Guest Testimonials

[Breakfast Diva]

When I first came to what's now our b&b and stayed a couple of nights (in escrow), the previous owner handed me a couple of room diary books and said I would cry when I read them. Oh, no, not me. I sat in my room reading those books and blubbered like a baby. I then knew how special this place was. Those types of comments are still happening over and over.
It's not about us as innkeepers. it's about us, keeping the inn.
After a guest checks out, one of the first things we do is look in the room diary. It gives us the energy to keep going without obsessing over negative things.

 

[JBloggs]

[h2]
THIS THREAD IS NOT ABOUT TRIP ADVISOR[/h2]

.

[h2]
THIS THREAD IS NOT ABOUT TRIP ADVISOR

[/h2]

Ha! Ha! You know how these threads go...everywhere but what it was original created for! TA is out to get themselves into every corner!!!!!!
.

[h2]
THIS THREAD IS NOT ABOUT TRIP ADVISOR

[/h2]

Ha! Ha! You know how these threads go...everywhere but what it was original created for! TA is out to get themselves into every corner!!!!!!

Yes...head bowed walking slowly away...I know...oh how I know

 

[gillumhouse]

When I first came to what's now our b&b and stayed a couple of nights (in escrow), the previous owner handed me a couple of room diary books and said I would cry when I read them. Oh, no, not me. I sat in my room reading those books and blubbered like a baby. I then knew how special this place was. Those types of comments are still happening over and over.
It's not about us as innkeepers. it's about us, keeping the inn.
After a guest checks out, one of the first things we do is look in the room diary. It gives us the energy to keep going without obsessing over negative things..

First question from Himself when I go up to flip a room - "Did they write in the book?"

 

[Lee2014]

[h2]
THIS THREAD IS NOT ABOUT TRIP ADVISOR[/h2]

.

[h2]
THIS THREAD IS NOT ABOUT TRIP ADVISOR

[/h2]

Ha! Ha! You know how these threads go...everywhere but what it was original created for! TA is out to get themselves into every corner!!!!!!
.

[h2]
THIS THREAD IS NOT ABOUT TRIP ADVISOR

[/h2]

Ha! Ha! You know how these threads go...everywhere but what it was original created for! TA is out to get themselves into every corner!!!!!!

Yes...head bowed walking slowly away...I know...oh how I know
.

[h2]
THIS THREAD IS NOT ABOUT TRIP ADVISOR

[/h2]

Ha! Ha! You know how these threads go...everywhere but what it was original created for! TA is out to get themselves into every corner!!!!!!

Yes...head bowed walking slowly away...I know...oh how I know

Just sit back and enjoy the rabbit trails...then start another thread from a different angle to get them to come around to what you want them to talk about!!!! What was this thread about anyways?!?

 

[Country Girl]

We have a link to all our review sites on our homepage.

 

[JBloggs]

We have a link to all our review sites on our homepage..

We have a link to all our review sites on our homepage.

Do you have testimonials ON your website? (not reviews on other sites that send people of your page)

 

[swaapc]

Do guests believe that the quotes on a web page are genuine (not just B&B sites)? Do they care? Being a marketing phobic (try to disregard any advertising/marketing on any media) I would just assume they were made up and ignore them. What is the probability that they are genuine? For a small business possibly 50/50. For a big business - no chance.

 

[undersea]

Do guests believe that the quotes on a web page are genuine (not just B&B sites)? Do they care? Being a marketing phobic (try to disregard any advertising/marketing on any media) I would just assume they were made up and ignore them. What is the probability that they are genuine? For a small business possibly 50/50. For a big business - no chance..

I always disliked testimonials on most sites.
They don't reflect reality. Who posts comments like "their product gave me a rash?" "sucks, canceled my subscription!" "I gained 7 pounds in 2 weeks using their diet!"
In other words, most sites cherry pick and publish the best.
Amazon is notorious for sellers who basically pad their reviews with fake positives.
I suppose that is one good thing about Yelp and other review sites, although they have many detractors due to the anonymous nature allowing people to unfairly bash a business (or businesses to pimp out with questionable reviews)...

