Facebook

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.
I realize this is an old thread but I'm new and have been scouring the forum for interesting and useful threads.
We put up our fan page on Facebook in October, just after we launched our new web site with our inn's new name (we bought an operating inn and changed the name to its orig name). We've promoted our fan page in our enewsletter, on our web site, and through our own personal networks on Facebook and elsewhere.
We have 270 fans now, and it's growing daily. We post at least a few times a week, put up photos, offer special deals, thank particular people and guests, and other things like that. Our Facebook page is connected to our Twitter account - so when we tweet it posts to Facebook and vice versa.
The best thing we've done to help us grow our fan base is this: when we get close to a round number, we hold a fan contest. For example, when we hit 175 fans, we announced that when we got to 200 fans we would choose one fan to receive a free night at the inn. At first, nothing much happened...but then when we got to about 190, we posted the same thing again. And when I woke up the next day we were at 218 fans! That was a month ago - now we're at 270, so in one month, fifty new fans! Wow!
As for those who worry that you're only reaching people who would already book with you, well, maybe...but when we had a last minute cancellation last week and posted it on Facebook, one of our fans booked it about thirty minutes later. I'm SURE they wouldn't have booked if I hadn't posted to Facebook.
Second...I would also say that this follows the old business adage that it is easier to sell to someone a second time than it is to sell to someone the first time. These folks already like you! You just need to close the deal.
I'm a new innkeeper (since May 09) and have a lot to learn but luckily I also run an internet marketing company...the inn is my very expensive hobby, really, and my husband's job. So, that's why this internet stuff is old hat to me - at least something in this whole adventure is relatively easy!
Oh...and here's our facebook page:
www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Little-River-CA/The-Andiron-Seaside-Inn-Cabins/146498071261
 
I realize this is an old thread but I'm new and have been scouring the forum for interesting and useful threads.
We put up our fan page on Facebook in October, just after we launched our new web site with our inn's new name (we bought an operating inn and changed the name to its orig name). We've promoted our fan page in our enewsletter, on our web site, and through our own personal networks on Facebook and elsewhere.
We have 270 fans now, and it's growing daily. We post at least a few times a week, put up photos, offer special deals, thank particular people and guests, and other things like that. Our Facebook page is connected to our Twitter account - so when we tweet it posts to Facebook and vice versa.
The best thing we've done to help us grow our fan base is this: when we get close to a round number, we hold a fan contest. For example, when we hit 175 fans, we announced that when we got to 200 fans we would choose one fan to receive a free night at the inn. At first, nothing much happened...but then when we got to about 190, we posted the same thing again. And when I woke up the next day we were at 218 fans! That was a month ago - now we're at 270, so in one month, fifty new fans! Wow!
As for those who worry that you're only reaching people who would already book with you, well, maybe...but when we had a last minute cancellation last week and posted it on Facebook, one of our fans booked it about thirty minutes later. I'm SURE they wouldn't have booked if I hadn't posted to Facebook.
Second...I would also say that this follows the old business adage that it is easier to sell to someone a second time than it is to sell to someone the first time. These folks already like you! You just need to close the deal.
I'm a new innkeeper (since May 09) and have a lot to learn but luckily I also run an internet marketing company...the inn is my very expensive hobby, really, and my husband's job. So, that's why this internet stuff is old hat to me - at least something in this whole adventure is relatively easy!
Oh...and here's our facebook page:
www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Little-River-CA/The-Andiron-Seaside-Inn-Cabins/146498071261.
Thank you for sharing this! I just started our inn's page on facebook and I'm interested in what the best uses of this format are. My concern is that I really limit my personal fb page to immediate family, so my personal network isn't that large. Would you suggest an email to our existing list to tell them about the fb page for the inn?
 
