BOGO a $20 value free?

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

[COLOR= rgb(56, 109, 177)]Limited time special offer: Buy a gift, get a gift.[/COLOR]
[COLOR= rgb(191, 55, 66)]Get a complementary one Free-Night certificate for every gift certificate purchased thru 12/31/08. A $20 value, free.
Free-night certificates will be shipped to billing address on order. Restrictions apply. 2-night min. stay. Valid only at participating properties.[/COLOR]
Interesting how they say this is a $20 value free? My rooms certainly are not worth $20! BAD WORDING iloveinns!
Innkeepers are GIVING AWAY a room for free, it always irks me that the directories promote it as if THEY are giving it away. Innkeepers are not reimbursed even a penny. So that $20 value free is actually a $150-300 value!

 

[Morticia]

It should say get an additional gc for every book purchased. You're right, it makes it sound like the rooms are $20.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

How many here take the BOGO either here or Stash Tea?

 

[EmptyNest]

WHAT???? Value $20!!! Something is wrong with that. I loveinns better rethink that statement.

 

[gillumhouse]

I take both BOGOs.
It is a similar situation to corporations with United Way or the book stores with their buy a book for a child (just got hit with this so it is fresh). It is the employees signing up for Untited Way (sometimes unduress) and the clients buying the books and the company getting credit for the 100% participation and the $xxxxx of books donated to charity.

 

[egoodell]

How many here take the BOGO either here or Stash Tea?.

We do not, but that's because we only have two suites
RIki

 

[Copperhead]

I take the iloveinns BOGO - I've only had 1 or 2 though. Many calls but they want to use it without reading our restrictions.

 

[gillumhouse]

Had an e-mail this morning from the iloveinns site for a one night and in the comments he noted that he had a one night free certificate. I of course e-mailed back that those are buy one get one (he did not have his whole phone number in the e-mail). Then since it was an unusual name, I did a White Pages and got his wife - no we only want one night.
They are first timers. He called me tonight and I got the rez for the 2 nights. After I told him all we have in the area to see and do. He has one of the Norelco certificates. I guess they are working because this couple has never been to a B & B before.

 

[Samster]

How many here take the BOGO either here or Stash Tea?.

I don't do any BOGOs. I prefer to just do my own discounts. I do routinely offer "Hot Deals" through BedandBreakfast.com.

 

[gillumhouse]

How many here take the BOGO either here or Stash Tea?.

I don't do any BOGOs. I prefer to just do my own discounts. I do routinely offer "Hot Deals" through BedandBreakfast.com.
.

Have you ever had anyone use a "Hot Deal"?

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I promoted "hot deals" for 4 years solid, never missed one. Always had a unique name for it, never had anyone request them. I stopped posting them. Not sure who gets them and why no one ever booked one. I know another innkeeper off-forum who did the same for 4 years, never had a bite!
I was using it more to see what others were offering in my area after a while.

 

[Morticia]

I promoted "hot deals" for 4 years solid, never missed one. Always had a unique name for it, never had anyone request them. I stopped posting them. Not sure who gets them and why no one ever booked one. I know another innkeeper off-forum who did the same for 4 years, never had a bite!
I was using it more to see what others were offering in my area after a while..

I promoted "hot deals" for 4 years solid, never missed one. Always had a unique name for it, never had anyone request them. I stopped posting them. Not sure who gets them and why no one ever booked one. I know another innkeeper off-forum who did the same for 4 years, never had a bite!
I was using it more to see what others were offering in my area after a while.

Me, too, and every week when the email comes in I keep thinking, ok this week I'll try it again! Not now, but in Feb, I will.

 

[Morticia]

I don't know that the BOGOs have brought me repeat business, though. Since I can manage when they are accepted, they have brought me business when I otherwise wouldn't have had any. I don't think you're out of your mind for trying a different kind of BOGO, and it might work for you for some specific demographics - like girlfriend getaways.

Ah...good target market! Maybe they would stop piling into one room if the other room was free! Which might get them to thinking that it's better to have 2 bathrooms for 4 women! Which might get them to book 2 rooms next time. Maybe. But not likely...
Still, I do have my girlfriend getaway folks come with their husbands at times.

 

[muirford]

I promoted "hot deals" for 4 years solid, never missed one. Always had a unique name for it, never had anyone request them. I stopped posting them. Not sure who gets them and why no one ever booked one. I know another innkeeper off-forum who did the same for 4 years, never had a bite!
I was using it more to see what others were offering in my area after a while..

I promoted "hot deals" for 4 years solid, never missed one. Always had a unique name for it, never had anyone request them. I stopped posting them. Not sure who gets them and why no one ever booked one. I know another innkeeper off-forum who did the same for 4 years, never had a bite!
I was using it more to see what others were offering in my area after a while.