 

[Morticia]

Do guests believe that the quotes on a web page are genuine (not just B&B sites)? Do they care? Being a marketing phobic (try to disregard any advertising/marketing on any media) I would just assume they were made up and ignore them. What is the probability that they are genuine? For a small business possibly 50/50. For a big business - no chance..

I'm a sucker for those little blurbs, nicely done in script on a B&B website. Me, who won't read the in-room books!
"Bing and Bob were charming hosts. We had a lovely stay in the Morocco Room."

 

[EmptyNest]

Do guests believe that the quotes on a web page are genuine (not just B&B sites)? Do they care? Being a marketing phobic (try to disregard any advertising/marketing on any media) I would just assume they were made up and ignore them. What is the probability that they are genuine? For a small business possibly 50/50. For a big business - no chance..

I'm a sucker for those little blurbs, nicely done in script on a B&B website. Me, who won't read the in-room books!
"Bing and Bob were charming hosts. We had a lovely stay in the Morocco Room."
.

I won't look at testimonials on a website. You know they only post good stuff. Why bother reading a hundred testimonials on a a site ? I will look to ta if it is a place I want to stay

 

[Breakfast Diva]

I think a couple of them well placed can help get your niche across to the person looking on your site for the first time.

 

[JBloggs]

Do guests believe that the quotes on a web page are genuine (not just B&B sites)? Do they care? Being a marketing phobic (try to disregard any advertising/marketing on any media) I would just assume they were made up and ignore them. What is the probability that they are genuine? For a small business possibly 50/50. For a big business - no chance..

Do guests believe that the quotes on a web page are genuine (not just B&B sites)? Do they care?

Does it really matter?
We can't be in the mind of every person.
I certainly wouldn't post artificial comments anywhere, and why would you even consider anything that is not glowing?

 

[JBloggs]

Do guests believe that the quotes on a web page are genuine (not just B&B sites)? Do they care? Being a marketing phobic (try to disregard any advertising/marketing on any media) I would just assume they were made up and ignore them. What is the probability that they are genuine? For a small business possibly 50/50. For a big business - no chance..

I always disliked testimonials on most sites.
They don't reflect reality. Who posts comments like "their product gave me a rash?" "sucks, canceled my subscription!" "I gained 7 pounds in 2 weeks using their diet!"
In other words, most sites cherry pick and publish the best.
Amazon is notorious for sellers who basically pad their reviews with fake positives.
I suppose that is one good thing about Yelp and other review sites, although they have many detractors due to the anonymous nature allowing people to unfairly bash a business (or businesses to pimp out with questionable reviews)...
.

I suppose that is one good thing about Yelp and other review sites, although they have many detractors due to the anonymous nature allowing people to unfairly bash a business (or businesses to pimp out with questionable reviews)...

Funny you say that, I noticed a new place has hit all the online hot spots (and I believe they have hired a B&B "marketer" to do this or they wouldn't have a clue these were even out there) and I am thinking like, I don't even have Yelp reviews, or a couple or something, not our type of place, and yet there they are, instantly on yelp, instantly on TA, BandB.com etc.
It is ruthless to be new and have the same # of these floating around as an established B&B who has been around for 25 years and goes at it organically. But then the 25 year old B&B doesn't pay a "social media marketer" to put up falsies. Like those convoluted twitter posts, one after another - a sentence then a link, a sentence then a link. Written with no personality, nothing that says the inn is sharing anything online.
I have been on a soap box about this lately. B&B's should be homegrown, not hatched from a factory from the lawn maintenance, renovations to online presence.
The longer I am in this the more I don't like cheaters. Give me the real McCoy!

