You Never Know How They Find You

Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum

Help Support Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Breakfast Diva

Well-known member
Joined
May 27, 2009
Messages
5,911
Reaction score
29
Yesterday we had a lovely couple check-out after a 2 night stay. The wife says "you never asked us how we found you. Don't you want to know?" Well, it turns out that in April we switched medical insurance companies. We have a small business plan in the name of our B&B. Turns out that our application came across her desk, our name sounded interesting to her and she googled us. She then told her husband that he was taking her to our place for her 50th birthday!
Who'd a thunk!
 
I have this book on marketing called the Ultimate Small business marketing guide by Stephenson and he says always send anything you post in branded envelopes as you never know whose hands they are passing through ie postman, secretary and sorting office so its all advertising for you. Same principle applies.
 
"I just saved a bundle on my health insurance!"
That would have been too good to be true. :)
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well. People ARE curious! Glad to hear that BD. Best yet is she will go back to that office and tell all her co workers about you! Send rack cards!!!
 
"I just saved a bundle on my health insurance!"
That would have been too good to be true. :)
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well. People ARE curious! Glad to hear that BD. Best yet is she will go back to that office and tell all her co workers about you! Send rack cards!!!.
Joey Bloggs said:
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well.
Most folks do their own desktop printing these days, so it would be easy to have the envelope return address have a thumbnail photo of your inn under it, too. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Seeing the photo might let folks imagine spending a few days in such a great-looking old house!
 
"I just saved a bundle on my health insurance!"
That would have been too good to be true. :)
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well. People ARE curious! Glad to hear that BD. Best yet is she will go back to that office and tell all her co workers about you! Send rack cards!!!.
Joey Bloggs said:
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well.
Most folks do their own desktop printing these days, so it would be easy to have the envelope return address have a thumbnail photo of your inn under it, too. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Seeing the photo might let folks imagine spending a few days in such a great-looking old house!
.
Arkansawyer said:
Joey Bloggs said:
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well.
Most folks do their own desktop printing these days, so it would be easy to have the envelope return address have a thumbnail photo of your inn under it, too. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Seeing the photo might let folks imagine spending a few days in such a great-looking old house!
on a bill? you would print your own envelope?
 
"I just saved a bundle on my health insurance!"
That would have been too good to be true. :)
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well. People ARE curious! Glad to hear that BD. Best yet is she will go back to that office and tell all her co workers about you! Send rack cards!!!.
Joey Bloggs said:
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well.
Most folks do their own desktop printing these days, so it would be easy to have the envelope return address have a thumbnail photo of your inn under it, too. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Seeing the photo might let folks imagine spending a few days in such a great-looking old house!
.
Arkansawyer said:
Joey Bloggs said:
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well.
Most folks do their own desktop printing these days, so it would be easy to have the envelope return address have a thumbnail photo of your inn under it, too. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Seeing the photo might let folks imagine spending a few days in such a great-looking old house!
on a bill? you would print your own envelope?
.
Joey Bloggs said:
Arkansawyer said:
Joey Bloggs said:
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well.
Most folks do their own desktop printing these days, so it would be easy to have the envelope return address have a thumbnail photo of your inn under it, too. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Seeing the photo might let folks imagine spending a few days in such a great-looking old house!
on a bill? you would print your own envelope?
I print my return address labels on my computer. I have a tiny logo on the left and then my info. I did not have the url but it looks as if there is room for it so it WILL be added.
 
"I just saved a bundle on my health insurance!"
That would have been too good to be true. :)
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well. People ARE curious! Glad to hear that BD. Best yet is she will go back to that office and tell all her co workers about you! Send rack cards!!!.
Joey Bloggs said:
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well.
Most folks do their own desktop printing these days, so it would be easy to have the envelope return address have a thumbnail photo of your inn under it, too. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Seeing the photo might let folks imagine spending a few days in such a great-looking old house!
.
Arkansawyer said:
Joey Bloggs said:
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well.
Most folks do their own desktop printing these days, so it would be easy to have the envelope return address have a thumbnail photo of your inn under it, too. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Seeing the photo might let folks imagine spending a few days in such a great-looking old house!
on a bill? you would print your own envelope?
.
Joey Bloggs said:
on a bill? you would print your own envelope?
Why not (assuming you have a printer that does envelopes easily)? It's rather personal, eye-catching advertising. As long as you're putting your inn return address w/url on envelopes anyway, why not include the photo and have it do a little promotion work for you?
 
we have our envelopes done with Vistaprint and they are actually cheaper than regular thick paper type ones from the shop and they have sort of wavy stuff printed inside so you can't hold it up to the light and see what is in. You can have anything you like printed on them.
 
