What is your approx budget $$ amount for marketing?

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

If you don't mind sharing a ballpark figure, what is your approx budget amount for marketing? This includes all directoy fees.
$200-500, $500-850, $850-1000, $1000-1500, $1500-2000, $2000-3000, or more?
(Please don't give a percentage of income as that does not mean anything to anyone else)

 

[gillumhouse]

With everything - including my association fee which I think of as marketing more than anything (web page/Directory) - I think it is between $2500 and $3500 a year. This year if I make any changes, it will be to spend a bit more. This is NOT the time to pull back on marketing.
What I am doing as I said before is more targeted marketing - web sites or ads in special interest areas. I am also trying to stagger the renewals so everything does not come due in my slow season when I am broke. Better they come due during the season when revenue is there (and I have less time to think about it is probably better for them - lol).

 

[egoodell]

With everything - including my association fee which I think of as marketing more than anything (web page/Directory) - I think it is between $2500 and $3500 a year. This year if I make any changes, it will be to spend a bit more. This is NOT the time to pull back on marketing.
What I am doing as I said before is more targeted marketing - web sites or ads in special interest areas. I am also trying to stagger the renewals so everything does not come due in my slow season when I am broke. Better they come due during the season when revenue is there (and I have less time to think about it is probably better for them - lol)..

I think we are at around $1500 to $2000 since we only have the two rooms. But this is for the tours and for the B&B. They kind of feed each other. This is B&B Assn, Directories, ad in the Winery Guide.
Erika

 

[Samster]

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents....

 

[Morticia]

$10k
All the directories, any print ads, printed brochures, website fees, classes taken that relate to marketing, anything I hand out that has my inn name on it, no pet fees!

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents.....

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents....

Nope, not asking about web hosting, or any of that. Simply annual marketing and advertising.

 

[Morticia]

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents.....

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents....

Nope, not asking about web hosting, or any of that. Simply annual marketing and advertising.
.

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents....

Nope, not asking about web hosting, or any of that. Simply annual marketing and advertising.

You need to make a list then because I consider the website 'marketing' and that means all the fees associated with it. (Basically hosting as the domain name is paid up for a few more years and I do all the work.)

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents.....

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents....

Nope, not asking about web hosting, or any of that. Simply annual marketing and advertising.
.

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents....

Nope, not asking about web hosting, or any of that. Simply annual marketing and advertising.

You need to make a list then because I consider the website 'marketing' and that means all the fees associated with it. (Basically hosting as the domain name is paid up for a few more years and I do all the work.)
.

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents....

Nope, not asking about web hosting, or any of that. Simply annual marketing and advertising.

You need to make a list then because I consider the website 'marketing' and that means all the fees associated with it. (Basically hosting as the domain name is paid up for a few more years and I do all the work.)

Then you need to include the cost of the new keyboard and mouse, and so on and so on.
I am interested in what you pay for marketing. Not website management, not Superinn, none of that, marketing and advertising. I have HOSTING as a separate section to marketing and advertising for taxes. I may combine it when I file, but not in my own stuff.

 

[gillumhouse]

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents.....

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents....

Nope, not asking about web hosting, or any of that. Simply annual marketing and advertising.
.

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents....

Nope, not asking about web hosting, or any of that. Simply annual marketing and advertising.

You need to make a list then because I consider the website 'marketing' and that means all the fees associated with it. (Basically hosting as the domain name is paid up for a few more years and I do all the work.)
.

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents....

Nope, not asking about web hosting, or any of that. Simply annual marketing and advertising.

You need to make a list then because I consider the website 'marketing' and that means all the fees associated with it. (Basically hosting as the domain name is paid up for a few more years and I do all the work.)

Then you need to include the cost of the new keyboard and mouse, and so on and so on.
I am interested in what you pay for marketing. Not website management, not Superinn, none of that, marketing and advertising. I have HOSTING as a separate section to marketing and advertising for taxes. I may combine it when I file, but not in my own stuff.
.

Hosting my web site is marketing because without it (hosting) I have a site that does nothing. I was not counting Webervations or things like that either. I mean anything to do with web, brochures, print/radio/TV etc, promotional items.......

 

[Morticia]

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents.....

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents....

Nope, not asking about web hosting, or any of that. Simply annual marketing and advertising.
.

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents....

Nope, not asking about web hosting, or any of that. Simply annual marketing and advertising.

You need to make a list then because I consider the website 'marketing' and that means all the fees associated with it. (Basically hosting as the domain name is paid up for a few more years and I do all the work.)
.

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents....

