closed.
 
And we get a fair number of people who tell us they were 'just here'. Hmmm. Look up their names and it's either been 5-6 years or so long that they are not even in the db.
And they 'tell all their friends' about us, too. None of whom have ever been here.
 
We get locals who come by for one reason or another (e.g. boat rentals; or they never noticed our sign before but this time decided to drive in and check it out), and they say, "Wow! what an incredible view! We never knew you existed. How long have you been here?"
Uuhh, since 1948?! (or 1832, depending on how one defines terms)
A lot of folks in town have no idea of what our place is like, if they've even heard of us.
We hosted a Chamber of Commerce social/networking event last year, and the ladies at the Chamber office recently told us that people are still taking about our event, what a great time they had, what an incredible place it is, etc..., so that's good (and why we decided to do it!)
 
Harborfields said:
We get locals who come by for one reason or another (e.g. boat rentals; or they never noticed our sign before but this time decided to drive in and check it out), and they say, "Wow! what an incredible view! We never knew you existed. How long have you been here?"
Uuhh, since 1948?! (or 1832, depending on how one defines terms)
A lot of folks in town have no idea of what our place is like, if they've even heard of us.
We hosted a Chamber of Commerce social/networking event last year, and the ladies at the Chamber office recently told us that people are still taking about our event, what a great time they had, what an incredible place it is, etc..., so that's good (and why we decided to do it!).
Click to expand...
We're right on the main drag and we hear the same thing. 'I drive by there everyday! When did you open? You must be new!'
I've been here 10 years. The inn has been here for 25 years. The building was home to a 'favorite son' and has been here for 125 years.
Apparently this was quite the party house in the 70's & 80's. When locals figure out which house I'm talking about they tell me all about it.
 
Madeleine said:
Harborfields said:
We get locals who come by for one reason or another (e.g. boat rentals; or they never noticed our sign before but this time decided to drive in and check it out), and they say, "Wow! what an incredible view! We never knew you existed. How long have you been here?"
Uuhh, since 1948?! (or 1832, depending on how one defines terms)
A lot of folks in town have no idea of what our place is like, if they've even heard of us.
We hosted a Chamber of Commerce social/networking event last year, and the ladies at the Chamber office recently told us that people are still taking about our event, what a great time they had, what an incredible place it is, etc..., so that's good (and why we decided to do it!).
Click to expand...
We're right on the main drag and we hear the same thing. 'I drive by there everyday! When did you open? You must be new!'
I've been here 10 years. The inn has been here for 25 years. The building was home to a 'favorite son' and has been here for 125 years.
Apparently this was quite the party house in the 70's & 80's. When locals figure out which house I'm talking about they tell me all about it.
.
Click to expand...
I get the same thing from locals who drive by here every day. I have threatened to get arrested because the newspaper does such a good job publicizing the crime blotter.
sad_smile.gif

 
We don't even bother to market locally outside of leaving flyers here and there. We spent $$$$ on local advertising and have NEVER had a response from any of it.
That being said, we amped up our web presence and found our primary demographic usually comes from 2-3 hours away.
We do get referals and return guests, but you're right, we are a momentary distraction. They stay. They pay. They go away.
 
Madeleine said:
Harborfields said:
We get locals who come by for one reason or another (e.g. boat rentals; or they never noticed our sign before but this time decided to drive in and check it out), and they say, "Wow! what an incredible view! We never knew you existed. How long have you been here?"
Uuhh, since 1948?! (or 1832, depending on how one defines terms)
A lot of folks in town have no idea of what our place is like, if they've even heard of us.
We hosted a Chamber of Commerce social/networking event last year, and the ladies at the Chamber office recently told us that people are still taking about our event, what a great time they had, what an incredible place it is, etc..., so that's good (and why we decided to do it!).
Click to expand...
We're right on the main drag and we hear the same thing. 'I drive by there everyday! When did you open? You must be new!'
I've been here 10 years. The inn has been here for 25 years. The building was home to a 'favorite son' and has been here for 125 years.
Apparently this was quite the party house in the 70's & 80's. When locals figure out which house I'm talking about they tell me all about it.
.
Click to expand...
The son of the former owner used to run our Inn with his wife. They were weed-smokin' swingers. Yeah, I'm a little tired of having people "tell me all about it"
 
