Weekend Rate vs midweek

[JBloggs]

Yes you have to PAY now to bring them in. Better late than never, get on as many directories and chamber/CVB websites that you can. BBONLINE is a must. It is a necessary outlay unfortunately, remember you will write this off as marketing on your taxes April 15th.
The other thing, if you have a state website for tourism get some specials or packages on there. Do a search in some other states and fine packages and specials. Many times you will have emails requesting packages for the next holiday, ie 4th of July. They need fodder for their marketing as well and might highlight YOUR INN.
A grand opening might be picked up in your local newspapers, esp if you mail it to them or invite them over.

 

[wendydk]

Yes you have to PAY now to bring them in. Better late than never, get on as many directories and chamber/CVB websites that you can. BBONLINE is a must. It is a necessary outlay unfortunately, remember you will write this off as marketing on your taxes April 15th.
The other thing, if you have a state website for tourism get some specials or packages on there. Do a search in some other states and fine packages and specials. Many times you will have emails requesting packages for the next holiday, ie 4th of July. They need fodder for their marketing as well and might highlight YOUR INN.
A grand opening might be picked up in your local newspapers, esp if you mail it to them or invite them over..

if you have a state website for tourism get some specials or packages on there. Do a search in some other states and fine packages and specials.

I visited your area chamber, and the site is not good, and it took me two visits to notice that there was a link to area lodging....most people would not notice it...AND your state's official tourism site does not list lodgings???? Man, I would sure try to get something done about that!

 

[JBloggs]

I looked as well and never found a lodging link. Our MAIN chamber is the same, it is an internal org not tourism related. I am on two others that are more tourism related, but even one of those at our biggest lake has hidden the lodging links amongst all the other businesses like paint sellers. I have called them numerous times to remind them what this lake attracts!

 

[EmptyNest]

Yes you have to PAY now to bring them in. Better late than never, get on as many directories and chamber/CVB websites that you can. BBONLINE is a must. It is a necessary outlay unfortunately, remember you will write this off as marketing on your taxes April 15th.
The other thing, if you have a state website for tourism get some specials or packages on there. Do a search in some other states and fine packages and specials. Many times you will have emails requesting packages for the next holiday, ie 4th of July. They need fodder for their marketing as well and might highlight YOUR INN.
A grand opening might be picked up in your local newspapers, esp if you mail it to them or invite them over..

if you have a state website for tourism get some specials or packages on there. Do a search in some other states and fine packages and specials.

I visited your area chamber, and the site is not good, and it took me two visits to notice that there was a link to area lodging....most people would not notice it...AND your state's official tourism site does not list lodgings???? Man, I would sure try to get something done about that!
.

AND your state's official tourism site does not list lodgings
WHere did you look? Of course it lists lodging "places to stay" right at the top of the screen.... virginia.org

 

[JBloggs]

She's talking about Missouri. http://www.visitmo.com/

 

[user 26]

now here is what i did and you might not like. may not want to do it. it's up to you.
but, i sold my rooms for small money ... just to get people in the door ... i had to figure out what was my lowest point and i offered a 'get acquainted special' and then i held my breath. i needed money to pay the utilities and other expenses just to live there ... so it was a real make or break time.
it wasn't always when the place was new, either. there were 'dead' times when i had specials of different kinds. it worked for me.
and always, i had 'come back' enticements. certain $ or % off to come back and stay again.
when people don't know you and they are looking for a bargain, i'm sorry to say most will choose the perceived bargain. if that is the shopper you have looking at your site, you need to entice them to come to you.
hopefully, later on, they will recognize and appreciate the true value and how great you are. and then your 'get acquainted rate' goes away. but when you have no one staying with you, you have no income. only you can decide if this is the step you want to take.
for me ... when the place was new ... i knew it was great, but the place across the road was packed and my place was empty or practically empty. in addition to the online presence, you do have to push when you're getting started, i held open houses and get acquainted specials ... i sent out press releases and put up notices all over the place. i invited neighbors (even the grumpy ones) to come over. i went in person with mini banana breads or blueberry muffins ... with my rack cards ... and little posters i printed up myself.
what got attention was
banners
balloons
and music
i put out the invitation to local musicians to play on the grounds (and prayed for good weather) ... told them they could offer their cd's for sale. one man offered to play for hire ... and then got a gig and backed out. but we still had bluegrass and then a string quartet show up and play on the lawn. people loved it. i put speakers out so the music would carry.
i held a raffle for lobster fresh off the dock. net proceeds to go to charity ... this more than covered my cost of the lobster and the local fisherman's memorial got a nice little donation. this brought the locals to my door ... curious mostly but it did lead to bookings when someone would ask did they know a good place to stay.
my heart goes out to you ... i hope you get some guests in the door ... lots of them, now!

 

[user 26]

i had mid week specials. i think it depends on your area and what is happening around you. my quietest days were tuesday, and wednesday nites ... somtimes it was tempting to say 'well, i have no guests so i can breathe!' but it wasn't practical. we were so out of the way, at the end of the road (literally) that i was always less busy in midweek unless there was a festival going on to draw people.
some weekends i had so many requests for rooms, i could've filled up the place X3 and i was always wondering how to entice people to book for a different date.

 

[wendydk]

Yes you have to PAY now to bring them in. Better late than never, get on as many directories and chamber/CVB websites that you can. BBONLINE is a must. It is a necessary outlay unfortunately, remember you will write this off as marketing on your taxes April 15th.
The other thing, if you have a state website for tourism get some specials or packages on there. Do a search in some other states and fine packages and specials. Many times you will have emails requesting packages for the next holiday, ie 4th of July. They need fodder for their marketing as well and might highlight YOUR INN.
A grand opening might be picked up in your local newspapers, esp if you mail it to them or invite them over..

if you have a state website for tourism get some specials or packages on there. Do a search in some other states and fine packages and specials.

I visited your area chamber, and the site is not good, and it took me two visits to notice that there was a link to area lodging....most people would not notice it...AND your state's official tourism site does not list lodgings???? Man, I would sure try to get something done about that!
.

AND your state's official tourism site does not list lodgings
WHere did you look? Of course it lists lodging "places to stay" right at the top of the screen.... virginia.org
.

AND your state's official tourism site does not list lodgings
WHere did you look? Of course it lists lodging "places to stay" right at the top of the screen.... virginia.org

Sorry, was talking to MTLLODGE!

 

[EmptyNest]

Yes you have to PAY now to bring them in. Better late than never, get on as many directories and chamber/CVB websites that you can. BBONLINE is a must. It is a necessary outlay unfortunately, remember you will write this off as marketing on your taxes April 15th.
The other thing, if you have a state website for tourism get some specials or packages on there. Do a search in some other states and fine packages and specials. Many times you will have emails requesting packages for the next holiday, ie 4th of July. They need fodder for their marketing as well and might highlight YOUR INN.
A grand opening might be picked up in your local newspapers, esp if you mail it to them or invite them over..

if you have a state website for tourism get some specials or packages on there. Do a search in some other states and fine packages and specials.

I visited your area chamber, and the site is not good, and it took me two visits to notice that there was a link to area lodging....most people would not notice it...AND your state's official tourism site does not list lodgings???? Man, I would sure try to get something done about that!
.

AND your state's official tourism site does not list lodgings
WHere did you look? Of course it lists lodging "places to stay" right at the top of the screen.... virginia.org
.

AND your state's official tourism site does not list lodgings
WHere did you look? Of course it lists lodging "places to stay" right at the top of the screen.... virginia.org

Sorry, was talking to MTLLODGE!
.

OOops sorry...guess I wasn't following the thread.