Please note this section on marketing your GUEST HOUSE does not cover the presentation and running of your guest house but focuses on the marketing of it to gain new clients, repeat clients and referrals.

All Things To All People – Know Your Market Segment

The expression that you can not be all things to all people is never truer than with a GUEST HOUSE. GUEST HOUSESs are selected over hotels for their ‘’personalities’’. A businessman may seek the home touch whilst on their travels but also need a quiet environment to carry out their work, if your guest house targets families you can be sure the business person will only come once.

Become an Expert

Know your stuff – what’s good to see, where’s good to go and where’s a waste of time. Maybe compile something for your guest to browse through (whilst sipping on a nice glass of white from the honesty bar).
But don’t stop there show the world your expertise – visit sites like www.allexperts.com and sign up as an expert.

Clubs, Consulates, Schools, Universities, Unions

For many of the above not are they only pivotal points of referrers but also have large memberships. Contact them offer special deals to their members; provide them with mail shots to send out to their members list.

Don’t Sit and Wait

A GUEST HOUSE owner or manage should never be bored and stuck for things to do. The marketing of a GUEST HOUSE is about letting people know you are there. Websites can be updated, photos added, attractions , places to see. Start a blog, get on Twitter and face book, learn a new skill – become a FUNGI. Contact other GUEST HOUSESs for overflow or referral business, drop off flyers, send newsletters – the list is endless, the point very specific clients don’t just knock your door you must let them find you.

Entertain

Of course you want to show your guests as great time, bit also maximize your income potential from guests. How about extending that Braai night to your guests, or offering sunset snacks and champagne.

Free is a Business Plan

GUEST HOUSESs tend to have quite periods during the year, unfortunately many of the costs are still there even if the guests aren’t. So promote your one night free with every two nights booked.

Guest House Network

Don’t view your fellow GUEST HOUSESs as competition but as your business colleagues. Speak to other local GUEST HOUSESs and agree a referral program for overflow bookings. Make contact with guest houses further afield, many visitors to South Africa travel. Get agreements with guest houses along popular travel routes that are reciprocal.

Have a Unique Selling Point

This Is akin to the 30 second pitch – ask yourself what makes my GUEST HOUSE better than other ones? If you can’t answer the question in less than 30 seconds you don’t have a unique selling point.

Investigate

Just a few things to know:

• Who is your competition
• What are there rates
• Which booking agents are most successful
• Where are they sending their enquires to
• Is your website getting traffic?

Justify

It is the curse of guest houses that every Tom, Dick and Harry approaches them to buy, advertise or part with money for some good cause. Just because it seems good it might not be. Make sure you receive justification for parting with money, for example for advertisers how much traffic do you get, how many bookings might I expect, what makes you different, how negotiable are your rates.

Know What You Want to Achieve

Many guest houses do not have a target -for example beds booked for the year, number of guests, number of extras sold, number of enquires. Its an old (but true adage) if you don’t know what you are aiming for how will you ever get there.

Linked In

One of the worlds best social and business networks with more of an emphasis on business. Visit www.linkedin.com , register and see the impact that networking can have on your guest house.

Maps

The good news is google has made it easy – put maps on your website showing where you are, where tourist attractions are – a graphic picture means more than hundreds of words.

Newsletters

Establish a mailing list and send out a regular newsletter. Many guest houses are relocated in beautiful areas, let your subscriber know what’s going on, include photos, let them know of special offers and most importantly make sure they remember you.

Online Presence

If you are not online than you are a dinosaur. The majority of travelers use the internet to search for guest houses. Please see our section on websites here.

Placement

Even the very best guest house will have to close its doors if people cant find it. Placement is about putting your guest house in appropriate places so guests can see it. Whether it is on line, I the local tourist information centre

Quiet is Not an Option

It may sound repetitive but shout about your GUEST HOUSE. Use every form of media, online or printed, journalists, travel writers etc to get you message out there. Why not give a free knight to a travel writer or journalist to do a price on your guest house. Whatever your method say it loud and say it proud!!

Repeat is Better than Brand New

There is a cost, a marketing cost, in attracting a new client to your GUEST HOUSE. A good example is the client who books through a booking agent costing you 15 -20% of the room rate. Now if they come back next year through a direct booking you have effectively eliminated the marketing cost and increased your income by 15 – 20%.
So make the stay memorable and keep in touch, maybe offer an incentive for them to come back to you.

Speed of Answer

If you sleep you lose – answer enquires quickly, there’s nothing more impressive than a quick response and it makes a great first impression.

Technology Needs Embracing

Online visitors want o book online and want to pay online, there are some excellent and much cost efficient products out there to assist you with this. Please see here for more details.