A restaurant is not the same as a B&B. Of course you market to locals for that. But plenty of those are going under as well.We actually stayed at a place where there was a "book exchange". If you finished a book there, you could leave it and take another with you when you left. All of the books were stamped inside with a "From the Book Exchange at --followed by their name, address & phone".Found the idea in a book I was reading so can't take credit for it but its all about putting your name in people's minds isn't it?.Sorry, not in my opinion, not for me, we are not Coca Cola.Camberley said:Found the idea in a book I was reading so can't take credit for it but its all about putting your name in people's minds isn't it?
We do not market to locals.
A sticker in a book is not my idea of marketing. A sticker in a book is a "Susie owns this book." Plenty of people put their stickers in books for ownership purposes.
I think our marketing needs to be a bit bigger and more honed in than that.
Or as the saying goes "Howz that working' for ya?" I think marketing needs to be more than someone seeing your name.
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As avid readers, we are always picking up books everywhere, and if I saw that stamp and address at a place I knew or travelled to, I would look them up. If I was unfamiliar with the town, I might google them to find out.
This would cost next to nothing, and is something I plan on doing too. As for marketing to locals, we visited an inn for lunch back in Feb. a couple hours from here, in the middle of NOWHERE. Their 3rd year. They have a small restaurant and an old historic inn, and thought they would be dead. Dead area, Dead season, Dead economy.
He had nine rooms booked who had just finished up breakfast, and was expecting a bunch of snowmobilers in that evening. Where were they coming from I asked? Oh, I get mostly bored locals who want a change! He is working it! He has a local snowmobile "Poker Run", an Inn Hockey Team, Ice Fishing tournament, and said the "WII Bowling Tournament" took off really well for Thursday nights-- everyone from the Realtors to the Loggers--some stay over! Food was very good too. We left in awe.
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Locals do not stay in B&B's in their own town, it would make little sense to do that, sure one or two here or there with extenuating circumstances. Sounds like they are boozing it up and then staying the night. Not the kind of guests most B&B's are geared toward.
B&B's typically have books, a library, a lending library or exchange or take one if you wish. I am of the mindset that when I walk into a B&B and most the things are for sale it puts me off. We have heard about this plenty of times - as innkeepers DO NEED the extra income when they can get it.
I think you are talking small potatoes if you think a sticker in a book is a big marketing effort. Go online and hit every social media site you can and put your "sticker" there with URL and slogan or something to perk their interest.