Has anyone placed Facebook ads and did they work?

[Bigbid]

I just placed my first Facebook ad advertising my B&B. I had a group of 6 rooms cancel for an event this weekend that we have been full for a long time. I decided to post a Facebook ad Just for the Las Vegas area which is about 170 miles from us. In the past 14 hours, I have had 94,000 impressions with 17 clicks to my website. It cost me about $18 to do that and I will let it run again today. No reservation off of it yet. I do not know if Facebook ads are good for a quick campaign like this, a slower longterm campaign or if it does not work at all. Has anyone had good or bad experience? Also, I put the "likes & Interest" category for the campaign to "travel". Is there a better category for B&B users?

 

[JBloggs]

I did. (I say this as I just input the amounts into excel for my taxes) and paid $12, then $18, had zero bookings from it. That money went out FAST TOO. So I cancelled it.

 

[GeorgiaGirl]

Are those the ads that I see on the right hand side of the page?? Personally I've been very leary about clicking on those, I'm afraid I will get a virus.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

I've done it twice. Both times nothing. I have had bookings from Face Book, but not from the paid ad.

 

[TinaC]

I placed FB ads & found them inexpensive, resulting in quite a few hits. As for activity off these hits, I don't have a way of knowing as contacts, sales etc. are generated through several sources. You folks can ask where guests heard about you.
Free online advertising - Hit up your area online paper for free ads. They're out there & available just for the time it takes to post. Cast a wider net using options to post to surrounging areas & towns. Then hit next state & so on.
If I find a link or e-addy, I'll post it here. It's been some time & they may have expired but heck free advertising is often the best!

 

[Copperhead]

Yes we have - twice. Very inexpensive for the vast number of views and click thrus. We set up a special page as the landing page for this. It was easier to track how many were from the ad verses all of FB since we do have a business page and I do post about the B&B on it as well as my personal FB page.
Here are the stats for Jan 18-31 we had 1549 click-thrus to our landing page, from there only 142 clicked further in our site, but NO one booked. Now how many of those bookmarked the site for the future? Who knows!
This type of advertising is not the same as the directories. Most people going to the directories are in the market for a B&B in your area. The FB ads are more of a bait the hook type of advertising. You can select certain criteria for the viewer (traveler, areas to cover, and more) but are these people in the market NOW, probably not. But - hopefully you are planting the seed for the future. For small businesses like ours, I am not sure if this is something to invest in, at least not often. This may be a good way to advertise for special event periods - lets say advertising in Jan. FOR Valentines packages. (no ours were general, just saying this may have had an instant impact - as they say hindsight is 20/20)

 

[JBloggs]

My thoughts, hits mean sqwuat to an inn. Heck I can see a gazillion hits from the 6 newly ordained priests in Greece. DOH!
Click thru's I like to monitor, conversion rates, and bookings, now we're talking!
Me wonders if all I am doing is adding more spammers and scammers to my CALL THE INN AND BUG JB list by certain types of advertising. I do know that the more high school buddies you find the more amway,melaleuca (tea tree oil), MLM you will get!
Years ago we made a church directory and found, as is true, that these MLM will come into a church on a Sunday and lift a directory, then begin calling the folks in the directory. What do they say? You ask. "I just spoke to Alibi Ike and she told me to call you cuz she knew you would really be interested in this..." Just using a name you recognize will be more likely to make a sale/scam.
A few years ago I had RezNexus call and say "We just installed our system at The Depot Lodge at Paint Bank and "Mary" said to give you a call as she knew you would be interested to!" Well that story is 100% true except for the owners name, and I have never met nor corresponded with that Lodge, the caller was lying. I say it here as a fact, and it PUT ME OFF that online reservation system.
PS Edited to add: The thing reznexus was counting on was that all us innkeepers know each other and we wouldn't bat an eye and it would be a toe in the door. But I do not know them, so for that the phone call had me perplexed and wondering "Gee why did The Depot Lodge have them call me?" Then it ocurred to me, the lying factor.
SO Be warned, if you list your inn on this forum, if someone calls and says that JB said you would like this product, this is another reason (you all know me and where I am) but for an easy scan and info-pickup I am not easy to decifer on this forum. A simple deterrent. Doesn't stop any who really want the info, just a deterrent.

