How to boost visitor numbers at my bed and breakfast?

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How to boost visitor numbers at my bed and breakfast?
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boisdevie1

Joined: 11 Aug 2006
Posts: 3897
Location: Lancaster

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 07 11:32 am Post subject: How to boost visitor numbers at my bed and breakfast?

Hi all,
I now run a Bed and Breakfast. I've got as many free ads on websites as possible but was wondering if you've got any ideas on how to boost bookings.
I have been talking to a woman who runs language training courses with the idea of her using us as the place to do it. Now I'm wondering if I could develop this idea further and perhaps get some courses being run from here. We can provide accomodation naturally (for 10 max) and we have a very big living room and dining room that could be used.
So what courses could I organise (obviously with someone to run the course) - I'm thinking possibly basketweaving but it would have to be something that doesn't leave too much mess to clean up - so indoor strawbale construction or pig keeping is definitely out.
Any ideas anyone?

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 07 11:36 am Post subject:
Residential course on how to run a B&B for prospective new B&B owners? Have you any local craft experts who might want a venue for a residential course?

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28231
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 07 12:10 pm Post subject:
Wireless internet is cheap to put in and very attractive to punters.

Green Man

Joined: 23 Jul 2006
Posts: 5272
Location: Rural Scotland.

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 07 12:19 pm Post subject:
Reiki Courses and attunements tend to be done over intensive weekend courses. Why not offer a discount to theReiki Federation etc.?

LynneA

Joined: 25 Oct 2006
Posts: 4893
Location: London N21

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 07 12:56 pm Post subject:
How much help are your local tourist board? Maybe they could suggest a few extra places to put leaflets / advertise? Where do you get your eggs and stuff from? If they have a farm shop or have a stall at a farmers market, maybe you can ask them to put leaflets out? Maybe even try the Uni - somewhere the students can have their parents/friends stay if they have no room.

alisjs

Joined: 23 Jun 2006
Posts: 1497
Location: Conwy

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 07 1:00 pm Post subject:
any local businesses you could approach with a view to putting up any visitors/guests/interviewees they may have?

hedgewitch

Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Posts: 5834
Location: Daft wench GHQ

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 07 1:08 pm Post subject:

Are you near Lancaster Uni of any other college? They sometimes recommend places to stay if they are doing weekend courses and conferences.

They will also have lots of staff (rather than student) visitors who stay a couple of nights and again often have lists of good places off-campus for people visiting on business to stay.

Your prices would be fine for them, I should think, and the quality of your breakfast and internet access would be a huge hit with this kind of market.

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 07 1:11 pm Post subject:
What's near you that would make people stay? Do a deal with them, perhaps offering a discount if they refer people. Discounts for groups?

mochyn

Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 07 2:31 pm Post subject:
Are there any biggish events locally? I'm thinking of things near here: Shrewsbury Flower Show, for example, when B&Bs are booked solid! Get on their mailing lists?

boisdevie1

Joined: 11 Aug 2006
Posts: 3897
Location: Lancaster

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 07 3:06 pm Post subject:

So far publicity wise I've:
Got us with the tourist information office.
Contacted university, council and local businesses.
Know about events this year.
Contacted other B&Bs so if they're full they'll send people onto us.
Done a website and got free listings wherever I can.
I can't see what else I can do. I'm not worried because in the summer we'll be full most of the time. But whilst the season is quiet I'd like to try to run as full as possible rather than sitting here on my backside - if I'm stuck here in Lancaster running the business (rather than France where I'd rather be) then I want to be working/earning as much as poss. Hence my idea about using the place as a venue for courses.

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 07 3:18 pm Post subject:

I second Cho-ku-ri's suggestion about reiki weekends. I've got a complementary therapist friend who goes off on all sorts of courses - nutrition, reiki, massage, reflexology, hypnotherapy etc etc - and those sorts of courses are often, say, six weekends over the course of a year. Could you perhaps contact your local complementary therapist organisations, or put a notice up in local health food shops and places like that? Offering weekend bookings of the whole place for a set price, with a sandwich lunch each day as well?

Tay

Joined: 08 Oct 2006
Posts: 2811
Location: Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 07 4:13 pm Post subject:

What about acting as a small conference centre? A friend's parents decided to set up a B&B, but as they lived in a coastal town, there was a lot of competition in the summer and few visitors over the winter. They started to advertise their property as a conference centre/B&B and received a lot of enquiries.

Jema's comment about wireless internet is a very good idea as this will help to attract 'professionals' to your B&B out of season.

cir3ngirl

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 4846
Location: Cirencester

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 07 4:49 pm Post subject:
Tried to find you on yell.com but failed

sneeuwklokje

Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 277

Posted: Sat Feb 03, 07 10:04 pm Post subject:

Free advertising: paint your website name on your vehicles and on your clothing, fleeces, shirts etc.

You mentioned about crafts and the practical side of not having masses of mess: perhaps you could think about offering a knitters weekend or similar? What with all the knitting groups that have sprung up of late, there might be something in the idea?

Also, perhaps you do this already, but you could think more about dates? For example, Valentine's approaches - perhaps people would like a short, local break away? Do you open up your dining room for meals too at the moment, or just as part of the B&B? If you don't, perhaps you could consider it?

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46192
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Feb 04, 07 4:19 pm Post subject:
any fish ?

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