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Momma Smurf

Momma Smurf

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There is an independent magazine in this state that picks an area each month, then writes a play-by-play recap of the places they stayed, ate, and visited. We received a phone call saying they would be our area this month and would like to use us as the featured inn. EXCEPT when pinning them down, they want us to comp the room on a very busy June weekend ($450) in exchange for the publicity. Plus we would have to pay the lodging tax.
Poppa and I am not sure what to do or about the actual reach of this magazine. It's delivered to us for free and we read all these getaway feature pieces, but now that they want the stay comped, am looking at them in a new light, like this is a great way for the writing staff to have "free" weekends away.
 
#1 - why would you have to pay the lodging tax on a comp?
#2 - why can they not come on a week day?
#3 - suggest a tour, photo op, and breakfast to experience your B & B
 
The lodging tax is not the deal breaker. This is always a weekend thingy with them. There are those of you out there who are familiar with this Mag, any opinions, know any of the other inns who have been in it? They have 115K Facebook followers and say they will be tweeting about their stay. I think the magazine is distributed heavily through the state, but it is intensely Advertising focused vs content. We sometimes put it in rooms, sometimes not.
 
We have not, as far as I know, gotten enough business from reviews in and on magazines/newspapers to warrant giving up a sure thing on a busy weekend. It is great for publicity on your site, or to reassure those who want one more "independent" review of your lovely B+B, but if you need the income from the weekend I would pass. Offer them a stay another weekday and perhaps they can rearrange their schedule.
 
I have advertised in several publications where the magazine is distributed free because the advertisers pay for he publication. I always get advertorial space with it for an article I would write. How much would it cost for an ad in the magazine? If it is a wash - I might consider it because people trust articles more than ads. Sometimes a well-placed sentence in an article will proved more revenue than 10 ads.
Why not contact a few of the previously featured B & Bs and ask if it made a difference in bookings. What was the response from the article they were in? Use that as a yardstick for your decision
 
Personally if it is one of those giveaway things I would not even consider it. Do you even have a guarantee of even a mention?
i would say thanks but no thanks
 
EmptyNest said:
Personally if it is one of those giveaway things I would not even consider it. Do you even have a guarantee of even a mention?
i would say thanks but no thanks.
Click to expand...
Yes always at least 3 separate paragraphs. One small photo. Online also. Guaranteed.
 
Silverspoon said:
We have not, as far as I know, gotten enough business from reviews in and on magazines/newspapers to warrant giving up a sure thing on a busy weekend. It is great for publicity on your site, or to reassure those who want one more "independent" review of your lovely B+B, but if you need the income from the weekend I would pass. Offer them a stay another weekday and perhaps they can rearrange their schedule..
Click to expand...
I agree. One should ask whether giving up $150 would not be better spent on something like a local ad, b and b . com, the state b&b association, PPC campaign, mailing out postcards to past clients, professional SEO work...
Yes they might only bring in a few annual listings, but that might bring in more than the "write-up by XYZ reviewer you never heard of."
Also, I think a well-timed, no cost press release campaign to local paper/radio/TV station: new B&B in town, 5 year anniversary, B&B has new owner, B&B has charity event, etc., would have every bit as much value as some of these reviewers looking for a freebie stayover.
And don't forget, they can write a negative or neutral review, not just glowing. There is risk involved as well as revenue.
 
Momma Smurf said:
EmptyNest said:
Personally if it is one of those giveaway things I would not even consider it. Do you even have a guarantee of even a mention?
i would say thanks but no thanks.
Click to expand...
Yes always at least 3 separate paragraphs. One small photo. Online also. Guaranteed.
.
Click to expand...
Is this your target market? Your perfect guest? The niche you have been cultivating?
 
