Frustrating moment and a nice moment

[gillumhouse]

Thanks as always great info. I have more time then most of you do to my setup so I feel I have to do it. I agree on not giving out too much stuff. We tried an open house and got snowed out. We will try that again. Some of the locals are helping with the wikitravel page, and goofing it up, so that is cool i fixed a few links or moved a few businesses to the right category and had to call or email and say hi, I just did this. So I feel this is a good time to work on that momentum. The shops I can say i am adding them to the page etc and the restaurants I did.
We all know we won't get much traffic from Wikitravel but it is a free lin k. And it hopefully got them thinking we are on their side in this..

Todd, if you have Publisher or a program like that - usually is part of Office - there are templates for a lot of things. I am using the coupon template to create coupons for discounts or freebies from local businesses that I am going to give all my guests. I will also make another version to go into our Welcome Packets for new residents that will include coupons from things like the local plumber. I have gone to each business to ask what they want their coupon to say.. I am printing them 3-up and will cut them apart to staple into a coupon book. That may be a way to get the local businesses to know you are there.
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Gillum, how does the program creat the coupons? Will they have a special # series to prevent discourage copying? I know these are not going to be commonly handed out, execpt you by, but wondering how else this program can be used.
I make my own GC using powerpoint and individual numbers. To make sure they are not copied, I use an embosser over my signature. Wondering if this has a easier method of security.
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I am using a template coupon that I am basically deleting everything and filling in the boxes. The barber has given a $1 off on a haircut - he is also concerned about "everyone" getng them. I am creating a coupon for each business for a Tourist Book and will add local merchants & services for new residents. I will give out the tourist book and the City will give out the new resident. That gives me an idea - I will add Welcome Visitors to the Tourist coupons and Welcome to Shinnston, new resident to the City coupons. They will be able to tell who is a new face. This is a SMALL city. The coupon books will NOT be available anywhere else.

 

[Samster]

Thanks as always great info. I have more time then most of you do to my setup so I feel I have to do it. I agree on not giving out too much stuff. We tried an open house and got snowed out. We will try that again. Some of the locals are helping with the wikitravel page, and goofing it up, so that is cool i fixed a few links or moved a few businesses to the right category and had to call or email and say hi, I just did this. So I feel this is a good time to work on that momentum. The shops I can say i am adding them to the page etc and the restaurants I did.
We all know we won't get much traffic from Wikitravel but it is a free lin k. And it hopefully got them thinking we are on their side in this..

Todd, if you have Publisher or a program like that - usually is part of Office - there are templates for a lot of things. I am using the coupon template to create coupons for discounts or freebies from local businesses that I am going to give all my guests. I will also make another version to go into our Welcome Packets for new residents that will include coupons from things like the local plumber. I have gone to each business to ask what they want their coupon to say.. I am printing them 3-up and will cut them apart to staple into a coupon book. That may be a way to get the local businesses to know you are there.
.

Gillum, how does the program creat the coupons? Will they have a special # series to prevent discourage copying? I know these are not going to be commonly handed out, execpt you by, but wondering how else this program can be used.
I make my own GC using powerpoint and individual numbers. To make sure they are not copied, I use an embosser over my signature. Wondering if this has a easier method of security.
.

You can also buy really cool gift certificate sets and coupon stationary in office supply stores and personalize them. I did that with my gift certificates. The gift certificate was business envelope size & easy to print on my color jet printer. I just set up the template in Word.
So, photocopies would definitely be forgeries.

 

[Joey Camb]

One of the ideas is I met the mum of a lady in town who has opened a place called Sugar therapy. She has worked with big names is Gordon Ramsey and Garry Rhodes. She is also doing a cookery school so I want to offer her non local cookery people a 10% discount if they book directly with me. Selling point is we are the nearest accommodation provider to her premises ie about 7 mins walk away but I want to book an appointment to see her as I know what it is like when people just turn up you are not receptive as you may be super busy. wish me luck.

 

[white pine]

One of the ideas is I met the mum of a lady in town who has opened a place called Sugar therapy. She has worked with big names is Gordon Ramsey and Garry Rhodes. She is also doing a cookery school so I want to offer her non local cookery people a 10% discount if they book directly with me. Selling point is we are the nearest accommodation provider to her premises ie about 7 mins walk away but I want to book an appointment to see her as I know what it is like when people just turn up you are not receptive as you may be super busy. wish me luck..

Good Luck! I am always impressed with you. Always workin' it! Love your inspirational ideas!

 

[Joey Camb]

Also we with local businesses and the promote harrogate group (all the town big wigs) are trying to put together a central conference desk and it will know all the facilities of everyone and everything ie clubs, guest houses, B&B, Hotel, wedding venues, all meetting rooms etc so will help bring smaller conferences (here anything below 200 is considered small) as if one of the big hotels ie the Majestic takes on a small conference ie 500 they only have 250 rooms so pushes 250 people out into the town = more business for us all shops, restaurants etc. So I am beating anyone's ear that may be interested for money ie is going to be $10 per bedroom so if you are bigger you pay more which I think is fair. We were hoping for some funding from Yorkshire forward and the council but they are both broke due to the gov funding cuts so it will all have to be found from the private sector.

 

[Alibi Ike]

Also we with local businesses and the promote harrogate group (all the town big wigs) are trying to put together a central conference desk and it will know all the facilities of everyone and everything ie clubs, guest houses, B&B, Hotel, wedding venues, all meetting rooms etc so will help bring smaller conferences (here anything below 200 is considered small) as if one of the big hotels ie the Majestic takes on a small conference ie 500 they only have 250 rooms so pushes 250 people out into the town = more business for us all shops, restaurants etc. So I am beating anyone's ear that may be interested for money ie is going to be $10 per bedroom so if you are bigger you pay more which I think is fair. We were hoping for some funding from Yorkshire forward and the council but they are both broke due to the gov funding cuts so it will all have to be found from the private sector..