 

[Alibi Ike]

My thoughts, hits mean sqwuat to an inn. Heck I can see a gazillion hits from the 6 newly ordained priests in Greece. DOH!
Click thru's I like to monitor, conversion rates, and bookings, now we're talking!
Me wonders if all I am doing is adding more spammers and scammers to my CALL THE INN AND BUG JB list by certain types of advertising. I do know that the more high school buddies you find the more amway,melaleuca (tea tree oil), MLM you will get!
Years ago we made a church directory and found, as is true, that these MLM will come into a church on a Sunday and lift a directory, then begin calling the folks in the directory. What do they say? You ask. "I just spoke to Alibi Ike and she told me to call you cuz she knew you would really be interested in this..." Just using a name you recognize will be more likely to make a sale/scam.
A few years ago I had RezNexus call and say "We just installed our system at The Depot Lodge at Paint Bank and "Mary" said to give you a call as she knew you would be interested to!" Well that story is 100% true except for the owners name, and I have never met nor corresponded with that Lodge, the caller was lying. I say it here as a fact, and it PUT ME OFF that online reservation system.
PS Edited to add: The thing reznexus was counting on was that all us innkeepers know each other and we wouldn't bat an eye and it would be a toe in the door. But I do not know them, so for that the phone call had me perplexed and wondering "Gee why did The Depot Lodge have them call me?" Then it ocurred to me, the lying factor.
SO Be warned, if you list your inn on this forum, if someone calls and says that JB said you would like this product, this is another reason (you all know me and where I am) but for an easy scan and info-pickup I am not easy to decifer on this forum. A simple deterrent. Doesn't stop any who really want the info, just a deterrent..

We've had a few of those callers. So and so at such and such inn gave us your name. A) I immediately hate the person at the other B&B; B) I decline to do business with the caller.
Then they ask if I can refer them to anyone! Depending on how wound up I am, I generally either reply A) I only know the folks at the inn that referred you; B) I wouldn't wish you on my worst competitor.
I think most of the calls we get are from telemarketers who were given a list of phone numbers culled from who knows where. I say it this way because none of them know our names. Anyone who has seen a directory listing knows our names, ditto if they've seen our website. If they ask for my partner I know they got the info from a purchased list.
I will say we saw an uptick in inquiries for donations for veterans after we were listed on a veteran's website. (Not the B&B's4Vets site) Otherwise, it's the same old shysters calling since day one.

 

[JBloggs]

My thoughts, hits mean sqwuat to an inn. Heck I can see a gazillion hits from the 6 newly ordained priests in Greece. DOH!
Click thru's I like to monitor, conversion rates, and bookings, now we're talking!
Me wonders if all I am doing is adding more spammers and scammers to my CALL THE INN AND BUG JB list by certain types of advertising. I do know that the more high school buddies you find the more amway,melaleuca (tea tree oil), MLM you will get!
Years ago we made a church directory and found, as is true, that these MLM will come into a church on a Sunday and lift a directory, then begin calling the folks in the directory. What do they say? You ask. "I just spoke to Alibi Ike and she told me to call you cuz she knew you would really be interested in this..." Just using a name you recognize will be more likely to make a sale/scam.
A few years ago I had RezNexus call and say "We just installed our system at The Depot Lodge at Paint Bank and "Mary" said to give you a call as she knew you would be interested to!" Well that story is 100% true except for the owners name, and I have never met nor corresponded with that Lodge, the caller was lying. I say it here as a fact, and it PUT ME OFF that online reservation system.
PS Edited to add: The thing reznexus was counting on was that all us innkeepers know each other and we wouldn't bat an eye and it would be a toe in the door. But I do not know them, so for that the phone call had me perplexed and wondering "Gee why did The Depot Lodge have them call me?" Then it ocurred to me, the lying factor.
SO Be warned, if you list your inn on this forum, if someone calls and says that JB said you would like this product, this is another reason (you all know me and where I am) but for an easy scan and info-pickup I am not easy to decifer on this forum. A simple deterrent. Doesn't stop any who really want the info, just a deterrent..

We've had a few of those callers. So and so at such and such inn gave us your name. A) I immediately hate the person at the other B&B; B) I decline to do business with the caller.
Then they ask if I can refer them to anyone! Depending on how wound up I am, I generally either reply A) I only know the folks at the inn that referred you; B) I wouldn't wish you on my worst competitor.
I think most of the calls we get are from telemarketers who were given a list of phone numbers culled from who knows where. I say it this way because none of them know our names. Anyone who has seen a directory listing knows our names, ditto if they've seen our website. If they ask for my partner I know they got the info from a purchased list.
I will say we saw an uptick in inquiries for donations for veterans after we were listed on a veteran's website. (Not the B&B's4Vets site) Otherwise, it's the same old shysters calling since day one.
.

Of course you will get the fishing call "May I speak to 'Mary' the owner?" and you will say, No the owners name is "Sally" and then they go oh sorry. Then the call will come later on asking for Sally by first name, and it is the marketer.
Any one new to this forum, we warned that there were a couple B&B scammers, remember old timers? They would call and say "JB is in trouble and..." and you would recognize JB and say "Oh no!" again, trust me when I say you will not get a call IF/WHEN I am in trouble. They are using that name familiarity thing again. But it did happen to a couple inns that we know of! Maybe those inns can fill us in on how they worked it.

