B&B Postcards

Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum

Help Support Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

JBloggs

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 7, 2008
Messages
17,744
Reaction score
9
I ORDERED some nice B&B postcards, oversized to show photo detail vs the smaller ones. Just wondering if you have postcards for guests? If you do, do you:
  1. sell them
  2. sell them and let them know they can also buy a stamp and you will post
  3. Give them away complimentary (which I like, but don't they end up being used as note paper or worse coasters in the rooms!)
  4. Give them away comp at check out (ie not left in the rooms)
  5. Other
Any suggestions?
I originally was printing them to use as small welcome cards for each and every guest in their room, but then thought they may want to buy them as well. I know if I leave things around with a for sale they tend to get picked up, left in the rooms and not sold, just dog eared! Your suggestions welcome for what works for you. As always, THANKS INNMATES!
 
I had postcards and gave one FREE to each room. Had the rest out for sale.cheap.......casually...help yourself...trust system. Lots of people bought them.
 
We had postcards with pictures of the inn and our logo in the rooms and they were complimentary. Rarely did people take them. I'm wondering how many people actually write letters, notes, and postcards these days? lol!
I gave away the large oversized postcards with a recipe & our inn info, etc. at checkout sometimes. Also free.
 
I was thinking of your oversizers as I did this postcard. I was thinking how much I PERSONALLY liked that idea.
On a trip, I searched for EVER to find postcards recently, it was insanity and irritating. Then they were not very nice onces at that. I did not wish to go into some cheezy dollar storewith made in china postcards, in a town with a ton of history to buy one. Just the principal of the thing.
Anyway, I for the first time in my life BROUGHT stamps along with me, so IF I found them I could pop them in FROM the state I was in and post them.
All that to say, if there is no stamp, then it becomes a memento of their stay or in their photo album etc.
Would a stamp for sale as well make it more convenient? I don't want to put them ON as they go up so often now!! I would say they are prestamped as I sold them though.
PS FYI you can send hazel mail from your phone of a photo made into a postcard from anywhere... hazelmail.com I use this to send them overseas. I posted this info on here a year or so ago, and I still use this website.
 
I was thinking of your oversizers as I did this postcard. I was thinking how much I PERSONALLY liked that idea.
On a trip, I searched for EVER to find postcards recently, it was insanity and irritating. Then they were not very nice onces at that. I did not wish to go into some cheezy dollar storewith made in china postcards, in a town with a ton of history to buy one. Just the principal of the thing.
Anyway, I for the first time in my life BROUGHT stamps along with me, so IF I found them I could pop them in FROM the state I was in and post them.
All that to say, if there is no stamp, then it becomes a memento of their stay or in their photo album etc.
Would a stamp for sale as well make it more convenient? I don't want to put them ON as they go up so often now!! I would say they are prestamped as I sold them though.
PS FYI you can send hazel mail from your phone of a photo made into a postcard from anywhere... hazelmail.com I use this to send them overseas. I posted this info on here a year or so ago, and I still use this website..
I didn't put postage on mine because I felt like that would be wasting stamps if they just took the postcard as a memento, as you mentioned. For the few people that actually wrote them while here, I gladly put stamps on them and just mailed them. I figured it was marketing. :)
 
Hmmm...guess this is where it's to our advantage to be "touristy". Thousands of postcards sent from here, and many of them from my own mailbox.
We had our own for sale for $.25 each on an honor system in the gift shop area, take a card leave a quarter. If someone asked about them I just told them to take them. This is so ironic to me considering how much stuff here grows legs and walks, but there were always quarters and often dollars in that little postcard chest out front.
We are out now and I'm back to trying to decide if we should order more, and if so if we should do another sketch or a color photo. Decisions, decisions...
 
