Organised local events can often bring large numbers of tourists and visitors to your area, and there are many ways you can make the most of this opportunity to secure bookings for your B&B or boutique hotel.
Here are 6 ways you can work with event organisers to use these local events to leverage bookings:
Offer a discount to event-goers
By offering event-goers a discount in return for a shout-out on their social media page or an advertising opportunity at their event, you’ll not only get your B&B or boutique hotel in front of more potential customers, you’ll also improve awareness, so those returning the following year are more likely to find you and book a room.
Swap links
Approach the event organisers about swapping links. By linking to an event organiser’s site and promoting the event to your guests, the event organiser is likely to increase the potential visitors to the event, but you (and they) will also get a kudos kick from search engines that often use the number of links as an indicator of a quality site. And you? Well, you’re more likely to get more site visitors from the event site too. Definitely a win/win situation.
Be active on social media
Like the event’s page or join the group. When people ask for advice on local places to eat, stay or visit, offer up helpful local suggestions.
- Ask the organisers to include a promotional flyer in any welcome packs, or even better, in their registration packs. If it’s a sporting event, the recipient may be looking for somewhere to stay. It makes the organisers look helpful and increases the number of people who know about your business.
- If you’re techie, set up a page about the event and how your B&B or boutique hotel is perfectly placed for visitors to the event. Link back to the event, making sure you use the event’s name in the page title and headers to secure the best chances of being found by those hoping to visit the event.
Promote the event to your guests.
In the six months or more preceding the event, make sure your guests receive a flyer about the event. You might manage to get a repeat booking faster than you thought.
The Stewart Hindley Partnership are specialists in securing hospitality finance to enable you to own the B and B or boutique hotel that you’ve been dreaming of. However, we’re in it for the long run so, here in our blog, we also post articles about how to make your B&B a successful and sustainable business.
To speak to one of our advisors about your hospitality finance requirements give us a call on 01488 393040.