 

[Morticia]

My thoughts, hits mean sqwuat to an inn. Heck I can see a gazillion hits from the 6 newly ordained priests in Greece. DOH!
Click thru's I like to monitor, conversion rates, and bookings, now we're talking!
Me wonders if all I am doing is adding more spammers and scammers to my CALL THE INN AND BUG JB list by certain types of advertising. I do know that the more high school buddies you find the more amway,melaleuca (tea tree oil), MLM you will get!
Years ago we made a church directory and found, as is true, that these MLM will come into a church on a Sunday and lift a directory, then begin calling the folks in the directory. What do they say? You ask. "I just spoke to Alibi Ike and she told me to call you cuz she knew you would really be interested in this..." Just using a name you recognize will be more likely to make a sale/scam.
A few years ago I had RezNexus call and say "We just installed our system at The Depot Lodge at Paint Bank and "Mary" said to give you a call as she knew you would be interested to!" Well that story is 100% true except for the owners name, and I have never met nor corresponded with that Lodge, the caller was lying. I say it here as a fact, and it PUT ME OFF that online reservation system.
PS Edited to add: The thing reznexus was counting on was that all us innkeepers know each other and we wouldn't bat an eye and it would be a toe in the door. But I do not know them, so for that the phone call had me perplexed and wondering "Gee why did The Depot Lodge have them call me?" Then it ocurred to me, the lying factor.
SO Be warned, if you list your inn on this forum, if someone calls and says that JB said you would like this product, this is another reason (you all know me and where I am) but for an easy scan and info-pickup I am not easy to decifer on this forum. A simple deterrent. Doesn't stop any who really want the info, just a deterrent..

We've had a few of those callers. So and so at such and such inn gave us your name. A) I immediately hate the person at the other B&B; B) I decline to do business with the caller.
Then they ask if I can refer them to anyone! Depending on how wound up I am, I generally either reply A) I only know the folks at the inn that referred you; B) I wouldn't wish you on my worst competitor.
I think most of the calls we get are from telemarketers who were given a list of phone numbers culled from who knows where. I say it this way because none of them know our names. Anyone who has seen a directory listing knows our names, ditto if they've seen our website. If they ask for my partner I know they got the info from a purchased list.
I will say we saw an uptick in inquiries for donations for veterans after we were listed on a veteran's website. (Not the B&B's4Vets site) Otherwise, it's the same old shysters calling since day one.
.

Of course you will get the fishing call "May I speak to 'Mary' the owner?" and you will say, No the owners name is "Sally" and then they go oh sorry. Then the call will come later on asking for Sally by first name, and it is the marketer.
Any one new to this forum, we warned that there were a couple B&B scammers, remember old timers? They would call and say "JB is in trouble and..." and you would recognize JB and say "Oh no!" again, trust me when I say you will not get a call IF/WHEN I am in trouble. They are using that name familiarity thing again. But it did happen to a couple inns that we know of! Maybe those inns can fill us in on how they worked it.
.

Of course you will get the fishing call "May I speak to 'Mary' the owner?" and you will say, No the owners name is "Sally" and then they go oh sorry. Then the call will come later on asking for Sally by first name, and it is the marketer.
Any one new to this forum, we warned that there were a couple B&B scammers, remember old timers? They would call and say "JB is in trouble and..." and you would recognize JB and say "Oh no!" again, trust me when I say you will not get a call IF/WHEN I am in trouble. They are using that name familiarity thing again. But it did happen to a couple inns that we know of! Maybe those inns can fill us in on how they worked it.

