Community Good Will vs. Advertising Budget

[gillumhouse]

When we first bought our inn, we soon found out the the POs didn't have the word "no" in their vocabulary. We were overwhelmed with GC calls, letters, e-mails. I turned everyone down the first year. The second year I started giving donated room nights. What a waste. We do care about our local community and there are many deserving groups. We've decided that we will not give room nights and we will donate money to those causes near and dear to us, but as individuals and that money can be deductible.
We live in a small community also, and they don't "get us". We don't market to locals. I also tried donating $50 certificates to charities...no one has ever redeemed one, and I've even had them refused because it wasn't a full night donation. Go figure!.

When we first bought our inn, we soon found out the the POs didn't have the word "no" in their vocabulary. We were overwhelmed with GC calls, letters, e-mails. I turned everyone down the first year. The second year I started giving donated room nights. What a waste. We do care about our local community and there are many deserving groups. We've decided that we will not give room nights and we will donate money to those causes near and dear to us, but as individuals and that money can be deductible.
We live in a small community also, and they don't "get us". We don't market to locals. I also tried donating $50 certificates to charities...no one has ever redeemed one, and I've even had them refused because it wasn't a full night donation. Go figure!

We said just the other day as a coworker sends all their out of town relatives to the local chain hotels for a wedding today and we have only two rooms booked in here - so much for spending your money locally. What about us? That does not include us and every penny we earn goes back into this community. You are on your own! They think people drive down the streets and stay with us, they have no clue. Local referrals are not there. Don't waste your time. Be involved all you want, keep YOUR business separate.
I would like to say something that will make a few here angry - YOUR identity is NOT your business.
.

Absolutely that is true. The answer you will get when you ask, where are you staying - the local big name hotel - and why not in town? Oh I never thought. Uh-huh. That is what donating to local charities will bring you. IF I buy an ad in the football program - and that has only been when the kids actually come here to ask (rare) I look at it as community relations and not advertising because it will not bring me a dime. I am starting to get some funeral business - not from the funeral home across the street, but from an old guy with an e-mail list that I somehow got on.
My family (several cousins too) have visited - but probably because no hotel will let them stay for $1 per night (IRS says we must charge, not how much). It is cheaper than me traveling to them.

 

[Proud Texan]

When we first bought our inn, we soon found out the the POs didn't have the word "no" in their vocabulary. We were overwhelmed with GC calls, letters, e-mails. I turned everyone down the first year. The second year I started giving donated room nights. What a waste. We do care about our local community and there are many deserving groups. We've decided that we will not give room nights and we will donate money to those causes near and dear to us, but as individuals and that money can be deductible.
We live in a small community also, and they don't "get us". We don't market to locals. I also tried donating $50 certificates to charities...no one has ever redeemed one, and I've even had them refused because it wasn't a full night donation. Go figure!.

When we first bought our inn, we soon found out the the POs didn't have the word "no" in their vocabulary. We were overwhelmed with GC calls, letters, e-mails. I turned everyone down the first year. The second year I started giving donated room nights. What a waste. We do care about our local community and there are many deserving groups. We've decided that we will not give room nights and we will donate money to those causes near and dear to us, but as individuals and that money can be deductible.
We live in a small community also, and they don't "get us". We don't market to locals. I also tried donating $50 certificates to charities...no one has ever redeemed one, and I've even had them refused because it wasn't a full night donation. Go figure!

We said just the other day as a coworker sends all their out of town relatives to the local chain hotels for a wedding today and we have only two rooms booked in here - so much for spending your money locally. What about us? That does not include us and every penny we earn goes back into this community. You are on your own! They think people drive down the streets and stay with us, they have no clue. Local referrals are not there. Don't waste your time. Be involved all you want, keep YOUR business separate.
I would like to say something that will make a few here angry - YOUR identity is NOT your business.
.

When we were first looking at B&B's all of the family was excited! Yay! A nice place to go for vacation. Everyone said, 'We'll keep you in business your first year.' How many of them have come here even ONCE, much less enough to keep us in biz? The last time we invited everyone to come up some of them chose to stay at a hotel instead. They got a better discount at the hotel. Yeesh.
.

No kidding! Other than Dh's parents, we have had 3, count 'em 3 visitors (family & friends) since moving here 3 years ago. They all said the same thing.HA! We're so loved!

.

No kidding! Other than Dh's parents, we have had 3, count 'em 3 visitors (family & friends) since moving here 3 years ago. They all said the same thing.HA! We're so loved!

THEY LIE!