Hmmm...guess this is where it's to our advantage to be "touristy". Thousands of postcards sent from here, and many of them from my own mailbox.
We had our own for sale for $.25 each on an honor system in the gift shop area, take a card leave a quarter. If someone asked about them I just told them to take them. This is so ironic to me considering how much stuff here grows legs and walks, but there were always quarters and often dollars in that little postcard chest out front.
We are out now and I'm back to trying to decide if we should order more, and if so if we should do another sketch or a color photo. Decisions, decisions....
Oh I think a nice color photo would be great...show off your place:)
 
Hmmm...guess this is where it's to our advantage to be "touristy". Thousands of postcards sent from here, and many of them from my own mailbox.
We had our own for sale for $.25 each on an honor system in the gift shop area, take a card leave a quarter. If someone asked about them I just told them to take them. This is so ironic to me considering how much stuff here grows legs and walks, but there were always quarters and often dollars in that little postcard chest out front.
We are out now and I'm back to trying to decide if we should order more, and if so if we should do another sketch or a color photo. Decisions, decisions....
Don Draper said:
Hmmm...guess this is where it's to our advantage to be "touristy". Thousands of postcards sent from here, and many of them from my own mailbox.
We had our own for sale for $.25 each on an honor system in the gift shop area, take a card leave a quarter. If someone asked about them I just told them to take them. This is so ironic to me considering how much stuff here grows legs and walks, but there were always quarters and often dollars in that little postcard chest out front.
We are out now and I'm back to trying to decide if we should order more, and if so if we should do another sketch or a color photo. Decisions, decisions...
of the B&B or the location?
What did you end up doing last time, I recall you were having the same dilemma. You have so many nice pix on your website, I would love to see one and then another, a collage maybe. YOU have a much harder decision than I do on that. Mine was pretty simple. I opted for color photo, I have a nice line drawing, but I am just sick of it. I used it in the beginning so much, as we all did.
Are line drawings a thing of the past? I have to ask everyone that. Great for mugs, and printed things, but internet? Maybe I should funk our up a bit or something. I did that with a coffee cup drawing which now looks like a toilet roll. :)
 
I was thinking of your oversizers as I did this postcard. I was thinking how much I PERSONALLY liked that idea.
On a trip, I searched for EVER to find postcards recently, it was insanity and irritating. Then they were not very nice onces at that. I did not wish to go into some cheezy dollar storewith made in china postcards, in a town with a ton of history to buy one. Just the principal of the thing.
Anyway, I for the first time in my life BROUGHT stamps along with me, so IF I found them I could pop them in FROM the state I was in and post them.
All that to say, if there is no stamp, then it becomes a memento of their stay or in their photo album etc.
Would a stamp for sale as well make it more convenient? I don't want to put them ON as they go up so often now!! I would say they are prestamped as I sold them though.
PS FYI you can send hazel mail from your phone of a photo made into a postcard from anywhere... hazelmail.com I use this to send them overseas. I posted this info on here a year or so ago, and I still use this website..
Leaving on vacation Friday and will definitely give hazelmail a try. What a great idea!
 
Hmmm...guess this is where it's to our advantage to be "touristy". Thousands of postcards sent from here, and many of them from my own mailbox.
We had our own for sale for $.25 each on an honor system in the gift shop area, take a card leave a quarter. If someone asked about them I just told them to take them. This is so ironic to me considering how much stuff here grows legs and walks, but there were always quarters and often dollars in that little postcard chest out front.
We are out now and I'm back to trying to decide if we should order more, and if so if we should do another sketch or a color photo. Decisions, decisions....
Don Draper said:
Hmmm...guess this is where it's to our advantage to be "touristy". Thousands of postcards sent from here, and many of them from my own mailbox.
We had our own for sale for $.25 each on an honor system in the gift shop area, take a card leave a quarter. If someone asked about them I just told them to take them. This is so ironic to me considering how much stuff here grows legs and walks, but there were always quarters and often dollars in that little postcard chest out front.
We are out now and I'm back to trying to decide if we should order more, and if so if we should do another sketch or a color photo. Decisions, decisions...
of the B&B or the location?
What did you end up doing last time, I recall you were having the same dilemma. You have so many nice pix on your website, I would love to see one and then another, a collage maybe. YOU have a much harder decision than I do on that. Mine was pretty simple. I opted for color photo, I have a nice line drawing, but I am just sick of it. I used it in the beginning so much, as we all did.
Are line drawings a thing of the past? I have to ask everyone that. Great for mugs, and printed things, but internet? Maybe I should funk our up a bit or something. I did that with a coffee cup drawing which now looks like a toilet roll. :)
.
I never did anything
teeth_smile.gif
And now I am totally out, definitely need to order something over the winter. A collage might be a good idea, thanks. The house is pretty, we have a great shot of it but I'm still kinda partial to the line drawing, guess it's the historical feel. Maybe both...
We have been puppy sitting all week so it's all I can do to keep up with him and our old gal. He goes home tomorrow, I will need to try to get myself motivated to get something done around here then!
 