undersea said:
Silverspoon said:
We have not, as far as I know, gotten enough business from reviews in and on magazines/newspapers to warrant giving up a sure thing on a busy weekend. It is great for publicity on your site, or to reassure those who want one more "independent" review of your lovely B+B, but if you need the income from the weekend I would pass. Offer them a stay another weekday and perhaps they can rearrange their schedule..
Click to expand...
I agree. One should ask whether giving up $150 would not be better spent on something like a local ad, b and b . com, the state b&b association, PPC campaign, mailing out postcards to past clients, professional SEO work...
Yes they might only bring in a few annual listings, but that might bring in more than the "write-up by XYZ reviewer you never heard of."
Also, I think a well-timed, no cost press release campaign to local paper/radio/TV station: new B&B in town, 5 year anniversary, B&B has new owner, B&B has charity event, etc., would have every bit as much value as some of these reviewers looking for a freebie stayover.
And don't forget, they can write a negative or neutral review, not just glowing. There is risk involved as well as revenue.
.
Click to expand...
This mag never writes anything detrimental about anything. Worst case is they hate whatever it is they see or do and they don't mention it at all.
Like Triple D. Guy doesn't love every place he goes to, he just doesn't talk about the places he hated or that weren't any good.
 
They were in town here this weekend. The place they stayed has a marketing firm pushing their info everywhere. Interested to see how it went.
They really are just some small bits of content around a lot of ads. But, easy to read and follow for someone just wanting to spend 48 hours in the state.
They generally ask on fb where they should go next and what they should see. Might be worth following them as the inn so you can mention some things they missed.
The photos are usually very good and they do get a lot of shares. So if they post a photo of your place on their social media, that might get some traffic.
 
I had a writer in our State who does this same thing for a state-wide magazine with tons of subscribers, many in our target market. She asked me for dates during the week so she wouldn't take away revenue from us. Got great publicity for us and that writer was considerate of us so we wouldn't lose any money. I'm not thrilled by these writers who do these little blurbs and can only do them on weekends and have said no to several. That's probably because they have a real job during the week. What a great gig to go away every weekend on someone else's dime and then get paid something for the write-up.
 
Morticia said:
undersea said:
Silverspoon said:
We have not, as far as I know, gotten enough business from reviews in and on magazines/newspapers to warrant giving up a sure thing on a busy weekend. It is great for publicity on your site, or to reassure those who want one more "independent" review of your lovely B+B, but if you need the income from the weekend I would pass. Offer them a stay another weekday and perhaps they can rearrange their schedule..
Click to expand...
I agree. One should ask whether giving up $150 would not be better spent on something like a local ad, b and b . com, the state b&b association, PPC campaign, mailing out postcards to past clients, professional SEO work...
Yes they might only bring in a few annual listings, but that might bring in more than the "write-up by XYZ reviewer you never heard of."
Also, I think a well-timed, no cost press release campaign to local paper/radio/TV station: new B&B in town, 5 year anniversary, B&B has new owner, B&B has charity event, etc., would have every bit as much value as some of these reviewers looking for a freebie stayover.
And don't forget, they can write a negative or neutral review, not just glowing. There is risk involved as well as revenue.
.
Click to expand...
This mag never writes anything detrimental about anything. Worst case is they hate whatever it is they see or do and they don't mention it at all.
Like Triple D. Guy doesn't love every place he goes to, he just doesn't talk about the places he hated or that weren't any good.
.
Click to expand...
Not familiar with it, but that is very possible.
Just thinking about the Yelp, TA, and other review site conundrum. Asking for reviews may lead to some negative ones. A negative review can drag down a handful of positive ones. Thus the concept that some have, that they are careful who they ask to review (like, obviously happy/loyal/repeat guests)...
 
That mag has done the 48-hours thingy in our town at least once (probably several times). They didn't stay with us.... I think it generates some good buzz, and the most recent one did give a good overview of the town and what there is to do, and such. People in town (at the chamber, at least) were pretty chuffed about it. I think the mag is aimed at a good demographic, probably a younger hipper crowd than, say, DE mag. I don't know about it's out-of-state distribution -- that is something important to consider if most of your guests are from away (they are the ones you want the story to reach). Thinking long term, for us, we need to start hooking that younger hipper crowd to staying with us, because so much of our business is returning guests.
 