"I just saved a bundle on my health insurance!"
That would have been too good to be true. :)
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well. People ARE curious! Glad to hear that BD. Best yet is she will go back to that office and tell all her co workers about you! Send rack cards!!!.
Joey Bloggs said:
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well.
Most folks do their own desktop printing these days, so it would be easy to have the envelope return address have a thumbnail photo of your inn under it, too. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Seeing the photo might let folks imagine spending a few days in such a great-looking old house!
.
Arkansawyer said:
Joey Bloggs said:
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well.
Most folks do their own desktop printing these days, so it would be easy to have the envelope return address have a thumbnail photo of your inn under it, too. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Seeing the photo might let folks imagine spending a few days in such a great-looking old house!
on a bill? you would print your own envelope?
.
Joey Bloggs said:
on a bill? you would print your own envelope?
Why not (assuming you have a printer that does envelopes easily)? It's rather personal, eye-catching advertising. As long as you're putting your inn return address w/url on envelopes anyway, why not include the photo and have it do a little promotion work for you?
.
Arkansawyer said:
Joey Bloggs said:
on a bill? you would print your own envelope?
Why not (assuming you have a printer that does envelopes easily)? It's rather personal, eye-catching advertising. As long as you're putting your inn return address w/url on envelopes anyway, why not include the photo and have it do a little promotion work for you?
Why when you have vista print to print up any labels you want? In fact most of the time they are free with your order. They print a matching set for you with whatever you order.
I just said to do a little promotion on the return label, not in those words, BEAT HEAD HERE.
You must think we have no clue on this forum at times, we do 110% all the time, I just had to chase after guests who tried to leave without paying, the other bafoons who tried to break the original door last night because the code didn't work, are nearly ready to roll, yes the same one who work the night shift, who could have booked the cottage and had a big party all night if they wanted to!
I am here to check out guests and have 10,000 things to do.
 
"I just saved a bundle on my health insurance!"
That would have been too good to be true. :)
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well. People ARE curious! Glad to hear that BD. Best yet is she will go back to that office and tell all her co workers about you! Send rack cards!!!.
Joey Bloggs said:
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well.
Most folks do their own desktop printing these days, so it would be easy to have the envelope return address have a thumbnail photo of your inn under it, too. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Seeing the photo might let folks imagine spending a few days in such a great-looking old house!
.
Arkansawyer said:
Joey Bloggs said:
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well.
Most folks do their own desktop printing these days, so it would be easy to have the envelope return address have a thumbnail photo of your inn under it, too. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Seeing the photo might let folks imagine spending a few days in such a great-looking old house!
on a bill? you would print your own envelope?
.
Joey Bloggs said:
on a bill? you would print your own envelope?
Why not (assuming you have a printer that does envelopes easily)? It's rather personal, eye-catching advertising. As long as you're putting your inn return address w/url on envelopes anyway, why not include the photo and have it do a little promotion work for you?
.
Arkansawyer said:
Joey Bloggs said:
on a bill? you would print your own envelope?
Why not (assuming you have a printer that does envelopes easily)? It's rather personal, eye-catching advertising. As long as you're putting your inn return address w/url on envelopes anyway, why not include the photo and have it do a little promotion work for you?
Why when you have vista print to print up any labels you want? In fact most of the time they are free with your order. They print a matching set for you with whatever you order.
I just said to do a little promotion on the return label, not in those words, BEAT HEAD HERE.
You must think we have no clue on this forum at times, we do 110% all the time, I just had to chase after guests who tried to leave without paying, the other bafoons who tried to break the original door last night because the code didn't work, are nearly ready to roll, yes the same one who work the night shift, who could have booked the cottage and had a big party all night if they wanted to!
I am here to check out guests and have 10,000 things to do.
.
The thing I've always liked about desktop publishing is that you just make a few up as you need them and are free to make changes any time you want without having several hundred pre-printed ones to use up first, or throw away.
This is certainly one of those "to each his own" deals. I always address and print my envelopes from the computer, so it's easy to put anything I want there. If you're using pre-printed labels then adding a sticker with a small pic of the inn might be a possibility, or just keep doing what you're doing now and let that suffice. 'Twas just a suggestion.
 