I was thinking of your oversizers as I did this postcard. I was thinking how much I PERSONALLY liked that idea.
On a trip, I searched for EVER to find postcards recently, it was insanity and irritating. Then they were not very nice onces at that. I did not wish to go into some cheezy dollar storewith made in china postcards, in a town with a ton of history to buy one. Just the principal of the thing.
Anyway, I for the first time in my life BROUGHT stamps along with me, so IF I found them I could pop them in FROM the state I was in and post them.
All that to say, if there is no stamp, then it becomes a memento of their stay or in their photo album etc.
Would a stamp for sale as well make it more convenient? I don't want to put them ON as they go up so often now!! I would say they are prestamped as I sold them though.
PS FYI you can send hazel mail from your phone of a photo made into a postcard from anywhere... hazelmail.com I use this to send them overseas. I posted this info on here a year or so ago, and I still use this website..
Leaving on vacation Friday and will definitely give hazelmail a try. What a great idea!
.
Arkansawyer said:
Leaving on vacation Friday and will definitely give hazelmail a try. What a great idea!
You can store any addresses in it before you go as well. I send them all over the world to our rel's, it is a great thing, they even put the font on it that looks like a person's handwriting (ie, you). :)
 
Hmmm...guess this is where it's to our advantage to be "touristy". Thousands of postcards sent from here, and many of them from my own mailbox.
We had our own for sale for $.25 each on an honor system in the gift shop area, take a card leave a quarter. If someone asked about them I just told them to take them. This is so ironic to me considering how much stuff here grows legs and walks, but there were always quarters and often dollars in that little postcard chest out front.
We are out now and I'm back to trying to decide if we should order more, and if so if we should do another sketch or a color photo. Decisions, decisions....
Don Draper said:
Hmmm...guess this is where it's to our advantage to be "touristy". Thousands of postcards sent from here, and many of them from my own mailbox.
We had our own for sale for $.25 each on an honor system in the gift shop area, take a card leave a quarter. If someone asked about them I just told them to take them. This is so ironic to me considering how much stuff here grows legs and walks, but there were always quarters and often dollars in that little postcard chest out front.
We are out now and I'm back to trying to decide if we should order more, and if so if we should do another sketch or a color photo. Decisions, decisions...
of the B&B or the location?
What did you end up doing last time, I recall you were having the same dilemma. You have so many nice pix on your website, I would love to see one and then another, a collage maybe. YOU have a much harder decision than I do on that. Mine was pretty simple. I opted for color photo, I have a nice line drawing, but I am just sick of it. I used it in the beginning so much, as we all did.
Are line drawings a thing of the past? I have to ask everyone that. Great for mugs, and printed things, but internet? Maybe I should funk our up a bit or something. I did that with a coffee cup drawing which now looks like a toilet roll. :)
.
I never did anything
teeth_smile.gif
And now I am totally out, definitely need to order something over the winter. A collage might be a good idea, thanks. The house is pretty, we have a great shot of it but I'm still kinda partial to the line drawing, guess it's the historical feel. Maybe both...
We have been puppy sitting all week so it's all I can do to keep up with him and our old gal. He goes home tomorrow, I will need to try to get myself motivated to get something done around here then!
.
Don Draper said:
I never did anything
teeth_smile.gif
And now I am totally out, definitely need to order something over the winter. A collage might be a good idea, thanks. The house is pretty, we have a great shot of it but I'm still kinda partial to the line drawing, guess it's the historical feel. Maybe both...
We have been puppy sitting all week so it's all I can do to keep up with him and our old gal. He goes home tomorrow, I will need to try to get myself motivated to get something done around here then!
If it were me, I would buy the historical type card. Just thinking aloud, what would be fun to send to someone...When we were in Jamestown we found some beautiful line drawings of the 3 ships that brought the colonists to America. We sent them to friends in the ship building industry.
 