That is a great idea! I know we've suppsedly tried that here but the cost to opt in is $195/room or a % of your gross if you're over 7 rooms. So, it limits the number of places that will opt in so someone might call who needs x rooms, but only 4-5 places have signed up so they can't say 'oh, we have lots of rooms and lots of meeting space,' when the places with the meeting spaces won't sign up.
If you have local people doing it and keep the price low it should work. We have hotels here with 99 rooms that are paying what your 500 room places would pay on your system.

 

[Joey Camb]

Also we with local businesses and the promote harrogate group (all the town big wigs) are trying to put together a central conference desk and it will know all the facilities of everyone and everything ie clubs, guest houses, B&B, Hotel, wedding venues, all meetting rooms etc so will help bring smaller conferences (here anything below 200 is considered small) as if one of the big hotels ie the Majestic takes on a small conference ie 500 they only have 250 rooms so pushes 250 people out into the town = more business for us all shops, restaurants etc. So I am beating anyone's ear that may be interested for money ie is going to be $10 per bedroom so if you are bigger you pay more which I think is fair. We were hoping for some funding from Yorkshire forward and the council but they are both broke due to the gov funding cuts so it will all have to be found from the private sector..

That is a great idea! I know we've suppsedly tried that here but the cost to opt in is $195/room or a % of your gross if you're over 7 rooms. So, it limits the number of places that will opt in so someone might call who needs x rooms, but only 4-5 places have signed up so they can't say 'oh, we have lots of rooms and lots of meeting space,' when the places with the meeting spaces won't sign up.
If you have local people doing it and keep the price low it should work. We have hotels here with 99 rooms that are paying what your 500 room places would pay on your system.
.

I think it is easier to charge less cos there is so many of us lol about 110 B&B's at aaverage 8 rooms each 15 A group hotels with average 80 rooms each, restaurants will be at £2.50 per cover and approximately 100 of them, meeting rooms will be charged at £1 per head that can sit, then there is the self catering places maybe 150 of them at £20 each it all adds up. They are also getting the taxi companies involved but can't remember the charge for them. Trouble is as well is getting the right person to answer the phone to covert it from and enquiry into a sale.

 

[Copperhead]

Also we with local businesses and the promote harrogate group (all the town big wigs) are trying to put together a central conference desk and it will know all the facilities of everyone and everything ie clubs, guest houses, B&B, Hotel, wedding venues, all meetting rooms etc so will help bring smaller conferences (here anything below 200 is considered small) as if one of the big hotels ie the Majestic takes on a small conference ie 500 they only have 250 rooms so pushes 250 people out into the town = more business for us all shops, restaurants etc. So I am beating anyone's ear that may be interested for money ie is going to be $10 per bedroom so if you are bigger you pay more which I think is fair. We were hoping for some funding from Yorkshire forward and the council but they are both broke due to the gov funding cuts so it will all have to be found from the private sector..

A wonderful idea, sure hope it works for your area. Our CVB tried to do this, for free, but failed as most of the hotels were reluctant to open their occupancy status to them among other reasons (below). The CVB would request via email openings for certain dates and all accommodations were to reply. A time consuming job for both hotel and especially the CVB who then had to organize this and then write a proposal for the convention... usually still loosing out to another venue. The CVB would request each hotel to block a certain # of rooms during those dates (enough to satisfy the need in total) until the organization committed to the proposal. Small businesses like me were put in as an extra - step above location and did not need to commit as the others. Hotels found this to hamper business and time to do the task and then undo it. I would love to hear how other areas are doing this to find a better way & provide it to the CVB.

 

[Joey Camb]

I think mind you it is early days it is going to be more of a bidding system ie if it is less than 250 delegates one of the big hotels can easily handle it so they will submit bids to hold the meetings with a special rate for accommodation to go with it. If they need more rooms to stay in they will co-operate with neighbouring hotels which is what happens anyway. We also have a local accommodation booking agency called Reservation Highway who have been doing this for 10 years and you submit however many rooms you want for a conference on allocation and they put them onto their booking web site for delegates to book . When the delegate registers for the conference they get a special pass code which lets them into this area where there are the rooms held for them so that part of it is relatively straight forward. or they just book in however they like its about a 50/50 split but highway charges only 5% for new conferences and 8% for repeats so is cheaper than Late rooms etc. if they actually pull this off I will let you know the details as they happen if it is helpful.

 

[JBloggs]

Wow! Joey that is crazy. We are nicer and that is why we charge more! Doesn't seem like it takes a genius to figure that out..

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[JBloggs]

jb ... i am speechless.
did the guest see that note?! i would've burned it ....

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[JBloggs]

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[JBloggs]

We've been open for 15 years and there are still people right in our small town who don't know about us! We've tried advertising in our local paper, holding open houses, holding events here, and contacting all the businesses. Some people just live in a cave. OTOH, we don't have a sign....

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[Samster]

I was going to walk around main street and hand out our mugs to whoever was in the stores etc and say hey we exist. Maybe I should skip it..

I would only give them a mug if it would have a presence in their shop on the counter. For instance, if they use it to hold pens & pencils. Otherwise, it could just go home with the shopkeeper/owner for coffee and that's the end of it.
I didn't find that giveaways were very successful with the locals here. Example, I donated logo pens for a large silent auction. They liked the freebies but didn't support the biz that much.