 

[JBloggs]

Do guests believe that the quotes on a web page are genuine (not just B&B sites)? Do they care? Being a marketing phobic (try to disregard any advertising/marketing on any media) I would just assume they were made up and ignore them. What is the probability that they are genuine? For a small business possibly 50/50. For a big business - no chance..

I'm a sucker for those little blurbs, nicely done in script on a B&B website. Me, who won't read the in-room books!
"Bing and Bob were charming hosts. We had a lovely stay in the Morocco Room."
.

I'm a sucker for those little blurbs, nicely done in script on a B&B website. Me, who won't read the in-room books!
"Bing and Bob were charming hosts. We had a lovely stay in the Morocco Room."

Weird, I am the same way. I like to hear what they say like that too. That is really where this whole thread came up (that is not about TA) but about real quotes from real people.
If, btw, anyone is looking for a blog idea, do that, put a quite from your guest room - you can add it to a photo, but if you want google to love you, make sure it can read it too, not just on the image.
Then schedule them out 1 per week or something, and bobsyeruncle.
This morning with 4 rooms here and the most glorious day on earth, not a soul had coffee on the porch, the sunrise side, southern exposure, beautiful... one couple did ask me to take their photo out there, so I obliged and asked if they wouldn't mind sending me a copy to the email address they had. They said they would, but they never do. I encouraged them to return and spend some time out there...

 

[Morticia]

Do guests believe that the quotes on a web page are genuine (not just B&B sites)? Do they care? Being a marketing phobic (try to disregard any advertising/marketing on any media) I would just assume they were made up and ignore them. What is the probability that they are genuine? For a small business possibly 50/50. For a big business - no chance..

I'm a sucker for those little blurbs, nicely done in script on a B&B website. Me, who won't read the in-room books!
"Bing and Bob were charming hosts. We had a lovely stay in the Morocco Room."
.

I'm a sucker for those little blurbs, nicely done in script on a B&B website. Me, who won't read the in-room books!
"Bing and Bob were charming hosts. We had a lovely stay in the Morocco Room."

Weird, I am the same way. I like to hear what they say like that too. That is really where this whole thread came up (that is not about TA) but about real quotes from real people.
If, btw, anyone is looking for a blog idea, do that, put a quite from your guest room - you can add it to a photo, but if you want google to love you, make sure it can read it too, not just on the image.
Then schedule them out 1 per week or something, and bobsyeruncle.
This morning with 4 rooms here and the most glorious day on earth, not a soul had coffee on the porch, the sunrise side, southern exposure, beautiful... one couple did ask me to take their photo out there, so I obliged and asked if they wouldn't mind sending me a copy to the email address they had. They said they would, but they never do. I encouraged them to return and spend some time out there...
.

My doppelganger innkeeper in my book has the perfect spot for photos. She's put a lovely bench near the garden with an unobtrusive sign with the inn name on it right behind the bench. ;-)
She doesn't always get the photos sent to her, but no one forgets where they were taken.
I keep saying I need to do that. Right where the guests always stand for me to take their picture.

 

[Flower]

Do guests believe that the quotes on a web page are genuine (not just B&B sites)? Do they care? Being a marketing phobic (try to disregard any advertising/marketing on any media) I would just assume they were made up and ignore them. What is the probability that they are genuine? For a small business possibly 50/50. For a big business - no chance..

Do guests believe that the quotes on a web page are genuine (not just B&B sites)? Do they care?

Does it really matter?
We can't be in the mind of every person.
I certainly wouldn't post artificial comments anywhere, and why would you even consider anything that is not glowing?
.

aww a thought crossed my mind. Reference would consider any thing that is not glowing. Yes I am. To put minds at ease to let them know My site you can post on our web site your true feeling if you thought we could improve . I also would know you really stayed here as here we do ask for names. We give them a link to post reviews on our web site. No hiding be hind a false name you post it you own it. That way I am all for posting you stand by your name and you own it.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

Do guests believe that the quotes on a web page are genuine (not just B&B sites)? Do they care? Being a marketing phobic (try to disregard any advertising/marketing on any media) I would just assume they were made up and ignore them. What is the probability that they are genuine? For a small business possibly 50/50. For a big business - no chance..