For Mountain Fest, I took a photo of DH's latest painting and had it done as a postcard at Vistaprint with his contact info on the back. It is his business card. It has generated MORE interest than could be imagined! I just ordered another 100!
I am actually considering doing a collage of the rooms, a breakfast, etc to use as MY business card.
 
Give them away. They are in the rooms and at the checkout desk. Have gone through about 250 in 3-4 months. They do not get used for coasters- my beautiful note cards are what guests use for coasters. Grrrr!
 
I was thinking of your oversizers as I did this postcard. I was thinking how much I PERSONALLY liked that idea.
On a trip, I searched for EVER to find postcards recently, it was insanity and irritating. Then they were not very nice onces at that. I did not wish to go into some cheezy dollar storewith made in china postcards, in a town with a ton of history to buy one. Just the principal of the thing.
Anyway, I for the first time in my life BROUGHT stamps along with me, so IF I found them I could pop them in FROM the state I was in and post them.
All that to say, if there is no stamp, then it becomes a memento of their stay or in their photo album etc.
Would a stamp for sale as well make it more convenient? I don't want to put them ON as they go up so often now!! I would say they are prestamped as I sold them though.
PS FYI you can send hazel mail from your phone of a photo made into a postcard from anywhere... hazelmail.com I use this to send them overseas. I posted this info on here a year or so ago, and I still use this website..
We have mailed postcards that were left behind, completely addressed, mostly from kids to grandparents. Most guests use them for their scrapbooks I would think. If a guest wants to mail it out, the post office is 10 feet away!
 
side track.....coasters
Do you all provide coasters in the rooms?....are they on a table, in a draw?
What type of coasters?.......logo'd?
Seeing photos of the some B&B rooms.......I'd be skitish myself as a guest to cause water rings or any other damage.....then again, I am that way in hotel rooms....besides, room service provides a tray, coasters, napkins, etc...
 
Yes and they don't use them. Ever. Water glasses will sit right next to the coaster on the wood top of a dresser or desk. With a ring.
Same with the coffee area I have little places to put spoons and tea bags, and lines rubbish bins on both side of the table on the floor and more in the dining room, and they put them right on the tablecloth, every time.
 
custom tops?
Dresser in my bedroom I had custom made from Oak...early 80's....taller and deeper than the usual dresser......had a counsol TV in the den with a glass top.....when I replaced the TV, I took the glass and placed on top of the dresser......lucked out....it's deep enough. but only covers a bit less than half the length
I saw the other day on the net.....the ability to create your own dinning table pads....probably could do something like that for table and dresser tops of bedrooms.
 
Yes and they don't use them. Ever. Water glasses will sit right next to the coaster on the wood top of a dresser or desk. With a ring.
Same with the coffee area I have little places to put spoons and tea bags, and lines rubbish bins on both side of the table on the floor and more in the dining room, and they put them right on the tablecloth, every time..
Joey Bloggs said:
Yes and they don't use them. Ever. Water glasses will sit right next to the coaster on the wood top of a dresser or desk. With a ring.
Yes, that's why I spent just over $300 to have custom glass tops made for all the dressers, nightstands and fireplaces in the guestrooms.
 
custom tops?
Dresser in my bedroom I had custom made from Oak...early 80's....taller and deeper than the usual dresser......had a counsol TV in the den with a glass top.....when I replaced the TV, I took the glass and placed on top of the dresser......lucked out....it's deep enough. but only covers a bit less than half the length
I saw the other day on the net.....the ability to create your own dinning table pads....probably could do something like that for table and dresser tops of bedrooms..
One Day said:
custom tops?
Dresser in my bedroom I had custom made from Oak...early 80's....taller and deeper than the usual dresser......had a counsol TV in the den with a glass top.....when I replaced the TV, I took the glass and placed on top of the dresser......lucked out....it's deep enough. but only covers a bit less than half the length
I saw the other day on the net.....the ability to create your own dinning table pads....probably could do something like that for table and dresser tops of bedrooms.
I had a glass cutter come and measure everything exactly.
 
Back
Top