Nope, not asking about web hosting, or any of that. Simply annual marketing and advertising.

You need to make a list then because I consider the website 'marketing' and that means all the fees associated with it. (Basically hosting as the domain name is paid up for a few more years and I do all the work.)

Then you need to include the cost of the new keyboard and mouse, and so on and so on.
I am interested in what you pay for marketing. Not website management, not Superinn, none of that, marketing and advertising. I have HOSTING as a separate section to marketing and advertising for taxes. I may combine it when I file, but not in my own stuff.
.

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents....

Nope, not asking about web hosting, or any of that. Simply annual marketing and advertising.

You need to make a list then because I consider the website 'marketing' and that means all the fees associated with it. (Basically hosting as the domain name is paid up for a few more years and I do all the work.)

Then you need to include the cost of the new keyboard and mouse, and so on and so on.
I am interested in what you pay for marketing. Not website management, not Superinn, none of that, marketing and advertising. I have HOSTING as a separate section to marketing and advertising for taxes. I may combine it when I file, but not in my own stuff.

I'm going to argue that 'equipment' is not marketing. Having a website IS marketing. So the budget has to include hosting and upkeep. I didn't include online reservations because online booking does not per se 'market' my business. It makes it easier to make a reservation. Going to a class on how to market more effectively could be classified in the 'education' pile or the 'marketing' pile, so I could take that out for this discussion. Now, here's the thing...taking out a couple of $40 classes and webhosting, still does not drop my budget (or expenditures) down below 10K.
I would also include the cost for the email service I joined because the only reason I use that is to market my business.

 

[Samster]

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents.....

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents....

Nope, not asking about web hosting, or any of that. Simply annual marketing and advertising.
.

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents....

Nope, not asking about web hosting, or any of that. Simply annual marketing and advertising.

You need to make a list then because I consider the website 'marketing' and that means all the fees associated with it. (Basically hosting as the domain name is paid up for a few more years and I do all the work.)
.

I think folks need to be clear what they dump into their marketing bucket. Does this include promotional items? Food for the pets that are featured on your website? (Yes, we looked at an inn that claimed that!) Donated gift certificates? As well as the obvious directories, website design & hosting, brochures or rack cards, etc. And so on...
The number won't mean anything if we're comparing apples to oranges

Just my 2 cents....

Nope, not asking about web hosting, or any of that. Simply annual marketing and advertising.

You need to make a list then because I consider the website 'marketing' and that means all the fees associated with it. (Basically hosting as the domain name is paid up for a few more years and I do all the work.)

Then you need to include the cost of the new keyboard and mouse, and so on and so on.
I am interested in what you pay for marketing. Not website management, not Superinn, none of that, marketing and advertising. I have HOSTING as a separate section to marketing and advertising for taxes. I may combine it when I file, but not in my own stuff.
.

Didn't mean to be a trouble maker here...but you can see how people put different things in their marketing "bucket"

 

[NW BB]

I have heard the experts at the PAII conventions say that you should spend between 5% -10% of your gross revenue for marketing. If you have the occupancy/revenue where you'd like it, then you can budget at the lower or same range. If you're like most, then definitely budget towards the upper end of the range. Especially in down years, spend more (wisely) even though it's difficult. Remember, you have to spend money to make money. Now is NOT the time to cut back on your marketing.
In 2008, I'm about 7% and just to keep my revenue where it's at, I'm trying new marketing techniques and directories and increasing our marketing budget for 2009.
Rather than sharing a $$ amount with us, can you share what % you spend on marketing? That way the comparisons are equal, whether you have 2 or 20 rooms.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I agree that website IS marketing absolutely, it is the BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK!!
Can I write off my 8 gig card and new digital SLR which I use for the website? I believe I can, then I get to depreciate it and pay more taxes on it. UGH! So I have to decide if I WANT to or not. (If it is used primarily for the business.)
Each inn spends a diff amt on website,hosting, design, maintenance, etc and it is mandatory. So I was purely asking about OTHER than that - ie all other marketing and advertising.
So if you want to give the whole ball of wax, then I will take that, and then have to add into my own hosting/domains/etc to compare.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I have heard the experts at the PAII conventions say that you should spend between 5% -10% of your gross revenue for marketing. If you have the occupancy/revenue where you'd like it, then you can budget at the lower or same range. If you're like most, then definitely budget towards the upper end of the range. Especially in down years, spend more (wisely) even though it's difficult. Remember, you have to spend money to make money. Now is NOT the time to cut back on your marketing.
In 2008, I'm about 7% and just to keep my revenue where it's at, I'm trying new marketing techniques and directories and increasing our marketing budget for 2009.
Rather than sharing a $$ amount with us, can you share what % you spend on marketing? That way the comparisons are equal, whether you have 2 or 20 rooms..