Same situation with us. Anytime we tell someone in town that we have a B&B they fain excitement. Do we ever get referrals? Nope.

 

[Tim_Toad_HLB]

When we first bought our inn, we soon found out the the POs didn't have the word "no" in their vocabulary. We were overwhelmed with GC calls, letters, e-mails. I turned everyone down the first year. The second year I started giving donated room nights. What a waste. We do care about our local community and there are many deserving groups. We've decided that we will not give room nights and we will donate money to those causes near and dear to us, but as individuals and that money can be deductible.
We live in a small community also, and they don't "get us". We don't market to locals. I also tried donating $50 certificates to charities...no one has ever redeemed one, and I've even had them refused because it wasn't a full night donation. Go figure!.

When we first bought our inn, we soon found out the the POs didn't have the word "no" in their vocabulary. We were overwhelmed with GC calls, letters, e-mails. I turned everyone down the first year. The second year I started giving donated room nights. What a waste. We do care about our local community and there are many deserving groups. We've decided that we will not give room nights and we will donate money to those causes near and dear to us, but as individuals and that money can be deductible.
We live in a small community also, and they don't "get us". We don't market to locals. I also tried donating $50 certificates to charities...no one has ever redeemed one, and I've even had them refused because it wasn't a full night donation. Go figure!

We said just the other day as a coworker sends all their out of town relatives to the local chain hotels for a wedding today and we have only two rooms booked in here - so much for spending your money locally. What about us? That does not include us and every penny we earn goes back into this community. You are on your own! They think people drive down the streets and stay with us, they have no clue. Local referrals are not there. Don't waste your time. Be involved all you want, keep YOUR business separate.
I would like to say something that will make a few here angry - YOUR identity is NOT your business.
.

When we were first looking at B&B's all of the family was excited! Yay! A nice place to go for vacation. Everyone said, 'We'll keep you in business your first year.' How many of them have come here even ONCE, much less enough to keep us in biz? The last time we invited everyone to come up some of them chose to stay at a hotel instead. They got a better discount at the hotel. Yeesh.
.

When we were first looking at B&B's all of the family was excited! Yay! A nice place to go for vacation. Everyone said, 'We'll keep you in business your first year.' How many of them have come here even ONCE, much less enough to keep us in biz? The last time we invited everyone to come up some of them chose to stay at a hotel instead. They got a better discount at the hotel. Yeesh.

What's the quote about "the path of good intentions being.....?" blah...blah...blah....
I'd count my blessings on NOT getting too many family visitors. Its always a real dilemma here as we miss people, but it ends up NOT being a vacation in the slightest for us even if no "paying" guests are booked at the same time.
We feel funny taking money from friends and family and only grudgingly accept the envelopes hidden in the sheets, stuffed in the kitchen cupboards, etc. after a friend or decent (not all of mine are) family member leaves.
I don't if there is thread on "What do you "charge" friends or family who visit" but I'd be very curious to hear how people handle it. Also, do you put limits on when and how long they can stay?
We just got word of my favorite aunt, my favorite cousin, her husband and their two little girls coming in two weeks for three nights.
Of course, its all on their convenience and they won't come unless we'll accept payment, so we're fine with it despite it picking up here and getting really busy. Any lesser loved relatives and we'd have told them to wait until the off season, but it'll be fun and a chance to catch up.

 

[swirt]

We were faced with a very similar request for advertising from our local school sports club. The ad instead of being on a tshirt, was going to be printed on mini-footballs that get tossed into the crowd. Sorry but the recipients of those footballs is not going to be our target market at all ... in fact we may want to go out of our way to not market to them (high school students).
If we felt strongly about the charity we'd likely not take the advertising, but would make a donation. Personal donations to charities are as deductable as the advertising expense, but they also don't mess with our business books.
Also if we make a donation, we don't have to worry about the actions of the person wearing the t-shirt or playing with the football. Nor do we have to worry about the print/design quality of the ad.

 

[Country Girl]

When we first bought our inn, we soon found out the the POs didn't have the word "no" in their vocabulary. We were overwhelmed with GC calls, letters, e-mails. I turned everyone down the first year. The second year I started giving donated room nights. What a waste. We do care about our local community and there are many deserving groups. We've decided that we will not give room nights and we will donate money to those causes near and dear to us, but as individuals and that money can be deductible.
We live in a small community also, and they don't "get us". We don't market to locals. I also tried donating $50 certificates to charities...no one has ever redeemed one, and I've even had them refused because it wasn't a full night donation. Go figure!.

