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toddburme

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Being new, I have to say we are not exactly stacking them in. I know that is to be expected but November was looking brutal. The first two weeks we pretty much just had that free day we gave away booked.... yep it was that bad. Just had a group book all five rooms for three nights during the week. Yeah!
We also got some other bookings so it is looking fine. It is just when you have been open only 2 months, we have not seen much in the way of 60 day out bookings. I hope they start at some point so we can get a bit of a comfort level going.
 
Good for you! We find that a lot of guests are booking last minute these days...
RIki
 
Todd, just went to your site and got this fyi from McAfee
www.insert your url here.com may cause a breach of browser security.[/h3]Why were you redirected to this page?
When we tested www.your url here todd.com, it attempted to make unauthorized changes to our test computer by exploiting a browser security vulnerability. This is a serious security threat which could lead to an infection of your computer.
 
anyone else use macafee?? can you check this for me - www.qui llandqu ilt.com What the heck is this about now....
 
Went to site advisor and yes McAfee has something on there about it. thanks for the heads up.
 
Didn't want people to turn back from your site. Nice site too, I had forgotten where you were so I clicked over. :)
 
Todd, I know it is difficult to look at the calendar and see blank boxes but do not be alarmed. Booking far in advance has been limited to 'special vacations or events' and even then it seems most are not booking far in advance - unless they are afraid of not having a place to stay. There have been many articles written on this very thing & it affects are parts of travel, not just accommodations.
Just make sure your site & business are 'where all can see' and business will come!
 
Todd, I know it is difficult to look at the calendar and see blank boxes but do not be alarmed. Booking far in advance has been limited to 'special vacations or events' and even then it seems most are not booking far in advance - unless they are afraid of not having a place to stay. There have been many articles written on this very thing & it affects are parts of travel, not just accommodations.
Just make sure your site & business are 'where all can see' and business will come!.
Thanks, I am trying. We are ahead of projections so it is hard to complain. Is it too much to ask that June fills up now so I can relax over Christmas??? hahaha
 
Todd, DH asks, "When are the next guests?" I tell him whatever the next booking is unless the phone rings. 2 weeks ago when I got a 2-night while he was at a doc appt and STILL in the waiting room 1.5 hours AFTER the appt time, I went to the waiting room and was startled to see him still there but all I had to do was say - the phone rang for tonight - and he got up and said I am leaving.
Our mantra is ... unless the phone rings or until the phone rings....
I do get horse reservations in advance because the stable is not mine and I will not take a horse reservation for same night unless an emergency. The stable owners need more notice - it is a farm, not a stable business.
 
Todd, DH asks, "When are the next guests?" I tell him whatever the next booking is unless the phone rings. 2 weeks ago when I got a 2-night while he was at a doc appt and STILL in the waiting room 1.5 hours AFTER the appt time, I went to the waiting room and was startled to see him still there but all I had to do was say - the phone rang for tonight - and he got up and said I am leaving.
Our mantra is ... unless the phone rings or until the phone rings....
I do get horse reservations in advance because the stable is not mine and I will not take a horse reservation for same night unless an emergency. The stable owners need more notice - it is a farm, not a stable business..
So what you are saying is this isn't a stable business.
cry_smile.gif
(Sorry couldn't resist)
 
Todd, DH asks, "When are the next guests?" I tell him whatever the next booking is unless the phone rings. 2 weeks ago when I got a 2-night while he was at a doc appt and STILL in the waiting room 1.5 hours AFTER the appt time, I went to the waiting room and was startled to see him still there but all I had to do was say - the phone rang for tonight - and he got up and said I am leaving.
Our mantra is ... unless the phone rings or until the phone rings....
I do get horse reservations in advance because the stable is not mine and I will not take a horse reservation for same night unless an emergency. The stable owners need more notice - it is a farm, not a stable business..
So what you are saying is this isn't a stable business.
cry_smile.gif
(Sorry couldn't resist)
.
Dec/Jan/Feb is my stable time. It is when most of my business is stable!
 