Morticia said:
undersea said:
Silverspoon said:
We have not, as far as I know, gotten enough business from reviews in and on magazines/newspapers to warrant giving up a sure thing on a busy weekend. It is great for publicity on your site, or to reassure those who want one more "independent" review of your lovely B+B, but if you need the income from the weekend I would pass. Offer them a stay another weekday and perhaps they can rearrange their schedule..
Click to expand...
I agree. One should ask whether giving up $150 would not be better spent on something like a local ad, b and b . com, the state b&b association, PPC campaign, mailing out postcards to past clients, professional SEO work...
Yes they might only bring in a few annual listings, but that might bring in more than the "write-up by XYZ reviewer you never heard of."
Also, I think a well-timed, no cost press release campaign to local paper/radio/TV station: new B&B in town, 5 year anniversary, B&B has new owner, B&B has charity event, etc., would have every bit as much value as some of these reviewers looking for a freebie stayover.
And don't forget, they can write a negative or neutral review, not just glowing. There is risk involved as well as revenue.
.
Click to expand...
This mag never writes anything detrimental about anything. Worst case is they hate whatever it is they see or do and they don't mention it at all.
Like Triple D. Guy doesn't love every place he goes to, he just doesn't talk about the places he hated or that weren't any good.
.
Click to expand...
Wouldn't mind if it was during the week. Dunno thinking.of referring them to the new Inn in town. They need the publicity and will likely have rooms open. Hate to toss away $450. If it's the August issue we may rethink. And yes they only print good things.
 
Harborfields said:
That mag has done the 48-hours thingy in our town at least once (probably several times). They didn't stay with us.... I think it generates some good buzz, and the most recent one did give a good overview of the town and what there is to do, and such. People in town (at the chamber, at least) were pretty chuffed about it. I think the mag is aimed at a good demographic, probably a younger hipper crowd than, say, DE mag. I don't know about it's out-of-state distribution -- that is something important to consider if most of your guests are from away (they are the ones you want the story to reach). Thinking long term, for us, we need to start hooking that younger hipper crowd to staying with us, because so much of our business is returning guests..
Click to expand...
HB
We are on our way home now after spending the day in your town! Still one of my favorite places. Always a new back road view to discover. Used to rent for a week when we were living in Maryland.
 
Momma Smurf said:
Harborfields said:
That mag has done the 48-hours thingy in our town at least once (probably several times). They didn't stay with us.... I think it generates some good buzz, and the most recent one did give a good overview of the town and what there is to do, and such. People in town (at the chamber, at least) were pretty chuffed about it. I think the mag is aimed at a good demographic, probably a younger hipper crowd than, say, DE mag. I don't know about it's out-of-state distribution -- that is something important to consider if most of your guests are from away (they are the ones you want the story to reach). Thinking long term, for us, we need to start hooking that younger hipper crowd to staying with us, because so much of our business is returning guests..
Click to expand...
HB
We are on our way home now after spending the day in your town! Still one of my favorite places. Always a new back road view to discover. Used to rent for a week when we were living in Maryland.
.
Click to expand...
Whenever any of you innmates are in the area, feel free to stop by and look around, even if we are not here. We are on the road to the Aquarium.
 
Could someone send me a private message what this mag is since I'm not getting it from the hints? Thanks
 
Harborfields said:
Momma Smurf said:
Harborfields said:
That mag has done the 48-hours thingy in our town at least once (probably several times). They didn't stay with us.... I think it generates some good buzz, and the most recent one did give a good overview of the town and what there is to do, and such. People in town (at the chamber, at least) were pretty chuffed about it. I think the mag is aimed at a good demographic, probably a younger hipper crowd than, say, DE mag. I don't know about it's out-of-state distribution -- that is something important to consider if most of your guests are from away (they are the ones you want the story to reach). Thinking long term, for us, we need to start hooking that younger hipper crowd to staying with us, because so much of our business is returning guests..
Click to expand...
HB
We are on our way home now after spending the day in your town! Still one of my favorite places. Always a new back road view to discover. Used to rent for a week when we were living in Maryland.
.
Click to expand...
Whenever any of you innmates are in the area, feel free to stop by and look around, even if we are not here. We are on the road to the Aquarium.
.
Click to expand...
We were on SP Island for awhile.
 

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