I have heard the experts at the PAII conventions say that you should spend between 5% -10% of your gross revenue for marketing. If you have the occupancy/revenue where you'd like it, then you can budget at the lower or same range. If you're like most, then definitely budget towards the upper end of the range. Especially in down years, spend more (wisely) even though it's difficult. Remember, you have to spend money to make money. Now is NOT the time to cut back on your marketing.
In 2008, I'm about 7% and just to keep my revenue where it's at, I'm trying new marketing techniques and directories and increasing our marketing budget for 2009.
Rather than sharing a $$ amount with us, can you share what % you spend on marketing? That way the comparisons are equal, whether you have 2 or 20 rooms.

The reason I did not ask % as that was shared on this forum prev. A % on an unknown revenue doesn't help me as much as a ballpark figure. Does that make sense? We all KNOW what we should be spending, so we can just all answer the same answer. A % on a 15% occupancy is not the same as a 50% occupancy. So for me the % was not helpful, which is why I asked again. I know WHAT I should spend. I want to know what others are spending and how that is working for them. You have to find what works - if I take $$ away from one I want to put it elsewhere and see how well it does there.

 

[Morticia]

I agree that website IS marketing absolutely, it is the BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK!!
Can I write off my 8 gig card and new digital SLR which I use for the website? I believe I can, then I get to depreciate it and pay more taxes on it. UGH! So I have to decide if I WANT to or not. (If it is used primarily for the business.)
Each inn spends a diff amt on website,hosting, design, maintenance, etc and it is mandatory. So I was purely asking about OTHER than that - ie all other marketing and advertising.
So if you want to give the whole ball of wax, then I will take that, and then have to add into my own hosting/domains/etc to compare..

I agree that website IS marketing absolutely, it is the BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK!!
Can I write off my 8 gig card and new digital SLR which I use for the website? I believe I can, then I get to depreciate it and pay more taxes on it. UGH! So I have to decide if I WANT to or not. (If it is used primarily for the business.)
Each inn spends a diff amt on website,hosting, design, maintenance, etc and it is mandatory. So I was purely asking about OTHER than that - ie all other marketing and advertising.
So if you want to give the whole ball of wax, then I will take that, and then have to add into my own hosting/domains/etc to compare.

But 'equipment' no matter what you use it for, is not marketing. Now, you could call it marketing if you painted your car with your logo, but tell me that $24k the car cost is marketing? No way. However, the cost to have the car painted? I'd buy that as marketing expense.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I agree that website IS marketing absolutely, it is the BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK!!
Can I write off my 8 gig card and new digital SLR which I use for the website? I believe I can, then I get to depreciate it and pay more taxes on it. UGH! So I have to decide if I WANT to or not. (If it is used primarily for the business.)
Each inn spends a diff amt on website,hosting, design, maintenance, etc and it is mandatory. So I was purely asking about OTHER than that - ie all other marketing and advertising.
So if you want to give the whole ball of wax, then I will take that, and then have to add into my own hosting/domains/etc to compare..

I agree that website IS marketing absolutely, it is the BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK!!
Can I write off my 8 gig card and new digital SLR which I use for the website? I believe I can, then I get to depreciate it and pay more taxes on it. UGH! So I have to decide if I WANT to or not. (If it is used primarily for the business.)
Each inn spends a diff amt on website,hosting, design, maintenance, etc and it is mandatory. So I was purely asking about OTHER than that - ie all other marketing and advertising.
So if you want to give the whole ball of wax, then I will take that, and then have to add into my own hosting/domains/etc to compare.

But 'equipment' no matter what you use it for, is not marketing. Now, you could call it marketing if you painted your car with your logo, but tell me that $24k the car cost is marketing? No way. However, the cost to have the car painted? I'd buy that as marketing expense.
.

I agree that website IS marketing absolutely, it is the BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK!!
Can I write off my 8 gig card and new digital SLR which I use for the website? I believe I can, then I get to depreciate it and pay more taxes on it. UGH! So I have to decide if I WANT to or not. (If it is used primarily for the business.)
Each inn spends a diff amt on website,hosting, design, maintenance, etc and it is mandatory. So I was purely asking about OTHER than that - ie all other marketing and advertising.
So if you want to give the whole ball of wax, then I will take that, and then have to add into my own hosting/domains/etc to compare.