I always disliked testimonials on most sites.
They don't reflect reality. Who posts comments like "their product gave me a rash?" "sucks, canceled my subscription!" "I gained 7 pounds in 2 weeks using their diet!"
In other words, most sites cherry pick and publish the best.
Amazon is notorious for sellers who basically pad their reviews with fake positives.
I suppose that is one good thing about Yelp and other review sites, although they have many detractors due to the anonymous nature allowing people to unfairly bash a business (or businesses to pimp out with questionable reviews)...
.

I suppose that is one good thing about Yelp and other review sites, although they have many detractors due to the anonymous nature allowing people to unfairly bash a business (or businesses to pimp out with questionable reviews)...

Funny you say that, I noticed a new place has hit all the online hot spots (and I believe they have hired a B&B "marketer" to do this or they wouldn't have a clue these were even out there) and I am thinking like, I don't even have Yelp reviews, or a couple or something, not our type of place, and yet there they are, instantly on yelp, instantly on TA, BandB.com etc.
It is ruthless to be new and have the same # of these floating around as an established B&B who has been around for 25 years and goes at it organically. But then the 25 year old B&B doesn't pay a "social media marketer" to put up falsies. Like those convoluted twitter posts, one after another - a sentence then a link, a sentence then a link. Written with no personality, nothing that says the inn is sharing anything online.
I have been on a soap box about this lately. B&B's should be homegrown, not hatched from a factory from the lawn maintenance, renovations to online presence.
The longer I am in this the more I don't like cheaters. Give me the real McCoy!
.

I suppose that is one good thing about Yelp and other review sites, although they have many detractors due to the anonymous nature allowing people to unfairly bash a business (or businesses to pimp out with questionable reviews)...

Funny you say that, I noticed a new place has hit all the online hot spots (and I believe they have hired a B&B "marketer" to do this or they wouldn't have a clue these were even out there) and I am thinking like, I don't even have Yelp reviews, or a couple or something, not our type of place, and yet there they are, instantly on yelp, instantly on TA, BandB.com etc.
It is ruthless to be new and have the same # of these floating around as an established B&B who has been around for 25 years and goes at it organically. But then the 25 year old B&B doesn't pay a "social media marketer" to put up falsies. Like those convoluted twitter posts, one after another - a sentence then a link, a sentence then a link. Written with no personality, nothing that says the inn is sharing anything online.
I have been on a soap box about this lately. B&B's should be homegrown, not hatched from a factory from the lawn maintenance, renovations to online presence.
The longer I am in this the more I don't like cheaters. Give me the real McCoy!

Agreed!
I just got an e-mail from pin ter est saying there was a pinner out there that was a clone of me...we have pinned x number of the same pins. Click here to know who it is. Turned out to be a professional B&B blogger/pinner/tweet company. Of course they've pinned the same as me THEY'VE USED MOST OF MY OWN PINS! It's not right, I tell ya!

 

[JBloggs]

Do guests believe that the quotes on a web page are genuine (not just B&B sites)? Do they care? Being a marketing phobic (try to disregard any advertising/marketing on any media) I would just assume they were made up and ignore them. What is the probability that they are genuine? For a small business possibly 50/50. For a big business - no chance..

I'm a sucker for those little blurbs, nicely done in script on a B&B website. Me, who won't read the in-room books!
"Bing and Bob were charming hosts. We had a lovely stay in the Morocco Room."
.

I'm a sucker for those little blurbs, nicely done in script on a B&B website. Me, who won't read the in-room books!
"Bing and Bob were charming hosts. We had a lovely stay in the Morocco Room."