I realize this is an old thread but I'm new and have been scouring the forum for interesting and useful threads.
We put up our fan page on Facebook in October, just after we launched our new web site with our inn's new name (we bought an operating inn and changed the name to its orig name). We've promoted our fan page in our enewsletter, on our web site, and through our own personal networks on Facebook and elsewhere.
We have 270 fans now, and it's growing daily. We post at least a few times a week, put up photos, offer special deals, thank particular people and guests, and other things like that. Our Facebook page is connected to our Twitter account - so when we tweet it posts to Facebook and vice versa.
The best thing we've done to help us grow our fan base is this: when we get close to a round number, we hold a fan contest. For example, when we hit 175 fans, we announced that when we got to 200 fans we would choose one fan to receive a free night at the inn. At first, nothing much happened...but then when we got to about 190, we posted the same thing again. And when I woke up the next day we were at 218 fans! That was a month ago - now we're at 270, so in one month, fifty new fans! Wow!
As for those who worry that you're only reaching people who would already book with you, well, maybe...but when we had a last minute cancellation last week and posted it on Facebook, one of our fans booked it about thirty minutes later. I'm SURE they wouldn't have booked if I hadn't posted to Facebook.
Second...I would also say that this follows the old business adage that it is easier to sell to someone a second time than it is to sell to someone the first time. These folks already like you! You just need to close the deal.
I'm a new innkeeper (since May 09) and have a lot to learn but luckily I also run an internet marketing company...the inn is my very expensive hobby, really, and my husband's job. So, that's why this internet stuff is old hat to me - at least something in this whole adventure is relatively easy!
Oh...and here's our facebook page:
www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Little-River-CA/The-Andiron-Seaside-Inn-Cabins/146498071261.
Andiron - Welcome to the Forum! You might want to post this as a new thread - I believe you will be an asset to the forum.
 
I realize this is an old thread but I'm new and have been scouring the forum for interesting and useful threads.
We put up our fan page on Facebook in October, just after we launched our new web site with our inn's new name (we bought an operating inn and changed the name to its orig name). We've promoted our fan page in our enewsletter, on our web site, and through our own personal networks on Facebook and elsewhere.
We have 270 fans now, and it's growing daily. We post at least a few times a week, put up photos, offer special deals, thank particular people and guests, and other things like that. Our Facebook page is connected to our Twitter account - so when we tweet it posts to Facebook and vice versa.
The best thing we've done to help us grow our fan base is this: when we get close to a round number, we hold a fan contest. For example, when we hit 175 fans, we announced that when we got to 200 fans we would choose one fan to receive a free night at the inn. At first, nothing much happened...but then when we got to about 190, we posted the same thing again. And when I woke up the next day we were at 218 fans! That was a month ago - now we're at 270, so in one month, fifty new fans! Wow!
As for those who worry that you're only reaching people who would already book with you, well, maybe...but when we had a last minute cancellation last week and posted it on Facebook, one of our fans booked it about thirty minutes later. I'm SURE they wouldn't have booked if I hadn't posted to Facebook.
Second...I would also say that this follows the old business adage that it is easier to sell to someone a second time than it is to sell to someone the first time. These folks already like you! You just need to close the deal.
I'm a new innkeeper (since May 09) and have a lot to learn but luckily I also run an internet marketing company...the inn is my very expensive hobby, really, and my husband's job. So, that's why this internet stuff is old hat to me - at least something in this whole adventure is relatively easy!
Oh...and here's our facebook page:
www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Little-River-CA/The-Andiron-Seaside-Inn-Cabins/146498071261.
Thank you for sharing this! I just started our inn's page on facebook and I'm interested in what the best uses of this format are. My concern is that I really limit my personal fb page to immediate family, so my personal network isn't that large. Would you suggest an email to our existing list to tell them about the fb page for the inn?
.
An email is good, plus add a link to your facebook page from your website and your blog (if you have one). You can also 'suggest' the page to your current facebook friends, and when they become fans, your page will show up on their pages as being 'fanned' so you get the whole ripple affect from friends of friends.
 
I forgot to mention that there is also a group on Facebook that's worth belonging to - I (heart) B&Bs. If you type B&Bs in the search box you'll see it. They will add your facebook page to their listing and make periodic recommendations. They have about 3000 fans. You would be the first B&B in your town on their page.
 
I forgot to mention that there is also a group on Facebook that's worth belonging to - I (heart) B&Bs. If you type B&Bs in the search box you'll see it. They will add your facebook page to their listing and make periodic recommendations. They have about 3000 fans. You would be the first B&B in your town on their page..
Thanks for these great suggestions! I never even thought to add the FB link to our blog...got that done and going to go belong to I hear B&B's.
heart.gif

 
Back
Top