Talk to potential competitors during research phase?

[Samster]

I don't think that there's a problem in telling them. Most innkeepers (in my experience) would feel good that you felt their area could support another property. I would not ask specific questions about their business or badger them with questions about how the B&B business is in their area. Lots of innkeepers (except JBJ, who is sick of getting asked...haha) like to talk about how they got into the biz, what was involved in renovating, or fixing up an existing inn, etc. The conversation will probably evolve naturally, especially if there is wine involved

I had many enthusiastic innkeepers (some on this forum) share their advice and inn-sight when I stayed with them

Actually, you might encounter an innkeeper that is thinking of selling their biz a few years down the road!

 

[egoodell]

Bree, that was what I asked that couple here. Apparently I was only to provide them with info, not the other way round. The sister mentioned her sharing a bath with the second floor rooms. I asked if she was renovaing and adding private baths, and has the sister made sure that is legal in this state - Innkeepers sharing a bathroom with guests?.

Thanks, all. I'm happy to see that this industry views itself this way and that innkeepers are generally forthcoming with information.
I was planning to be very up front about our thoughts and ideas and to email the innkeepers ahead of time to see if they would even be interested in sitting down and talking with us. I would never ask personal questions re: occupancy, but only generally about the area and B&B life: is tourism up (or at least consistent with what I've gathered from my research)? do they see it increasing or decreasing down the road? do they have other jobs? what do they like/hate about being B&B owners?
Of course, I recognize that we may not do this for seven years or so and things could change, but information is information!
Your comments raise another point for me: Is the life of B&B ownership really so short that I should not expect these owners to be the same 7 years down the road? Is that because of how demanding the job is? Or because people move on to bigger B&Bs? Or because people retire?
Oh, and Gillum: My parents would die if we moved up to WV and did this! (They're in MD) But, we're pretty set on the area for other reasons (my husband's family, potential side job for me, etc.) Thanks for the offer though!
.

I would rather than plan to sit down with them do this - I would find out their "slow season" and book a weekend. Then you could ask them some questions. You are asking them to give you their time and expertise for nothing. I don't know of any consultants that work for nothing. Their expertise is of value
Riki

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I don't think that there's a problem in telling them. Most innkeepers (in my experience) would feel good that you felt their area could support another property. I would not ask specific questions about their business or badger them with questions about how the B&B business is in their area. Lots of innkeepers (except JBJ, who is sick of getting asked...haha) like to talk about how they got into the biz, what was involved in renovating, or fixing up an existing inn, etc. The conversation will probably evolve naturally, especially if there is wine involved

I had many enthusiastic innkeepers (some on this forum) share their advice and inn-sight when I stayed with them

Actually, you might encounter an innkeeper that is thinking of selling their biz a few years down the road!.

I don't think that there's a problem in telling them. Most innkeepers (in my experience) would feel good that you felt their area could support another property. I would not ask specific questions about their business or badger them with questions about how the B&B business is in their area. Lots of innkeepers (except JBJ, who is sick of getting asked...haha) like to talk about how they got into the biz, what was involved in renovating, or fixing up an existing inn, etc. The conversation will probably evolve naturally, especially if there is wine involved

I had many enthusiastic innkeepers (some on this forum) share their advice and inn-sight when I stayed with them

Actually, you might encounter an innkeeper that is thinking of selling their biz a few years down the road!

If you compare us to other B&B's...we have mostly one nighters so that we are asked twice as often as the rest of you guys.

 

[gillumhouse]

As Copperhead pointed out - a lot can change in 5 -7 years.
We looked VERY hard to find house in a town about 20 miles from here. It had a college and the rail-trail that gets a lot of publicity. Just could not find anything that would do - THANK GOODNESS!! That town, unbeknownst to us did not have a good relationship with the college that has since had 3 differnt owners (private university) and is struggling, the town has not had a strong leadership, and today is worse off than my City when we we at our lowest. That town is now embroiled in a water project controversy as it is needed for customers but the question is can those customers pay for the water.
My City hit bottom as far as business in town but had a rail-trail come in (and a B & B after I opened) that started a resurgence as people started coming here. It took a lot of people doing a lot of things and I am happy to say (fact, not brag) that I was in on a lot of it. A lot of the people who came to town were because I marketed it but I was also going to Council meetings (served for 1 1/2 terms) and involved with the City. Because the City started doing things - like upgrading our water system, building codes, zoning - we were invited to take part in some training programs for revitalization and development that will quality us for other possible grants in the future.
None of the above would have been dreamed of 15 years ago and was just starting to be seen 5 years ago.
Find where you want to live FIRST. If you are not happy living there, you will not have a good business. If you buy turnkey, you know business CAN be there (good marketing can do wonders) if the business has been there more than 10 years but you need to like the town and the people in it (unless you are a hermit at heart and then you are going into the wrong business) to be able to promote it.
My guests rarely are coming to the Gillum House - they are coming to the area for something. I promote WV, my region, my area, and my town and by the way, here is a great place to stay....Love the town first!