Cooperative Marketing?

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YellowSocks

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Has anyone participated in a joint rack card with other area B&B's? I'm interested in any information you can share... cost, how it was organized, if it was effective, how it gets updated, who participates, the works.
There are some B&B's in our area interested in doing one... but naturally they are too busy to be the point person, so they're looking at me. I need to be sold on its effectiveness, but I'm willing to make some calls and make it happen.
Thoughts?
Thanks!
=)
Kk.
 
Opened in 2002 never had or wanted rack cards but wanted and have my brochure on the front of my web page. Lots of bosses check your e-mail clicks,so I wanted to make it quick and easy for an employee to down load fast....this work for my area and for my B&B.Each B&B has different needs.Mary in Bridgewater
 
I think it would depend on the type of area you are in, but I've never gotten business from rack cards. They really are something my guests take with them. I do display them in my chamber, but it's not productive. I agree with JB, if you want to do a cooperative with the others, pool your money and do a website.
 
I've done this. We use the rack cards whenever we are 'presenting' our group of inns in public. Potential guests take the brochure, which is a trifold and has the 6 participating inns on it. We also have a website. It kind of levels the playing field if you have one very chatty B&B owner in with some who are not so much. Or, if someone can't stay for the whole event, their info is still there.
 
The co-op rack card deal I am participating in is a minimum of 6 entities doing a rack card. Rather than each doing a ser-up charge, it is spread out among the 6 and they are run at the same time. The press can print 6 rack cards across. People here want something they can hold and look at and possibly (gasp!) read.
 
The co-op rack card deal I am participating in is a minimum of 6 entities doing a rack card. Rather than each doing a ser-up charge, it is spread out among the 6 and they are run at the same time. The press can print 6 rack cards across. People here want something they can hold and look at and possibly (gasp!) read..
So in printing 6 rack cards across, does that mean each inn is able to get their own unique card?
 
The co-op rack card deal I am participating in is a minimum of 6 entities doing a rack card. Rather than each doing a ser-up charge, it is spread out among the 6 and they are run at the same time. The press can print 6 rack cards across. People here want something they can hold and look at and possibly (gasp!) read..
So in printing 6 rack cards across, does that mean each inn is able to get their own unique card?
.
Yes. In my group is my B & B, the City of Shinnston (Development Authority), and 4 others that I do not remember who. They are 4-color both sides. Doing it through the CVB we are getting 10,000 for $375.
 
The co-op rack card deal I am participating in is a minimum of 6 entities doing a rack card. Rather than each doing a ser-up charge, it is spread out among the 6 and they are run at the same time. The press can print 6 rack cards across. People here want something they can hold and look at and possibly (gasp!) read..
So in printing 6 rack cards across, does that mean each inn is able to get their own unique card?
.
Yes. In my group is my B & B, the City of Shinnston (Development Authority), and 4 others that I do not remember who. They are 4-color both sides. Doing it through the CVB we are getting 10,000 for $375.
.
A very good deal.
I've seen lots of small groups get together to do group rack-cards, but yours is the first I've heard of with each getting their own unique card.
Very very smart idea.
 
The co-op rack card deal I am participating in is a minimum of 6 entities doing a rack card. Rather than each doing a ser-up charge, it is spread out among the 6 and they are run at the same time. The press can print 6 rack cards across. People here want something they can hold and look at and possibly (gasp!) read..
So in printing 6 rack cards across, does that mean each inn is able to get their own unique card?
.
Yes. In my group is my B & B, the City of Shinnston (Development Authority), and 4 others that I do not remember who. They are 4-color both sides. Doing it through the CVB we are getting 10,000 for $375.
.
A very good deal.
I've seen lots of small groups get together to do group rack-cards, but yours is the first I've heard of with each getting their own unique card.
Very very smart idea.
.
The CVB puts this together every Spring. The printer is done with graduation announcements, and the usual print stuff that gets done Jan-Mar so he is willing to cut prices to get the work and we benefit from the width of the press. They do good work. The printing company is owned by a newspaper in Steubenville, OH (my ex worked there) but the business is credited to the local print shop even though they will prob print it in Steuby because they have a bigger press there. Workers there live on both sides of the river.
 
Yes, agree with the general consensus.
The "South Loch Ness Tourist Group" exists to encourage people to visit this, quieter, side of Loch Ness rather than the busy tourist rat-run which is the main road down the other side. We used to produce a fold-up map but gave up on the idea because we couldn't see any return on our investment.
Now the web site on the other hand is top of Google page 1 for most Loch Ness accommodation searches and has consistently been the biggest referal site to our own for the past 5 years.
 
OK, I'm sold.
I personally agree strongly about doing the vast majority of marketing online, and could easily do up a website.
And, for a variety of reasons (and a long story) I realized today that I should NOT be the one who spearheads this regional project, even though it wouldn't be hard. So, if someone else wants to do it, I may join in with them, but at this point I'm not pursuing it.
At the same time, though, we here in Ashland will be producing something like what Morticia uses... all four of us in town will be marketing at the University together and we need at least a list to hand someone, even if it's just printed on plain paper.
Vista Print, here I come!
=)
Kk.
 
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