I don't give out the innkeepers' names to anyone. If they don't know them already, they don't need to know them. We get calls all the time, still, for the PO's. Those marketing lists get sold and sold and sold. I ask if they would like to speak to a guest and they tell me, 'No, that's the owner's name.' I say I'm sorry I don't know anyone with that name and I hang up.
As for the 'help it's JB in trouble' call we got that our first year. They must have been working off a 'sold' list somewhere because they knew who we were and who the PO's were and they gave us the runaround about being in Canada. The way it works is they call and say they're in trouble. In our case that they were mugged by skinheads in Toronto. (Short aside here, I would never associate Toronto with skinheads, so the red flags were waving.) Now, anyone who has spoken to a Canadian knows that a good chunk of the country has a certain way with the 'ou' sound. This guy on the phone who was pretending to be the PO had it bad.
First he was saying he was the PO and they were mugged, she was in hospital and he was trying to get money to get her home. He wanted me to wire money to him. Then he went off on the tangent of stopping in town sometime to visit us and see how we were doing. I asked him why he'd want to do that and he got mad at me and started yelling.
We went on for 20 minutes or so. Next day he called again and pretended now to be the dr, no one could talk to me, she was unconscious and he had his jaw wired shut (which is why, I was told, he sounded so 'different' the day before). Again, could we go to the bank and wire money. I asked which bank and he said, 'You know, our bank.' Hmmm. Why would I know his bank? And there are 5 banks in town, I asked him to pick one.
The long and the short of it is they want you to wire money. They get enough info to pull this off using, in our case, a list of sold B&B's.
It's really bad around here now with the same scam pretending to be a grandchild also in trouble in Canada and needing grandma to wire money and don't tell my parents. One grandma around here asked her neighbor to drive her to the bank to get the money and he explained it was a scam and that she should call her grandson and talk to him. Sure enough, he was safe and sound. Next time the guy called for the money she called him a scammer and he yelled at her, 'You broke your promise? You weren't supposed to call anyone!' Duh. That bothered me. That he yelled at her and accused HER of doing something wrong.
My guess is FB is a big source of familial info now. And the person calling knows enough inside info to sound real.

 

[Barliman]

My thoughts, hits mean sqwuat to an inn. Heck I can see a gazillion hits from the 6 newly ordained priests in Greece. DOH!
Click thru's I like to monitor, conversion rates, and bookings, now we're talking!
Me wonders if all I am doing is adding more spammers and scammers to my CALL THE INN AND BUG JB list by certain types of advertising. I do know that the more high school buddies you find the more amway,melaleuca (tea tree oil), MLM you will get!
Years ago we made a church directory and found, as is true, that these MLM will come into a church on a Sunday and lift a directory, then begin calling the folks in the directory. What do they say? You ask. "I just spoke to Alibi Ike and she told me to call you cuz she knew you would really be interested in this..." Just using a name you recognize will be more likely to make a sale/scam.
A few years ago I had RezNexus call and say "We just installed our system at The Depot Lodge at Paint Bank and "Mary" said to give you a call as she knew you would be interested to!" Well that story is 100% true except for the owners name, and I have never met nor corresponded with that Lodge, the caller was lying. I say it here as a fact, and it PUT ME OFF that online reservation system.
PS Edited to add: The thing reznexus was counting on was that all us innkeepers know each other and we wouldn't bat an eye and it would be a toe in the door. But I do not know them, so for that the phone call had me perplexed and wondering "Gee why did The Depot Lodge have them call me?" Then it ocurred to me, the lying factor.
SO Be warned, if you list your inn on this forum, if someone calls and says that JB said you would like this product, this is another reason (you all know me and where I am) but for an easy scan and info-pickup I am not easy to decifer on this forum. A simple deterrent. Doesn't stop any who really want the info, just a deterrent..

Try this sometime:
(As soon as you figure your talking to a telemarketer or scammer) "This is a high speed financial data line. What is your Visa card number and your pin?"
They hang up...rightaway!

(Those rare individuals that try to give a run around answer then get LOUD and ANGRY and say, "NO! This costs you $125 a minute! What is your card number and PIN?") Never fails...they never call back.

 

[TinaC]

Found 1 of my links to the free ad I mentioned. This paper happens to be in Salem, MA.
My ad ran awhile ago (not sure of current guidelines) but you can clik & look around.
Ad was in classified, under events/announcements. There are a wide range of topics you can post under. http://www.topix.net/shopping/salem-ma
Once in clik this link found at top.
Advertise your business with Topix in Salem, MA - free and paid available
That should show you how to place free ad.
Yes, it was classified but free & it got the word out. So say you're running a discount for Valentine's or the like, it'd be accepted by Topix to list it.
Googl Topix for a paper w/this service near you. Note: some charge $10. a photo. Many do not. Don't use those unless you want to post photo. Look for totally free ads. Rerun 'em when they expire.
Those w/military in family: Militarydotcom (use . for dot) also runs free ads. Chek 'em out.
As for spam, hit forward & type in/ send yours to spam@ucedotgov (Use . for dot Never open attachments). Supposedly the gov is cracking down on it. Also, chek out Kim Komando's site (got dotgov addy there). She's all about security. There she has free spam blocker software you may use in your machine.
One of her/the services lets you clik spam where it bounces it back to sender saying that your e-mail addy is not valid or similar. That spammer shouldn't bother you again.
Of course, spammers change addies all the time but repeaters shouldn't bother you anymore.
Just make sure it's senders you don't want to hear from again & not your Aunt Mame.
Good luck!