Marti Mayne
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Publicity Leads: As a new service to our members, BedandBreakfast.com will be alerting you as we learn about upcoming
publicity leads.
Watch for emails with this subject line: “Urgent: Publicity Lead from BedandBreakfast.com.”
Depending on the assignment, these leads will be
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For example, if we learn of an editor who has assigned a story on the wine harvest in California’s Napa
and Sonoma wine country, the Publicity Lead will just go to B&Bs in that region, although Marti will be sure
to mention the many other wine-growing areas with great country inns. A more wide-ranging lead might read
like this:
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ASSIGNMENT: For a feature in an extremely upscale magazine, need to hear as soon as possible about
Christmas boat parades and/or other holiday events tied to the water. Let me know about pix, too.
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Key response criteria: For maximum results, please follow the guidelines below.
- Timely response: Don’t wait for the deadline. Email Marti.Mayne@BedandBreakfast.com today.
- Appropriate response: Please respond only when your B&B meets the criteria requested.
- Need to edit: We reserve the write to edit what you send us.
- Signature file, please! Be sure that your email to us includes your name, your inn’s name, the email and postal address, of course, your URL.
- Graphics are key. Photos pique the writer’s interest and enhance the story. If we have a publicity lead about romantic getaways that include
a horse-drawn sleigh ride, let us know about prints, high-resolution graphic files, and/or Internet pictures available. Don’t forget about permissions and credit lines, either!
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Publicity Primer
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By Sandy Soule
In twenty years of writing about inns, we’ve observed that in general, the inns that get the most publicity are those that make it a priority.
Duh.
Yet the fact is that many innkeepers would rather scrub toilets than spend time on marketing their properties.
Big mistake.
With so many lodging options competing for travelers’ dollars, there’s no choice. And when we say competition, we’re not just talking about other inns — remember that resorts, cruises, hotels and motels, even RVs offer competing choices for accommodation.
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Promophobia |
After careful analysis, we’ve concluded that the problem is promophobia, which has three main syndromes:
- I’m not worthy syndrome: It may be bad manners to brag about your personal possessions or
qualities, but you are running a business, and it’s perfectly OK to tell people the truth about the many
wonderful reasons to stay at your inn.
- I never have time syndrome: Although running a B&B can easily keep you busy 24/7, determine
which activities are essential to your success, then work out a strategy to make sure they are not neglected.
If you need to delegate or even postpone some chores, so be it.
- I’m not good at publicity syndrome: Get over it! It’s a skill you can learn, like anything
else. If you really, really can’t bear to spend time publicizing your inn, then pay (or barter with) someone
else to do it for you. When it comes to marketing issues, you can’t afford not to!
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Murphy’s Law Prevails |
Remember that Murphy’s Law prevails, and that as in other areas of life, whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.
Hot water heaters can be counted on to fail when a travel writer comes to visit. Radio and TV interviews are
pre-empted by fast-breaking news or inclement weather. You work for years to get covered in a major magazine,
and the article runs after you’ve gone to contract on the inn’s sale. Not to worry. Sooner or later the
combination of having a great inn and working to promote it will get you the press coverage you want. One good
article can result in several additional ones. Quote the articles on your website and your printed materials,
and they can produce reservations for several years.
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Be prepared |
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Good publicity isn’t just a matter of luck. What some people call good luck can also be described as the
“intersection of preparation and opportunity,” while bad luck occurs when poor planning causes you to miss a
key opportunity. I once recommended an inn for inclusion in a major TV segment; they were not included because
they had no available photos to send the station.
Whether you know you’re scheduled to be a featured in a major magazine or newspaper, or a writer stays with
you anonymously, make sure you have an inn that will garner favorable reviews. Just like your guests, writers
are looking for warm but unobtrusive hospitality, appealing but uncluttered décor, an attractive setting, ample
activities, comfortable and relaxing atmosphere, delicious food, and excellent value.
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Inn at Round Barn Farm, Waitsfield, VT
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Over 35,000 inngoers were sent an email with this photo, inviting them to
purchase BedandBreakfast.com gift certificates. It’s still on the Gift Certificate page. We’ll be replacing this photo for fall foliage and
Christmas, so email your photos to InnkeeperNews URL links or small JPEG images only!
Sign up today.
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For your protection, your traffic statistics and member information are shown only
in the email we sent you. For more details, please log in with your property ID
and password. Can't remember your password?
Click here, then enter your property ID and we'll email it to you.
Don't like your password? Once you're logged in to Home Base, just click
"Change Password" (first item in the left-hand column), and choose another
that's easier to remember.
More information
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Time to move on? Sell your property by listing it on the leading Internet site
for bed and breakfasts and inns, BedandBreakfast.com, visited by thousands of
inngoers every day! Read
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The Internet gives you the opportunity to interact with potential customers in
a variety of settings, from search engines to tourism websites, from
specialized inn directories to major online travel services. Taking real-time,
online reservations is the most effective way to transform your Internet
presence from an informational resource into a 24/7 sales engine. Read
more
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Need more info? You’ll find lots of forms, tutorials, and educational articles
on our site for your convenience.
 Resource Library
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