Tasting Michigan - INN the news 05.31.09

[wendydk]

Torch Lake (about 1/2 an hour NE of Traverse City) is rumored to have been named the third most beautiful lake in the world by National Geographic Magazine in the 1970's.
Other gorgeous areas...Traverse CIty for sure with East and West Grand Traverse Bays...the downtown area is trendy and fun. The Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas are loaded with award winning wineries. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park is spectacular...that scenery rivals anything anywhere else. And the Charlevoix, Harbor Springs area and the "Tunnel of Trees" are colorful and charming areas to visit. And, of course Mackinac Island is a place everyone should visit..

Torch Lake (about 1/2 an hour NE of Traverse City) is rumored to have been named the third most beautiful lake in the world by National Geographic Magazine in the 1970's.
Other gorgeous areas...Traverse CIty for sure with East and West Grand Traverse Bays...the downtown area is trendy and fun. The Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas are loaded with award winning wineries. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park is spectacular...that scenery rivals anything anywhere else. And the Charlevoix, Harbor Springs area and the "Tunnel of Trees" are colorful and charming areas to visit. And, of course Mackinac Island is a place everyone should visit.

Are these areas near you? If so, do you have this info on your website and blog (if you have one)? I would say at least 70% of our guests are not familiar with our area - my goal (in response to Penelope's question on another thread) is to increase their stay just one more night. I try to do this by showcasing things in our area that someone might not know about who is from out of the area. I will admit, I know nothing about your area, but what you have already written has peaked my interest. If these areas are not near you, are they within a days drive (meaning 4-8 hours away) so that guests might stay with you and visit those on the same road trip? The one night stays miss out on everything our area has on offer. Some, if they are interested and ask, I will tell them about the area, others are here to sleep and hit the road again and I don't waste my breath. I have enough stuff lying around that should help them see there are some unique attractions here and nearby.
.

Picking up on "keeping the guests one more night", we have a trick that does it almost every time. We take a local map and tell the guest all about what to do here and there and over yonder and mark those spots on the map. Invariably this will take 20 minutes and many times this results in guests staying longer or making reservations for another weekend
.

Wouldn't it be easier to provide that info on your website, so they can make longer reservations in the first place??

 

[Iris]

Torch Lake (about 1/2 an hour NE of Traverse City) is rumored to have been named the third most beautiful lake in the world by National Geographic Magazine in the 1970's.
Other gorgeous areas...Traverse CIty for sure with East and West Grand Traverse Bays...the downtown area is trendy and fun. The Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas are loaded with award winning wineries. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park is spectacular...that scenery rivals anything anywhere else. And the Charlevoix, Harbor Springs area and the "Tunnel of Trees" are colorful and charming areas to visit. And, of course Mackinac Island is a place everyone should visit..

Torch Lake (about 1/2 an hour NE of Traverse City) is rumored to have been named the third most beautiful lake in the world by National Geographic Magazine in the 1970's.
Other gorgeous areas...Traverse CIty for sure with East and West Grand Traverse Bays...the downtown area is trendy and fun. The Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas are loaded with award winning wineries. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park is spectacular...that scenery rivals anything anywhere else. And the Charlevoix, Harbor Springs area and the "Tunnel of Trees" are colorful and charming areas to visit. And, of course Mackinac Island is a place everyone should visit.

Are these areas near you? If so, do you have this info on your website and blog (if you have one)? I would say at least 70% of our guests are not familiar with our area - my goal (in response to Penelope's question on another thread) is to increase their stay just one more night. I try to do this by showcasing things in our area that someone might not know about who is from out of the area. I will admit, I know nothing about your area, but what you have already written has peaked my interest. If these areas are not near you, are they within a days drive (meaning 4-8 hours away) so that guests might stay with you and visit those on the same road trip? The one night stays miss out on everything our area has on offer. Some, if they are interested and ask, I will tell them about the area, others are here to sleep and hit the road again and I don't waste my breath. I have enough stuff lying around that should help them see there are some unique attractions here and nearby.
.

Picking up on "keeping the guests one more night", we have a trick that does it almost every time. We take a local map and tell the guest all about what to do here and there and over yonder and mark those spots on the map. Invariably this will take 20 minutes and many times this results in guests staying longer or making reservations for another weekend
.

Wouldn't it be easier to provide that info on your website, so they can make longer reservations in the first place??
.

It may very well be. We kinda feel that the personal touch is really important, because we don't have the ritzy accommodations that others can offer. I am having a difficult time explaning that. This is also why I don't like having a calendar on my website nor do I like reservation systems. I feel that if someone doesn't get the days they've had in mind, they'll turn away and go to another lodging. If I have them on the phone, very often I can make them shift their days and therefore get them to stay here after all
Oops, that's taking it to another discussion. Long story short, Yes, you have a point but this has worked wonders for us. Also remember our average stays here are 4 days. Occasionally someone will want to stay only one night on their way to some place else. A lot of times they change that once there here and we have given them the tips.

 

[JBloggs]

Iris you should let your website be the marketing tool, as it should be very effective, not expect to do it over the phone. With no avail calender you do not know the bookings you are missing as they simply go to the next lodging on the list. If I am on a list and there is no online reservations or avail calendar I will not book there (as of like 8 to 10 years ago not just lately). I don't want to call and talk to someone. I won't email and wait for someone to get back to me, if I am online booking a trip I want to book the trip now.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Re BLOGS I recently discovered that on blogspot.com there is a feature where you can add up to ten email addresses and when a new article appears on your blog it is emailed in full (if you choose full) with photos and active links to the recipient.
I added myself to see how it looked in email format and it is just fine! The reason I did this is a woman called and didn't want to subscribe to a feed, but wanted an email so I did a little look and found this feature.
Just an fyi.