we have our envelopes done with Vistaprint and they are actually cheaper than regular thick paper type ones from the shop and they have sort of wavy stuff printed inside so you can't hold it up to the light and see what is in. You can have anything you like printed on them..
I've found that with business cards. I used to print my own but it works out cheaper to buy a box of 500 from soemone like Vistaprint than it does for me just to buy the plain cards, even before buying printer ink.
 
Not a booking but...
a couple of years ago a friend of a friend of a friend was writing an article for Home&Garden magazine about people who'd chucked in their jobs and gone off to do something completely different. She heard about us through the aformentioned route and consequently there was a half page piece on us and our B&B.
About a month after the article appeared we had a young couple check in, the girl said she'd been reading Home&Garden on the plane coming up and couldn't beleive here eyes when she came across us and said to her boyfriend "Look, that's where we're going to stay".
 
"I just saved a bundle on my health insurance!"
That would have been too good to be true. :)
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well. People ARE curious! Glad to hear that BD. Best yet is she will go back to that office and tell all her co workers about you! Send rack cards!!!.
Joey Bloggs said:
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well.
Most folks do their own desktop printing these days, so it would be easy to have the envelope return address have a thumbnail photo of your inn under it, too. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Seeing the photo might let folks imagine spending a few days in such a great-looking old house!
.
Arkansawyer said:
Joey Bloggs said:
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well.
Most folks do their own desktop printing these days, so it would be easy to have the envelope return address have a thumbnail photo of your inn under it, too. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Seeing the photo might let folks imagine spending a few days in such a great-looking old house!
on a bill? you would print your own envelope?
.
Joey Bloggs said:
on a bill? you would print your own envelope?
Why not (assuming you have a printer that does envelopes easily)? It's rather personal, eye-catching advertising. As long as you're putting your inn return address w/url on envelopes anyway, why not include the photo and have it do a little promotion work for you?
.
Arkansawyer said:
Joey Bloggs said:
on a bill? you would print your own envelope?
Why not (assuming you have a printer that does envelopes easily)? It's rather personal, eye-catching advertising. As long as you're putting your inn return address w/url on envelopes anyway, why not include the photo and have it do a little promotion work for you?
Why when you have vista print to print up any labels you want? In fact most of the time they are free with your order. They print a matching set for you with whatever you order.
I just said to do a little promotion on the return label, not in those words, BEAT HEAD HERE.
You must think we have no clue on this forum at times, we do 110% all the time, I just had to chase after guests who tried to leave without paying, the other bafoons who tried to break the original door last night because the code didn't work, are nearly ready to roll, yes the same one who work the night shift, who could have booked the cottage and had a big party all night if they wanted to!
I am here to check out guests and have 10,000 things to do.
.
My free return address labels from Vista Print have a small photo of the inn in the corner. Grabs their attention and it's free.
 
"I just saved a bundle on my health insurance!"
That would have been too good to be true. :)
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well. People ARE curious! Glad to hear that BD. Best yet is she will go back to that office and tell all her co workers about you! Send rack cards!!!.
Joey Bloggs said:
Best yet is she will go back to that office and tell all her co workers about you! Send rack cards!!!
Great idea JB! I'll send her some. She did say that everyone was waiting for her to come back to tell them about us. AND she sits near the RNs & Drs who are approving procedures. I've got a few procedures coming up, so it never hurts to get a rack card into their hands!
 
