BED AND BREAKFAST - THE EASIEST HOME BASED BUSINESS
There's an exciting "down-home" kind of
business springing up among homeowners all
across the country.
It's called Bed and Breakfast.
To foreign visitors, it's the comfort and
hospitality of staying overnight "with people
of the land" and enjoying a hearty breakfast -
without the traditional gaudiness and plastic
feelings visits get from most hotels.
To locals, it is a welcome alternative to the
same old hotel/motel circuit.
Now, all it takes is a spare bedroom, a good
cook and an outgoing personality.
Prices per night range from a low of $30 to
$100 or more.
If you have an extra bedroom, a large home,
or extra space in your farm house, you have
the necessary beginnings to start making
extra income as a Bed and Breakfast Inn.
One of the beautiful aspects of this idea is
that so long as you're hosting "overnight
visitors" on a small scale, no licences
will be required.
It's always best, however, to check with
your local authorities just to be sure.
Naturally, your "visitors" will expect a
clean, neat and comfortable home.
So assuming that your home meets these
prerequisites, and you have a spare bedroom,
simply "doll it up" a bit.
Make sure it's painted brightly, there's an
outside window, lots of room, closet space
and perhaps a small writing desk, and a
large comfortable bed, or twin beds.
Most foreign visitors will expect and
appreciate a "quick tour" of the interesting
sights in your area.
Which brings us to the basic appeal of a Bed
and Breakfast Inn. Travellers seem to be
looking for, and appreciate, a quiet "home
style" place to stay.
Generally, they enjoy visiting people with
the people off the motorway and want to get
away from the sterilised atmosphere and
sameness of hotels and motels.
Most people will either write to you ahead
of time, inquiring about the possibilities
of staying at your home while in your town
or city.
This means a bit of advertising on your
part, or listing your availability with a
B&B Broker.
Some people will check the local telephone
listings, and the newspaper advertisements
when they arrive in a strange town.
And some people will just be driving across
the country, come to a town or city they
think is interesting, and start driving
through the residential areas looking for
Bed and Breakfast Inns.
Thus, you should have a small sign posted either
in your front yard or on the front of your
house.
This sign needn't be much more than about two
feet wide by about ten inches deep.
It need only state:
BED AND BREAKFAST -
Inquire Within or Call 123456.
For newspaper advertising, a similar listing
in the personal column of your local paper,
particularly on Thursdays, Fridays and
Saturdays will be all you'll need.
But when it comes to the Yellow Pages of your
telephone and business directories, go with
a small display ad that describes in greater
detail the comforts and pleasures of your
services.
Be sure to list your services with all the
travel agencies in your area.
A brochure or short synopsis of what you
offer will most assuredly give the travel
agents an idea for steering visitors your
way.
At the same time, listing your services in a
number of national travel magazines,
particularly those that cater to women, will
bring customers in for you.
Listing your service with a broker usually
won't cost you anything up front, but they
will expect a certain percentage, usually
about 25% of the total bill.
This same arrangement applies with travel
agents.
Now, suppose you're organised and ready to
receive your first customers.
You greet them as host or hostess and offer
to assist them in getting situated in the
room or rooms you have for them.
If they'd like to take a drive around your
area and see the points of interest, you do
that.
And then in the morning, serve them a big,
delicious breakfast.
You'll probably find that most foreign
visitors will want to stay several days.
With most people of this country who are
just travelling through your area, it'll be
a one-night stopover.
Whatever, if they want to sleep comfortably
through the night, eat breakfast and be on
their way, so be it.
If they want to sit around after breakfast
and plan an itinerary for a complete visit
of your area, your assistance and help will
be greatly appreciated - remember those
recommendations!
That's it!
The complete how and why of this
tremendously profitable business that's
becoming more and more popular.
