BOGO's

[Innkeep]

I have noticed that on Google analytics I have very little traffic from I Lo ve Inns.com. This directory now has an iPhone app, so I think I'll probably give it at least another year before I give up on it. In the mean time, in almost 3 years of operation I have had 3 guests come with the BOGO gift certificates which I have signed up to offer. These are the only people I've ever gotten from the directory. They're always 2 nighters with pay only for one night. My observation this weekend with the third set of guests is that all of these BOGO's have been wierd.
The guests here now are doing their yoga exercises in the parlor. (There is room to do that in their guest room). They are a local couple who just returned from their vacation on the left coast and instead of going home to do the laundry they are here for one last weekend. The man arrived in a tee shirt and a pair of short shorts, sort of like what the guys wore in 7th grade PE. He had the same shorts on today... I really wish they would have stayed home to do the laundry. They indicated that they wanted their room freshened today but didn't leave until 4:30pm. (since I only had to climb the stairs once, it really didn't matter to me when it was... )
The last BOGO couple who rented the least expensive room was here so she could do geneology. But she was searching for a particular branch of a particular family so she could claim membership in a far branch of this family. They apparently travel all over the country to study old archives. To me the wierd thing was that as soon as a woman married and acquired a different last name she was kicked off the tree ... So if the relationship was through a female instead of a male this lady didn't care and it didn't count. Which means that she has no claim to the branch of her tree cause she's married! She even sort of scared one of my regular business guests with her wierdness.
Anyway, this is just a vent to say I can't see what value there is in me accepting BOGO's since I'm the only B&B in my city. I guess I'll have to wait til this book expires before I quit the program though.

 

[scrambled_eggs]

I've given up on I Lo ve Inn s. Don't get any referals from them and no one has ever found me using their iphone applicatoin. Now the application guests do find me on while on the road is the Yelp applicaiton or the Around Us application and those don't cost anything to be on.

 

[JBloggs]

Same here. Same story different ending. I cancelled after giving them a couple years with no return. I wish I had a return. I felt the same, like a special I have in a nearby CVB, people can do a search and find that special then call here and get the greater discount. It is okay for now midweek, but not the best guests come from it.
One lady called and said, well will YOU give me a better deal from your website? I said, Listen lady I AM GIVING YOU THAT DEAL.

 

[Morticia]

I held on for a long time and then just gave up. No BOGO's but the rare booking made it not worth my while. Essentially, I made back the yearly investment, but that's not enough. The only time anyone found me on the phone app was when I was inn of the month on the app.

 

[Don Draper]

Same here. I like their directory (in terms of looks and how it is to use, as a guest) but I got very few guests, and most of those had GC's. On a good note, I LIKED the people who booked from there, even with the GC, but it was just too few to justify the yearly cost.
We far and away get the most bookings from bbonline.com, which is ironic to me because as an owner I like using their directory the LEAST because you can't change your listing yourself, you have to email it to them. I don't like that.

 

[JBloggs]

Rupes I agree, BBONLINE is always #1 and the least attractive, but it works.

 

[Joey Camb]

some of those geoniagy types can be a bit bonkers but if it makes them happy it is harmless enough but the Yoga people sound like show offs to me especially with those shorts (ie we don't want to see your bum cheeks ta)

 

[JBloggs]

Genealogy is huge in the states now, due to all those family tree websites, one out of like 4 Americans has a relative who came from my state here. I try to market to those people, thanks for the reminder. Will try another blog on the subject.

 

[gillumhouse]

Genealogy is huge in the states now, due to all those family tree websites, one out of like 4 Americans has a relative who came from my state here. I try to market to those people, thanks for the reminder. Will try another blog on the subject..

And until June 20, 1863 we lived in the same State!

 

[JBloggs]

And yet, we still share this - we're all part of the Appalachians.