‘The Darling Buds of May’ - Marketing tips for Bed and Breakfast Owners
Many true words are found in traditional nursery rhymes. And nothing is more frustrating as a bed and breakfast owner than running out of essentials on a busy Bank holiday weekend.
May, with its two bank holidays is almost here. So take note all bed and breakfast owners get your cupboards filled. Old Mother Hubbard will be proud of you.
I’m not going to get caught out this year so I’m planning a trip to cash and carry to stock up with essentials.
I can write out my usual list and feel confident that I can cover most eventualities. However I thought I’d turn the task on its head and look at the situation from the guest perspective.
If I was staying at a bed and breakfast what would make my stay comfortable and stress free.
Yes, a good breakfast, friendly staff, a comfortable bed and a clean bathroom with lots of fluffy white towels, are taken as read.
But if it’s the wow factor you want to create for your bed and breakfast accommodation put yourself in the guest’s shoes.
In order to do this with some conviction I have carried out some market research with last season’s guests.
I put a short questionnaire in the bedrooms asking for specific suggestions to make staying at my bed and breakfast establishment a more pleasurable experience.
Hey presto the guests have provided their own shopping list for my trip to the cash and carry and suppliers online.
Here’s the list:
¨ Irons and ironing boards on request
¨ Extra pillows of different firmness and styles
¨ Spare face cloths (darker colour for make-up removal etc.)
¨ Wine openers – if one room takes it, there are spares if needed
¨ Torches in the room- in case of power failure
¨ Pens and paper in the rooms
Mostly common sense but so reassuring to have your ideas verified by the guests.
Just for good measure I have added to the list a few more desired extras just in case.
I buy all my plain white china from a large china factory in the area. I will be buying extra cups and saucers etc. you never know when the dish washer is going to go slow or even worse knock the handles off the cups and chip the saucers.
I also keep an extra ink cartridge for my printer they always seem to run out when trying to print a receipt for a guest at the weekend.
Stocking up on white table napkins when they are at a good price helps with the laundry. White goes with everything, so you don’t have the expense of buying matching tablecloths and napkins.
Finally, it’s a great idea is to have a stock of disposable cups with lids, plenty of inexpensive ones on offer at most cash and carry outlets. I’m going to go that extra mile this season and label them with my logo and web address.
Offering your guests a cup for the road is usually met with great appreciation, a simple and cost effective marketing exercise.
They might even come again or at very least recommend your B&B to their friends or business colleagues if they are travelling on business.
This article was written by Jackie Miller owner of Colliers Hill Conference Centre and Guest House http://www.colliershill.co.uk and
http://www.bedandbreakfastowners.com - the membership site for owners of B&Bs. April 2007.