Now would be the time to concentrate on SEO for your website. When I google B&B near Minneapolis, There you are. When I google Romantic Getaway near Minneapolis or Weekend Escape near Minneapolis, I don't see you. I would really use your location to optimize for anyone looking for any type of lodging in and around the twin cities. Use the Minneap keyword generously, as well as words like romantic, escape, getaway, anniversary, honeymoon.
Your page titles & text don't currently mention those keywords. Try searching for a few varied keywords using Minneapolis or St. Paul and see where you show up. More importantly, you will see that there are a select few Inns that do well for these keywords....do what they are doing.
Taking advantage of your location is the best thing you can do...beat that horse right to death. It's what I did for our nearby little tourist haven (also about 35 miles away), and it really paid off. Would it be cost prohibitive to list yourself in Minneap on banb,com as a secondary city or to list yourself as a vacation rental on Craigslist, or on some online Minneap type to-do websites? Would it be possible to join the Minneap CVB or Chamber?
Of course, people who came to stay with us where coming to see our little nearby city...perhaps most of your business is coming FROM your nearby city, but I would thing the SEO thing would hold true either way. All it takes is your time.
 
Wendy, you need to hire out - what are you doing now with all your free time?.
suellen222 said:
Wendy, you need to hire out - what are you doing now with all your free time?
Awww shucks, thanks Sue. I've just been working on MIG and the blog, and have applied to a place or two, but am in no hurry. I would rather wait for just the right job.
 
Now would be the time to concentrate on SEO for your website. When I google B&B near Minneapolis, There you are. When I google Romantic Getaway near Minneapolis or Weekend Escape near Minneapolis, I don't see you. I would really use your location to optimize for anyone looking for any type of lodging in and around the twin cities. Use the Minneap keyword generously, as well as words like romantic, escape, getaway, anniversary, honeymoon.
Your page titles & text don't currently mention those keywords. Try searching for a few varied keywords using Minneapolis or St. Paul and see where you show up. More importantly, you will see that there are a select few Inns that do well for these keywords....do what they are doing.
Taking advantage of your location is the best thing you can do...beat that horse right to death. It's what I did for our nearby little tourist haven (also about 35 miles away), and it really paid off. Would it be cost prohibitive to list yourself in Minneap on banb,com as a secondary city or to list yourself as a vacation rental on Craigslist, or on some online Minneap type to-do websites? Would it be possible to join the Minneap CVB or Chamber?
Of course, people who came to stay with us where coming to see our little nearby city...perhaps most of your business is coming FROM your nearby city, but I would thing the SEO thing would hold true either way. All it takes is your time..
Wendy that is awesome! Thanks. We also have a local vacation spot that is called Red Wing. It has several B&B's there. 80% of our customer base is from Minneapolis area looking for a getaway. So we are listed as Redwing as our secondary and maybe we should do Minneapolis also.
 
Todd, DH asks, "When are the next guests?" I tell him whatever the next booking is unless the phone rings. 2 weeks ago when I got a 2-night while he was at a doc appt and STILL in the waiting room 1.5 hours AFTER the appt time, I went to the waiting room and was startled to see him still there but all I had to do was say - the phone rang for tonight - and he got up and said I am leaving.
Our mantra is ... unless the phone rings or until the phone rings....
I do get horse reservations in advance because the stable is not mine and I will not take a horse reservation for same night unless an emergency. The stable owners need more notice - it is a farm, not a stable business..
GRRR i hope this does not stay the norm as I like to plan.
 
Todd, DH asks, "When are the next guests?" I tell him whatever the next booking is unless the phone rings. 2 weeks ago when I got a 2-night while he was at a doc appt and STILL in the waiting room 1.5 hours AFTER the appt time, I went to the waiting room and was startled to see him still there but all I had to do was say - the phone rang for tonight - and he got up and said I am leaving.
Our mantra is ... unless the phone rings or until the phone rings....
I do get horse reservations in advance because the stable is not mine and I will not take a horse reservation for same night unless an emergency. The stable owners need more notice - it is a farm, not a stable business..
GRRR i hope this does not stay the norm as I like to plan.
.
toddburme said:
GRRR i hope this does not stay the norm as I like to plan.
What you may find is that as guests stay with you, they will prebook for next year. Many of our guests know when the busy season is and they get their reservations in the year before. However, a lot of our business is now last-minute. I'm getting calls today for tonight and tomorrow. You need at least a year under your belt before you can really 'plan' anything. Two years or three years before you can detect a pattern.
 
People are booking later and later though it does seem to be harder for us. We have only just started having bookings for new year and people usually start booking for that a year in advance. Oh well we seem to at the max for holiday people get 6 weeks in advance but that is it.
 
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