Madeleine said:
Harborfields said:
We get locals who come by for one reason or another (e.g. boat rentals; or they never noticed our sign before but this time decided to drive in and check it out), and they say, "Wow! what an incredible view! We never knew you existed. How long have you been here?"
Uuhh, since 1948?! (or 1832, depending on how one defines terms)
A lot of folks in town have no idea of what our place is like, if they've even heard of us.
We hosted a Chamber of Commerce social/networking event last year, and the ladies at the Chamber office recently told us that people are still taking about our event, what a great time they had, what an incredible place it is, etc..., so that's good (and why we decided to do it!).
Click to expand...
We're right on the main drag and we hear the same thing. 'I drive by there everyday! When did you open? You must be new!'
I've been here 10 years. The inn has been here for 25 years. The building was home to a 'favorite son' and has been here for 125 years.
Apparently this was quite the party house in the 70's & 80's. When locals figure out which house I'm talking about they tell me all about it.
.
Click to expand...
We named the B & B for the family that had owned the house from 1918 into the 1970s. The family was Garden Club, Sunday School Superintendent, Train Station Agent, Mayor, Recorder/Treasurer in the City for years. One would think EVERYONE would know where that house was! NO. Open since 1996, I STILL hear "I didn't know there was a B & B in..." Have been in the local rag, the daily from the County Seat big city, on TV numerous times, done everything except stand on my head on the street corner spitting nickels (IF I could figure out how to actually do that, I would) and they STILL do not know.
 
At this point, most of my business consists of
  • People in town on business, and referred by the people they're going business with (local banks, local hospital, local college).
  • People in town for weddings.
  • People in town for funerals.
  • People in town visiting relatives.
So keeping local people aware of my presence is really important in my case. The Chamber of Commerce was at my place a couple of weeks ago doing a ribbon cutting/grand opening. I am set up to host the Rotary Club soon, and the Chamber of Commerce bi-monthly cocktail party (with no cocktails) in March. I've been featured in the local "social magazine" and the local newspaper.
A good start, but will be hard to keep the interest up when I'm not new anymore!
I'll definitely play the visiting innkeepers up in December as something akin to a visit from the Queen of England. After all, Innkeep is coming back, and bringing her court!
 
there had been a B&B here since before 1975 as that's when planning was put in for a replacement fire escape ie there must have been one before that and long enough that it needed replacing - and the name has never been changed
I think however it depends where you are for example some B&B chums in another part of town do very well out of local flyering as virtually all their area is 1 bed flats so if mum and dad want to visit they want somewhere local they can stay
 
Madeleine said:
We recently have had a spate of calls asking if we're still open. All guests who used to come here back before the internet. They don't bother to look to see if there is a website, they just call. Absolute reason why we cannot get rid of either of the inn's phone numbers.
If they got a message saying the phone number was disconnected it would be, of course, because we've closed..
Click to expand...
We have the opposite problem. The house is named because of the pottery that used to be on the site, but that closed down in 1908 and was demolished in 1952. We still get people knocking on the door wanting to see the pottery or buy items (someone knocked on the door last week). I've even had people sent here by the local tourist offices looking for the pottery. I delight in telling them they're a bit late and then give them the above dates.
 
Highlands John said:
Madeleine said:
We recently have had a spate of calls asking if we're still open. All guests who used to come here back before the internet. They don't bother to look to see if there is a website, they just call. Absolute reason why we cannot get rid of either of the inn's phone numbers.
If they got a message saying the phone number was disconnected it would be, of course, because we've closed..
Click to expand...
We have the opposite problem. The house is named because of the pottery that used to be on the site, but that closed down in 1908 and was demolished in 1952. We still get people knocking on the door wanting to see the pottery or buy items (someone knocked on the door last week). I've even had people sent here by the local tourist offices looking for the pottery. I delight in telling them they're a bit late and then give them the above dates.
.
Click to expand...
HJ now I know what you should take up in your down time. You already have built in marketing for it. OR get with local potters and sell their pottery on consignment.
I know just more things to dust!!!
 
copperhead said:
Highlands John said:
Madeleine said:
We recently have had a spate of calls asking if we're still open. All guests who used to come here back before the internet. They don't bother to look to see if there is a website, they just call. Absolute reason why we cannot get rid of either of the inn's phone numbers.
If they got a message saying the phone number was disconnected it would be, of course, because we've closed..
Click to expand...
We have the opposite problem. The house is named because of the pottery that used to be on the site, but that closed down in 1908 and was demolished in 1952. We still get people knocking on the door wanting to see the pottery or buy items (someone knocked on the door last week). I've even had people sent here by the local tourist offices looking for the pottery. I delight in telling them they're a bit late and then give them the above dates.
.
Click to expand...
HJ now I know what you should take up in your down time. You already have built in marketing for it. OR get with local potters and sell their pottery on consignment.
I know just more things to dust!!!
.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I see business opportunity, too. If you've got enough people coming by looking for pottery, why not have some pottery available for sale?
 

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