When I cash my paycheck (no comments, please) , the inn logo and name is on it. Can't even tell you how many bank tellers comment on it.
 
When I cash my paycheck (no comments, please) , the inn logo and name is on it. Can't even tell you how many bank tellers comment on it..
Penelope said:
When I cash my paycheck (no comments, please) , the inn logo and name is on it. Can't even tell you how many bank tellers comment on it.
Credit card images as well. We are like Visa "Every where you want to be"
again, the obsession/possession thing, we can never be "off duty" ... we feed the frenzy don't we. It is WHAT WE DO. It is HOW WE LIVE. 24/7
 
"I just saved a bundle on my health insurance!"
That would have been too good to be true. :)
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well. People ARE curious! Glad to hear that BD. Best yet is she will go back to that office and tell all her co workers about you! Send rack cards!!!.
Joey Bloggs said:
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well.
Most folks do their own desktop printing these days, so it would be easy to have the envelope return address have a thumbnail photo of your inn under it, too. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Seeing the photo might let folks imagine spending a few days in such a great-looking old house!
.
Arkansawyer said:
Joey Bloggs said:
I always put my inn return address w/url on envelopes (just in case) as well.
Most folks do their own desktop printing these days, so it would be easy to have the envelope return address have a thumbnail photo of your inn under it, too. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Seeing the photo might let folks imagine spending a few days in such a great-looking old house!
on a bill? you would print your own envelope?
.
Joey Bloggs said:
on a bill? you would print your own envelope?
Why not (assuming you have a printer that does envelopes easily)? It's rather personal, eye-catching advertising. As long as you're putting your inn return address w/url on envelopes anyway, why not include the photo and have it do a little promotion work for you?
.
Arkansawyer said:
Joey Bloggs said:
on a bill? you would print your own envelope?
Why not (assuming you have a printer that does envelopes easily)? It's rather personal, eye-catching advertising. As long as you're putting your inn return address w/url on envelopes anyway, why not include the photo and have it do a little promotion work for you?
Why when you have vista print to print up any labels you want? In fact most of the time they are free with your order. They print a matching set for you with whatever you order.
I just said to do a little promotion on the return label, not in those words, BEAT HEAD HERE.
You must think we have no clue on this forum at times, we do 110% all the time, I just had to chase after guests who tried to leave without paying, the other bafoons who tried to break the original door last night because the code didn't work, are nearly ready to roll, yes the same one who work the night shift, who could have booked the cottage and had a big party all night if they wanted to!
I am here to check out guests and have 10,000 things to do.
.
The thing I've always liked about desktop publishing is that you just make a few up as you need them and are free to make changes any time you want without having several hundred pre-printed ones to use up first, or throw away.
This is certainly one of those "to each his own" deals. I always address and print my envelopes from the computer, so it's easy to put anything I want there. If you're using pre-printed labels then adding a sticker with a small pic of the inn might be a possibility, or just keep doing what you're doing now and let that suffice. 'Twas just a suggestion.
.
You can often get FREE Vistaprint return address labels with an order. Can let you change them up as you like and have fun with it. Saves your printer ink, too. Check it out.
 
You never know... I turned a tellamarketer call into my own marketing call. The caller was our cruise pro from one of the lines... wanted to give us info on their latest sale. I said I can not plan yet I own a B&B.....
What! You own a B&B in _____. I am starting my trip plans for there. And so it turned into my marketing call instead. ~~~~
 
You never know... I turned a tellamarketer call into my own marketing call. The caller was our cruise pro from one of the lines... wanted to give us info on their latest sale. I said I can not plan yet I own a B&B.....
What! You own a B&B in _____. I am starting my trip plans for there. And so it turned into my marketing call instead. ~~~~.
copperhead said:
What! You own a B&B in _____. I am starting my trip plans for there.
During our trip to New Zealand earlier this year we stopped in Picton on the northern end of the South Island, waiting for the ferry. Went into a cafe for breakfast, got chatting to the owner who said exactly the same thing. Her and her husband stayed with us back in June.
 
Back
Top