Weird, I am the same way. I like to hear what they say like that too. That is really where this whole thread came up (that is not about TA) but about real quotes from real people.
If, btw, anyone is looking for a blog idea, do that, put a quite from your guest room - you can add it to a photo, but if you want google to love you, make sure it can read it too, not just on the image.
Then schedule them out 1 per week or something, and bobsyeruncle.
This morning with 4 rooms here and the most glorious day on earth, not a soul had coffee on the porch, the sunrise side, southern exposure, beautiful... one couple did ask me to take their photo out there, so I obliged and asked if they wouldn't mind sending me a copy to the email address they had. They said they would, but they never do. I encouraged them to return and spend some time out there...
.

My doppelganger innkeeper in my book has the perfect spot for photos. She's put a lovely bench near the garden with an unobtrusive sign with the inn name on it right behind the bench. ;-)
She doesn't always get the photos sent to her, but no one forgets where they were taken.
I keep saying I need to do that. Right where the guests always stand for me to take their picture.
.

My doppelganger innkeeper in my book has the perfect spot for photos. She's put a lovely bench near the garden with an unobtrusive sign with the inn name on it right behind the bench. ;-)
She doesn't always get the photos sent to her, but no one forgets where they were taken.
I keep saying I need to do that. Right where the guests always stand for me to take their picture.

Versus me going all the way down the hill to the front to try to catch them with the sign.
Here is an idea - I only just saw it, it is one of those garden sticks with the sign on it, you could make it. If you make them you could sell them to all of us. Let me find an example:
this
or this
or if it were a clever prop they could hold, like a bear or moose or whatever you have there that is popular.
Or a photo op spot, like many hotels are doing, then they # the image on social media - i know that is not what you are asking about.

 

[gillumhouse]

Do guests believe that the quotes on a web page are genuine (not just B&B sites)? Do they care? Being a marketing phobic (try to disregard any advertising/marketing on any media) I would just assume they were made up and ignore them. What is the probability that they are genuine? For a small business possibly 50/50. For a big business - no chance..

I'm a sucker for those little blurbs, nicely done in script on a B&B website. Me, who won't read the in-room books!
"Bing and Bob were charming hosts. We had a lovely stay in the Morocco Room."
.

I'm a sucker for those little blurbs, nicely done in script on a B&B website. Me, who won't read the in-room books!
"Bing and Bob were charming hosts. We had a lovely stay in the Morocco Room."

Weird, I am the same way. I like to hear what they say like that too. That is really where this whole thread came up (that is not about TA) but about real quotes from real people.
If, btw, anyone is looking for a blog idea, do that, put a quite from your guest room - you can add it to a photo, but if you want google to love you, make sure it can read it too, not just on the image.
Then schedule them out 1 per week or something, and bobsyeruncle.
This morning with 4 rooms here and the most glorious day on earth, not a soul had coffee on the porch, the sunrise side, southern exposure, beautiful... one couple did ask me to take their photo out there, so I obliged and asked if they wouldn't mind sending me a copy to the email address they had. They said they would, but they never do. I encouraged them to return and spend some time out there...
.

My doppelganger innkeeper in my book has the perfect spot for photos. She's put a lovely bench near the garden with an unobtrusive sign with the inn name on it right behind the bench. ;-)
She doesn't always get the photos sent to her, but no one forgets where they were taken.
I keep saying I need to do that. Right where the guests always stand for me to take their picture.
.

My doppelganger innkeeper in my book has the perfect spot for photos. She's put a lovely bench near the garden with an unobtrusive sign with the inn name on it right behind the bench. ;-)
She doesn't always get the photos sent to her, but no one forgets where they were taken.
I keep saying I need to do that. Right where the guests always stand for me to take their picture.

Versus me going all the way down the hill to the front to try to catch them with the sign.
Here is an idea - I only just saw it, it is one of those garden sticks with the sign on it, you could make it. If you make them you could sell them to all of us. Let me find an example:
this
or this
or if it were a clever prop they could hold, like a bear or moose or whatever you have there that is popular.
Or a photo op spot, like many hotels are doing, then they # the image on social media - i know that is not what you are asking about.
.