Me, too, and every week when the email comes in I keep thinking, ok this week I'll try it again! Not now, but in Feb, I will.
.

Never have had one (ETA - the Hot Deal) used and had given up on them. I am trying a Hot Deal this week but I'm not hopeful. I have had takers with the BOGOs, and I wouldn't say every experience with a BOGO has been bad. Truth be told, I had better guests (in that they were B&B people) with the BOGOs than with the bandb.com gift cards, most of whom have never stayed at a B&B before. I know that is exactly the market that bandb.com goes after, but I'm not convinced that I want to market to that group.
I don't know that the BOGOs have brought me repeat business, though. Since I can manage when they are accepted, they have brought me business when I otherwise wouldn't have had any. I don't think you're out of your mind for trying a different kind of BOGO, and it might work for you for some specific demographics - like girlfriend getaways.

 

[muirford]

I don't know that the BOGOs have brought me repeat business, though. Since I can manage when they are accepted, they have brought me business when I otherwise wouldn't have had any. I don't think you're out of your mind for trying a different kind of BOGO, and it might work for you for some specific demographics - like girlfriend getaways.

Ah...good target market! Maybe they would stop piling into one room if the other room was free! Which might get them to thinking that it's better to have 2 bathrooms for 4 women! Which might get them to book 2 rooms next time. Maybe. But not likely...
Still, I do have my girlfriend getaway folks come with their husbands at times..

I have had some of the takers of girlfriend getaways come back with spouses. I don't know how much the spouse appreciates it, but who cares?

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I don't think the BOGO guests are bad guests, like mentioned they are typically B&B people vs gift cards where we take a good chunk out of it (from BandB.com) and they eat you out of house and home and steal all the tea bags!
I think it is always beneficial for guests to try different B&B's and get hooked on them. Nothing wrong with that, but a while back we have our B&B goer on this forum shocked to find out that the B&B itself is GIVING AWAY this free night, they can't redeem even the cost of a stamp on it. The assumed the directory - for whatever reason was giivng this night away. I think the directories market it as such. When of course, it is the B&B who is not making any $ to accept the BOGO. Or in some instance losing money if they could have had a full booking in the same room. That is where we have to be careful. Stick to our policies - if it is midweek, we need to stick to midweek.

 

[muirford]

I don't know that the BOGOs have brought me repeat business, though. Since I can manage when they are accepted, they have brought me business when I otherwise wouldn't have had any. I don't think you're out of your mind for trying a different kind of BOGO, and it might work for you for some specific demographics - like girlfriend getaways.

Ah...good target market! Maybe they would stop piling into one room if the other room was free! Which might get them to thinking that it's better to have 2 bathrooms for 4 women! Which might get them to book 2 rooms next time. Maybe. But not likely...
Still, I do have my girlfriend getaway folks come with their husbands at times..

Have you got anybody who would do a workshop for you on-site? We had a knitting group here on a slow weekend and a painting group (the painting workshop was actually at a parish house nearby). With you having so many rooms with two beds, you might be able to cut a deal for something like that. At the knitting one, I allowed the organizer to set up the back dining room with things to sell so even though she paid for her room she got money from the workshop attendees and sold some stuff. You also might be able to do an aspiring innkeepers seminar for someone - maybe the B&B team or Oates. Just some thoughts on another target market.

 

[Morticia]

I don't know that the BOGOs have brought me repeat business, though. Since I can manage when they are accepted, they have brought me business when I otherwise wouldn't have had any. I don't think you're out of your mind for trying a different kind of BOGO, and it might work for you for some specific demographics - like girlfriend getaways.

Ah...good target market! Maybe they would stop piling into one room if the other room was free! Which might get them to thinking that it's better to have 2 bathrooms for 4 women! Which might get them to book 2 rooms next time. Maybe. But not likely...
Still, I do have my girlfriend getaway folks come with their husbands at times..

Have you got anybody who would do a workshop for you on-site? We had a knitting group here on a slow weekend and a painting group (the painting workshop was actually at a parish house nearby). With you having so many rooms with two beds, you might be able to cut a deal for something like that. At the knitting one, I allowed the organizer to set up the back dining room with things to sell so even though she paid for her room she got money from the workshop attendees and sold some stuff. You also might be able to do an aspiring innkeepers seminar for someone - maybe the B&B team or Oates. Just some thoughts on another target market.
.