But 'equipment' no matter what you use it for, is not marketing. Now, you could call it marketing if you painted your car with your logo, but tell me that $24k the car cost is marketing? No way. However, the cost to have the car painted? I'd buy that as marketing expense.

What about hiring a prof photog for the website? Would you put that under marketing? (All these discussions are helpful - keep em coming)
I have eqpt under "office"

 

[Morticia]

I agree that website IS marketing absolutely, it is the BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK!!
Can I write off my 8 gig card and new digital SLR which I use for the website? I believe I can, then I get to depreciate it and pay more taxes on it. UGH! So I have to decide if I WANT to or not. (If it is used primarily for the business.)
Each inn spends a diff amt on website,hosting, design, maintenance, etc and it is mandatory. So I was purely asking about OTHER than that - ie all other marketing and advertising.
So if you want to give the whole ball of wax, then I will take that, and then have to add into my own hosting/domains/etc to compare..

I agree that website IS marketing absolutely, it is the BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK!!
Can I write off my 8 gig card and new digital SLR which I use for the website? I believe I can, then I get to depreciate it and pay more taxes on it. UGH! So I have to decide if I WANT to or not. (If it is used primarily for the business.)
Each inn spends a diff amt on website,hosting, design, maintenance, etc and it is mandatory. So I was purely asking about OTHER than that - ie all other marketing and advertising.
So if you want to give the whole ball of wax, then I will take that, and then have to add into my own hosting/domains/etc to compare.

But 'equipment' no matter what you use it for, is not marketing. Now, you could call it marketing if you painted your car with your logo, but tell me that $24k the car cost is marketing? No way. However, the cost to have the car painted? I'd buy that as marketing expense.
.

I agree that website IS marketing absolutely, it is the BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK!!
Can I write off my 8 gig card and new digital SLR which I use for the website? I believe I can, then I get to depreciate it and pay more taxes on it. UGH! So I have to decide if I WANT to or not. (If it is used primarily for the business.)
Each inn spends a diff amt on website,hosting, design, maintenance, etc and it is mandatory. So I was purely asking about OTHER than that - ie all other marketing and advertising.
So if you want to give the whole ball of wax, then I will take that, and then have to add into my own hosting/domains/etc to compare.

But 'equipment' no matter what you use it for, is not marketing. Now, you could call it marketing if you painted your car with your logo, but tell me that $24k the car cost is marketing? No way. However, the cost to have the car painted? I'd buy that as marketing expense.

What about hiring a prof photog for the website? Would you put that under marketing? (All these discussions are helpful - keep em coming)
I have eqpt under "office"
.

I agree that website IS marketing absolutely, it is the BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK!!
Can I write off my 8 gig card and new digital SLR which I use for the website? I believe I can, then I get to depreciate it and pay more taxes on it. UGH! So I have to decide if I WANT to or not. (If it is used primarily for the business.)
Each inn spends a diff amt on website,hosting, design, maintenance, etc and it is mandatory. So I was purely asking about OTHER than that - ie all other marketing and advertising.
So if you want to give the whole ball of wax, then I will take that, and then have to add into my own hosting/domains/etc to compare.

But 'equipment' no matter what you use it for, is not marketing. Now, you could call it marketing if you painted your car with your logo, but tell me that $24k the car cost is marketing? No way. However, the cost to have the car painted? I'd buy that as marketing expense.

What about hiring a prof photog for the website? Would you put that under marketing? (All these discussions are helpful - keep em coming)

Yes, I would count that as marketing because those photos are for marketing purposes. The reason I would not count your memory cards, camera, etc is because they can be used for anything else and of themselves do no marketing at all. Likewise, for me, I would not count the website software as marketing.

 

[gillumhouse]

I agree that website IS marketing absolutely, it is the BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK!!
Can I write off my 8 gig card and new digital SLR which I use for the website? I believe I can, then I get to depreciate it and pay more taxes on it. UGH! So I have to decide if I WANT to or not. (If it is used primarily for the business.)
Each inn spends a diff amt on website,hosting, design, maintenance, etc and it is mandatory. So I was purely asking about OTHER than that - ie all other marketing and advertising.
So if you want to give the whole ball of wax, then I will take that, and then have to add into my own hosting/domains/etc to compare..

I have a little bit of a different tickle in my taxes problem. I get hit with Personal Property tax on anything I have by my County. I have to fill out a form every year by Oct 1 of EVERYTHING the B & B (and another for us) we had/owned on July 1. Then when I submit this - to be sure I am being honest - I also must submit a Schedule C from my Federal taxes.
Now, do I claim the $1000 I spent on the tea hutch (purchased because of B & B) and pay taxes on it ad infinitum to the County? Do I claim what I paid for my kitchen cabinet that I bought to keep B & B stuff in? Do I claim that Zarafina machine or my roaster? I claim only what is too big to absorb - bathroom remodeling and anything that I can depreciate. They take whatever I spent on food and divide it by 12 and that is what they assess as being on hand on July 1. Marketing is one of the few things they cannot hit me with as personal property.

