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.