Yes, I can get quilters to come and demo their techniques, but it is very hard to get the group in here. I need to meet more people...
We had considered doing an innkeeping class, just have to contact the brokers to find out how they do that. I know some of them do not want experienced (read that 'jaded') innkeepers talking to the prospects. Altho, the buyers should know the turnover rates and having someone in it for 5 years and not planning on retiring anytime soon, should give them a better sense of what to expect than someone who is still in the honeymoon stage!

 

[muirford]

I don't know that the BOGOs have brought me repeat business, though. Since I can manage when they are accepted, they have brought me business when I otherwise wouldn't have had any. I don't think you're out of your mind for trying a different kind of BOGO, and it might work for you for some specific demographics - like girlfriend getaways.

Ah...good target market! Maybe they would stop piling into one room if the other room was free! Which might get them to thinking that it's better to have 2 bathrooms for 4 women! Which might get them to book 2 rooms next time. Maybe. But not likely...
Still, I do have my girlfriend getaway folks come with their husbands at times..

Have you got anybody who would do a workshop for you on-site? We had a knitting group here on a slow weekend and a painting group (the painting workshop was actually at a parish house nearby). With you having so many rooms with two beds, you might be able to cut a deal for something like that. At the knitting one, I allowed the organizer to set up the back dining room with things to sell so even though she paid for her room she got money from the workshop attendees and sold some stuff. You also might be able to do an aspiring innkeepers seminar for someone - maybe the B&B team or Oates. Just some thoughts on another target market.
.

Yes, I can get quilters to come and demo their techniques, but it is very hard to get the group in here. I need to meet more people...
We had considered doing an innkeeping class, just have to contact the brokers to find out how they do that. I know some of them do not want experienced (read that 'jaded') innkeepers talking to the prospects. Altho, the buyers should know the turnover rates and having someone in it for 5 years and not planning on retiring anytime soon, should give them a better sense of what to expect than someone who is still in the honeymoon stage!
.

Depending on how the seminars are set up you may have only a little contact with the class. At ours we had a welcome reception and we joined the group for dinner one night. And you're right - an innkeeper with a 'healthy' perspecitive is better than either burned out or rose-colored glasses. I just mentioned that because I think New England is a popular spot for aspiring seminars - with a decent population base to draw on. I don't know if they are filling up as well right now - I have heard of one that was cancelled last minute, although I don't know if it was for lack of attendance or another reason.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I don't know that the BOGOs have brought me repeat business, though. Since I can manage when they are accepted, they have brought me business when I otherwise wouldn't have had any. I don't think you're out of your mind for trying a different kind of BOGO, and it might work for you for some specific demographics - like girlfriend getaways.

Ah...good target market! Maybe they would stop piling into one room if the other room was free! Which might get them to thinking that it's better to have 2 bathrooms for 4 women! Which might get them to book 2 rooms next time. Maybe. But not likely...
Still, I do have my girlfriend getaway folks come with their husbands at times..

Have you got anybody who would do a workshop for you on-site? We had a knitting group here on a slow weekend and a painting group (the painting workshop was actually at a parish house nearby). With you having so many rooms with two beds, you might be able to cut a deal for something like that. At the knitting one, I allowed the organizer to set up the back dining room with things to sell so even though she paid for her room she got money from the workshop attendees and sold some stuff. You also might be able to do an aspiring innkeepers seminar for someone - maybe the B&B team or Oates. Just some thoughts on another target market.
.

Yes, I can get quilters to come and demo their techniques, but it is very hard to get the group in here. I need to meet more people...
We had considered doing an innkeeping class, just have to contact the brokers to find out how they do that. I know some of them do not want experienced (read that 'jaded') innkeepers talking to the prospects. Altho, the buyers should know the turnover rates and having someone in it for 5 years and not planning on retiring anytime soon, should give them a better sense of what to expect than someone who is still in the honeymoon stage!
.

Depending on how the seminars are set up you may have only a little contact with the class. At ours we had a welcome reception and we joined the group for dinner one night. And you're right - an innkeeper with a 'healthy' perspecitive is better than either burned out or rose-colored glasses. I just mentioned that because I think New England is a popular spot for aspiring seminars - with a decent population base to draw on. I don't know if they are filling up as well right now - I have heard of one that was cancelled last minute, although I don't know if it was for lack of attendance or another reason.
.

Depending on how the seminars are set up you may have only a little contact with the class. At ours we had a welcome reception and we joined the group for dinner one night. And you're right - an innkeeper with a 'healthy' perspecitive is better than either burned out or rose-colored glasses. I just mentioned that because I think New England is a popular spot for aspiring seminars - with a decent population base to draw on. I don't know if they are filling up as well right now - I have heard of one that was cancelled last minute, although I don't know if it was for lack of attendance or another reason.

Hey I resemble that remark...cracked, right down the middle, yep my rose colored glasses have a large crack.