 

[Morticia]

I agree that website IS marketing absolutely, it is the BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK!!
Can I write off my 8 gig card and new digital SLR which I use for the website? I believe I can, then I get to depreciate it and pay more taxes on it. UGH! So I have to decide if I WANT to or not. (If it is used primarily for the business.)
Each inn spends a diff amt on website,hosting, design, maintenance, etc and it is mandatory. So I was purely asking about OTHER than that - ie all other marketing and advertising.
So if you want to give the whole ball of wax, then I will take that, and then have to add into my own hosting/domains/etc to compare..

I have a little bit of a different tickle in my taxes problem. I get hit with Personal Property tax on anything I have by my County. I have to fill out a form every year by Oct 1 of EVERYTHING the B & B (and another for us) we had/owned on July 1. Then when I submit this - to be sure I am being honest - I also must submit a Schedule C from my Federal taxes.
Now, do I claim the $1000 I spent on the tea hutch (purchased because of B & B) and pay taxes on it ad infinitum to the County? Do I claim what I paid for my kitchen cabinet that I bought to keep B & B stuff in? Do I claim that Zarafina machine or my roaster? I claim only what is too big to absorb - bathroom remodeling and anything that I can depreciate. They take whatever I spent on food and divide it by 12 and that is what they assess as being on hand on July 1. Marketing is one of the few things they cannot hit me with as personal property.
.

We had/have that business property tax here, too. (Sorry, I know it's going away, just don't know if it's gone yet for this year.) What's on the list? Mattresses, furniture, vacuums, computers, the 'hardware' of running the business. The stuff with a long shelf life. (Insert 'pirate' smiley here as this thread gets hijacked...)

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I agree that website IS marketing absolutely, it is the BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK!!
Can I write off my 8 gig card and new digital SLR which I use for the website? I believe I can, then I get to depreciate it and pay more taxes on it. UGH! So I have to decide if I WANT to or not. (If it is used primarily for the business.)
Each inn spends a diff amt on website,hosting, design, maintenance, etc and it is mandatory. So I was purely asking about OTHER than that - ie all other marketing and advertising.
So if you want to give the whole ball of wax, then I will take that, and then have to add into my own hosting/domains/etc to compare..

I have a little bit of a different tickle in my taxes problem. I get hit with Personal Property tax on anything I have by my County. I have to fill out a form every year by Oct 1 of EVERYTHING the B & B (and another for us) we had/owned on July 1. Then when I submit this - to be sure I am being honest - I also must submit a Schedule C from my Federal taxes.
Now, do I claim the $1000 I spent on the tea hutch (purchased because of B & B) and pay taxes on it ad infinitum to the County? Do I claim what I paid for my kitchen cabinet that I bought to keep B & B stuff in? Do I claim that Zarafina machine or my roaster? I claim only what is too big to absorb - bathroom remodeling and anything that I can depreciate. They take whatever I spent on food and divide it by 12 and that is what they assess as being on hand on July 1. Marketing is one of the few things they cannot hit me with as personal property.
.

I have a little bit of a different tickle in my taxes problem. I get hit with Personal Property tax on anything I have by my County. I have to fill out a form every year by Oct 1 of EVERYTHING the B & B (and another for us) we had/owned on July 1. Then when I submit this - to be sure I am being honest - I also must submit a Schedule C from my Federal taxes.
Now, do I claim the $1000 I spent on the tea hutch (purchased because of B & B) and pay taxes on it ad infinitum to the County? Do I claim what I paid for my kitchen cabinet that I bought to keep B & B stuff in? Do I claim that Zarafina machine or my roaster? I claim only what is too big to absorb - bathroom remodeling and anything that I can depreciate. They take whatever I spent on food and divide it by 12 and that is what they assess as being on hand on July 1. Marketing is one of the few things they cannot hit me with as personal property.

I was told that the kitchen is not claimable. Unless it is 100% B&B kitchen ONLY (like Bree has in her inn). If the hutch was in the dining room then you could. That was HOW I interpretted it. A new fridge? Can't claim it unless it is only B&B in the B&B. But like you said, if you claim anything you get to pay depreciation tax for the rest of your life on it. BUT you can claim THAT tax on your taxes as business expense.