|
|
Home  Money Business Start Your Own Bed And Breakfast Business
|
Start Your Own Bed And Breakfast Business |
|
|
There's an exciting new "down-home" kind of business springing up among
homeowners all across the country. It's called Bed and Breakfast.
Basically, this is a transplant of European Hospitality, adapted and
refined to the American way of doing things. To foreign visitors,
it's the comfort and hospitality of home - staying overnight "with
people of the land" and enjoying a hearty breakfast - without the
traditional gaudiness and plastic feelings visitors get from most big
cities in the United States. To U.S. citizens, 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 $25 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 Break fast Inn. One of the beautiful aspects of this
idea is that so long as you're hosting "over night visitors" on a small
scale, no licenses 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 bureau, 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. However, as your particular
popularity as a B & B Host grows, you'll find that a lot of
American tourists and business people on the road will begin availing
themselves of your hospitality. Certainly with these people, it won't
always be necessary to give the "Red Carpet" visitors' treatment.
Which brings us to the basic appeal of a Bed and Breakfast Inn.
Travelers seem to be looking for, and appreciate a quiet "home-style"
place to stay. Generally, they enjoy visiting with the people off the
superhighway and want to get away from the sterilized 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 123-4567.
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 a 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 services 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 organized 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 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. It's called Bed &
Breakfast, and it's very definitely a low investment idea. And you can
parlay it into a very interesting and comfortable income producing
business - all from the comforts of your own home! |
|
|