Have been mired in startup plans but am coming up for air to ask -- what are the best marketing strategies for a small rural B&B? This is a "boutique" (I guess that is what it is) B&B because it is in an historic place (an old church but not on the register) that was well-known in the community. It will be well-themed and loving renovated but is a hybrid of sorts — appealing to two different types of guests: sportsmen and church-going families. Know it sounds strange but that is the market I am in here! So I am trying to figure out what my best options are and how to best reach both Christian groups and those wanting to fish, hunt etc. Any ideas???
Best marketing ideas for small rural specialty B&B
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Happy to hear your are NOT on the register. THAT will save you a fortune. I think the Register was created by people with deep pockets because the things they demand cost a fortune. Plus little known fact - people do NOT go to a place because it is "on the Register".
Now to your question. I have 3 rooms in a small city (pop 2300) in West Virginia. Most of West Virginia is rural - less than 5 minutes from my house and I am rural. Since I opened in 1996, dozens of hotels & motels have been built in a 10-mile radius of me - BUT I am the only remaining legal B & B in several counties. Legal = licensed, inspected, and insured.
My #1 suggestion is avoid the OTAs - stay away from AIRbnb, booking.con, Expedia,, etc. They will bring you the wrong kind of guests for the most part, they do NOT care about YOU, and they will NOT back uo up if you need them. They will USE you, period.
Have a good website with photos - make sure it is ADA compliant (yes, websites also). BLOG frequently - have a Blog page on your website. Blog about what is happening during your renovations (with one or 2 photos per blog), about events in the area, about the places to hunt & fish, about the church events in your area. Blog about places to go, things to see, restaurants in the area, shops. IF your county has a Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) get chummy with them - introduce yourself and take muffins or cookies with you for them. See if yiu can get listed on their website as a lodging place. Post on Social Media and share on your page what the businesses and organizations in your area are promoting.
This is for starters. I do not want to overload. Ask me questions and I will answer to the best of my ability. I want you to succeed! Where are you? How many rooms? Tell me about your B & B. BREAKFASTS are VERY important.
CoffeeTreks
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Yes, it does sound like an odd mix
. So I have two suggestions 1- think about where those two groups go to plan a trip and where they go to book their trip and be on those platforms. For example, our inn is in latin america in a rural area near a national park and we focus on activities in that park. I love instagram personally, but when I ramped up instagram, I was attracting in country guests who were not as interested in our activities ...same for facebook. They were not the ideal guests for me. I find making sure we are in our country guidebook, working with travel agents, otas, and our website bring the best guests. I tjink if I were looking for in country guests, instagram would be my number one priority. Since it is so specialized, I think a blog as gillum mentioned would be worthwhile.
2- as you start getting guests and inquiries pay attention to whom you are attracting. It could be that you attract another group that you didnt know you would...and you can either modify your business slightly for that group or chose not to. For example, I am not a birder. But we noticed that there were several birding groups and private birding guides who visited the area...so we put up bird feeders, added some bird art to the rooms and eventually offered a birding tour as our business progressed.
Finally, try not to be too hard on yourself or put too much pressure on yourseñf to get marketing exactly right the first time. I think its better to start something and generically following advise...then have ideas (and flags) of how and when you will adapt.
. So I have two suggestions 1- think about where those two groups go to plan a trip and where they go to book their trip and be on those platforms. For example, our inn is in latin america in a rural area near a national park and we focus on activities in that park. I love instagram personally, but when I ramped up instagram, I was attracting in country guests who were not as interested in our activities ...same for facebook. They were not the ideal guests for me. I find making sure we are in our country guidebook, working with travel agents, otas, and our website bring the best guests. I tjink if I were looking for in country guests, instagram would be my number one priority. Since it is so specialized, I think a blog as gillum mentioned would be worthwhile. 2- as you start getting guests and inquiries pay attention to whom you are attracting. It could be that you attract another group that you didnt know you would...and you can either modify your business slightly for that group or chose not to. For example, I am not a birder. But we noticed that there were several birding groups and private birding guides who visited the area...so we put up bird feeders, added some bird art to the rooms and eventually offered a birding tour as our business progressed.
Finally, try not to be too hard on yourself or put too much pressure on yourseñf to get marketing exactly right the first time. I think its better to start something and generically following advise...then have ideas (and flags) of how and when you will adapt.
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I have reinvented us several times over the years. I started thinking the rail-trail was going to be our guests - and it was, for about 3 years and then I could see it tapering off. So since WV is full of twisty roads (we both rode motorcycles so knew what they wanted), so I started marketing to the motorcycles - created routes in all directions with at least 1 KYA turn (kiss your own A on the way around that curve). When Tesla was giving away chargers - I did my homework as to where superchargers were located, THEN filled out the application. I have the Tesla AND the universal charger (for all other EVs) thanks to Tesla. I talked to a local farmer and we did overnight stabling for horses until some women pissed him off - I am about halfway between the east coast horse farms and Kentucky Horse Park. I also got Canadians going to South Carolina or Florida for the winter and return.
IS there is an activity, there will be one or more web sites associated with it. HISTORY - people are into history so delve into the history of your area. Do NOT try to do this all at once. work on one aspect and once you get that honed, delve into another - like building blocks. I also do elopements (a retired minister performs the ceremony and I do the rest so my fee is very reasonable. Is there a Founding Father for your area? Levi Shinn "founded" this settlement with his brothers but HIS house that was HERE in 1778 still stands - so we get descendants coming to trace their roots and to see the 2-story log house. Trying to give you some ideas. Take it slow, make great breakfasts, and you will succeed.
IS there is an activity, there will be one or more web sites associated with it. HISTORY - people are into history so delve into the history of your area. Do NOT try to do this all at once. work on one aspect and once you get that honed, delve into another - like building blocks. I also do elopements (a retired minister performs the ceremony and I do the rest so my fee is very reasonable. Is there a Founding Father for your area? Levi Shinn "founded" this settlement with his brothers but HIS house that was HERE in 1778 still stands - so we get descendants coming to trace their roots and to see the 2-story log house. Trying to give you some ideas. Take it slow, make great breakfasts, and you will succeed.
Thanks so much for all these great suggestions! So glad I can come here for help.