So many of our guests want one or both of us to stand by the sign at the door and then with them and then OF them. (So I often use MY camera and e-mail the photo to them) That worked great for me a few years ago when I was asked for a photo of some guests for an article - I was able to contact them for permission to use their image (my photo). Right there by my sign (I do not have one at the street). Himself made it for me years ago - it is the shape of the headboard of the rice bed that is now in the Harris Room.

 

[Iris]

Do guests believe that the quotes on a web page are genuine (not just B&B sites)? Do they care? Being a marketing phobic (try to disregard any advertising/marketing on any media) I would just assume they were made up and ignore them. What is the probability that they are genuine? For a small business possibly 50/50. For a big business - no chance..

I always disliked testimonials on most sites.
They don't reflect reality. Who posts comments like "their product gave me a rash?" "sucks, canceled my subscription!" "I gained 7 pounds in 2 weeks using their diet!"
In other words, most sites cherry pick and publish the best.
Amazon is notorious for sellers who basically pad their reviews with fake positives.
I suppose that is one good thing about Yelp and other review sites, although they have many detractors due to the anonymous nature allowing people to unfairly bash a business (or businesses to pimp out with questionable reviews)...
.

I suppose that is one good thing about Yelp and other review sites, although they have many detractors due to the anonymous nature allowing people to unfairly bash a business (or businesses to pimp out with questionable reviews)...

Funny you say that, I noticed a new place has hit all the online hot spots (and I believe they have hired a B&B "marketer" to do this or they wouldn't have a clue these were even out there) and I am thinking like, I don't even have Yelp reviews, or a couple or something, not our type of place, and yet there they are, instantly on yelp, instantly on TA, BandB.com etc.
It is ruthless to be new and have the same # of these floating around as an established B&B who has been around for 25 years and goes at it organically. But then the 25 year old B&B doesn't pay a "social media marketer" to put up falsies. Like those convoluted twitter posts, one after another - a sentence then a link, a sentence then a link. Written with no personality, nothing that says the inn is sharing anything online.
I have been on a soap box about this lately. B&B's should be homegrown, not hatched from a factory from the lawn maintenance, renovations to online presence.
The longer I am in this the more I don't like cheaters. Give me the real McCoy!
.

I suppose that is one good thing about Yelp and other review sites, although they have many detractors due to the anonymous nature allowing people to unfairly bash a business (or businesses to pimp out with questionable reviews)...

Funny you say that, I noticed a new place has hit all the online hot spots (and I believe they have hired a B&B "marketer" to do this or they wouldn't have a clue these were even out there) and I am thinking like, I don't even have Yelp reviews, or a couple or something, not our type of place, and yet there they are, instantly on yelp, instantly on TA, BandB.com etc.
It is ruthless to be new and have the same # of these floating around as an established B&B who has been around for 25 years and goes at it organically. But then the 25 year old B&B doesn't pay a "social media marketer" to put up falsies. Like those convoluted twitter posts, one after another - a sentence then a link, a sentence then a link. Written with no personality, nothing that says the inn is sharing anything online.
I have been on a soap box about this lately. B&B's should be homegrown, not hatched from a factory from the lawn maintenance, renovations to online presence.
The longer I am in this the more I don't like cheaters. Give me the real McCoy!

yes, yes, yes. I am so sick of reading canned reviews, and I do think that people are more sophisticated than to believe all this baloney.
I can honestly say that I have never cleaned out my "guestbook" other than that I have taken a lot of them off the website, because they were over the top and even to me nearly unbelievable. I was flattered by them nonethe less. It does make my heart sing when people appreciate how we make them feel around here.
I want to add that we get Thank You notes from nearly every guest. Handwritten, either left in the cottage with a small gift for us or sent by snail mail after they have returned home. So, we might be growing slowly in the online review department but it is organic and that's the way it should be