When we first bought our inn, we soon found out the the POs didn't have the word "no" in their vocabulary. We were overwhelmed with GC calls, letters, e-mails. I turned everyone down the first year. The second year I started giving donated room nights. What a waste. We do care about our local community and there are many deserving groups. We've decided that we will not give room nights and we will donate money to those causes near and dear to us, but as individuals and that money can be deductible.
We live in a small community also, and they don't "get us". We don't market to locals. I also tried donating $50 certificates to charities...no one has ever redeemed one, and I've even had them refused because it wasn't a full night donation. Go figure!

We said just the other day as a coworker sends all their out of town relatives to the local chain hotels for a wedding today and we have only two rooms booked in here - so much for spending your money locally. What about us? That does not include us and every penny we earn goes back into this community. You are on your own! They think people drive down the streets and stay with us, they have no clue. Local referrals are not there. Don't waste your time. Be involved all you want, keep YOUR business separate.
I would like to say something that will make a few here angry - YOUR identity is NOT your business.
.

When we were first looking at B&B's all of the family was excited! Yay! A nice place to go for vacation. Everyone said, 'We'll keep you in business your first year.' How many of them have come here even ONCE, much less enough to keep us in biz? The last time we invited everyone to come up some of them chose to stay at a hotel instead. They got a better discount at the hotel. Yeesh.
.

When we were first looking at B&B's all of the family was excited! Yay! A nice place to go for vacation. Everyone said, 'We'll keep you in business your first year.' How many of them have come here even ONCE, much less enough to keep us in biz? The last time we invited everyone to come up some of them chose to stay at a hotel instead. They got a better discount at the hotel. Yeesh.

What's the quote about "the path of good intentions being.....?" blah...blah...blah....
I'd count my blessings on NOT getting too many family visitors. Its always a real dilemma here as we miss people, but it ends up NOT being a vacation in the slightest for us even if no "paying" guests are booked at the same time.
We feel funny taking money from friends and family and only grudgingly accept the envelopes hidden in the sheets, stuffed in the kitchen cupboards, etc. after a friend or decent (not all of mine are) family member leaves.
I don't if there is thread on "What do you "charge" friends or family who visit" but I'd be very curious to hear how people handle it. Also, do you put limits on when and how long they can stay?
We just got word of my favorite aunt, my favorite cousin, her husband and their two little girls coming in two weeks for three nights.
Of course, its all on their convenience and they won't come unless we'll accept payment, so we're fine with it despite it picking up here and getting really busy. Any lesser loved relatives and we'd have told them to wait until the off season, but it'll be fun and a chance to catch up.
.

When we were first looking at B&B's all of the family was excited! Yay! A nice place to go for vacation. Everyone said, 'We'll keep you in business your first year.' How many of them have come here even ONCE, much less enough to keep us in biz? The last time we invited everyone to come up some of them chose to stay at a hotel instead. They got a better discount at the hotel. Yeesh.

What's the quote about "the path of good intentions being.....?" blah...blah...blah....
I'd count my blessings on NOT getting too many family visitors. Its always a real dilemma here as we miss people, but it ends up NOT being a vacation in the slightest for us even if no "paying" guests are booked at the same time.
We feel funny taking money from friends and family and only grudgingly accept the envelopes hidden in the sheets, stuffed in the kitchen cupboards, etc. after a friend or decent (not all of mine are) family member leaves.
I don't if there is thread on "What do you "charge" friends or family who visit" but I'd be very curious to hear how people handle it. Also, do you put limits on when and how long they can stay?
We just got word of my favorite aunt, my favorite cousin, her husband and their two little girls coming in two weeks for three nights.
Of course, its all on their convenience and they won't come unless we'll accept payment, so we're fine with it despite it picking up here and getting really busy. Any lesser loved relatives and we'd have told them to wait until the off season, but it'll be fun and a chance to catch up.

This has been an ongoing dilemma for us from day 1. We both come from very large families that are spread out throughout the country. They all want to "visit" with us when they come home, and they never expect to be charged (or would even dream of offering to pay). While we love seeing them, we are exhausted after we've worked hard to make their vacation possible. We just haven't figured out a way to say no. Some of them really couldn't afford to come home if they had to pay to stay somewhere else. We just haven't been able to find an equitable solution. An occasional dinner out just doesn't cut it. For the most part we just write it off as part of having a B&B and a large family. There are always the ones who are overly appreciative and the others who just expect to stay here and not shell out a dime. How to say "yes" to one and "no" to the other? Of course they always want to come in the summer or around the Christmas holidays. They're family, we love them, but...