I go through about 3000 business cards per year and about 2500 rack cards per year. I have access to Visitor Center card racks because I’m a member (and the local room tax I collect finances a large part of the Center’s operation). I also have a tour business, so I give cards away to my tour passengers so they can refer friends for tours and rooms. About 90% of tourists here are cruise ship passengers that are here for the day, then gone at night.
LOVE this idea of having business cards printed with emergency contact info for your guests! I’m going to copy this. I also have created a private website and had 4x8 cards printed to place at the 19 local vineyards we have. My website takes visitors directly to my Airbnb listing to book, so they’re not shopping around, which I’m guessing is what you also did. The website template I used actually allowed for bookings directly on it as well as payment, but the calendar would not sync to Airbandb, so that’s why I didn’t use it as a direct book. I also very much appreciate the liability coverage Airbnb offers.
If someone takes the time to go to your website, especially after they picked up your postcard from another local business that’s helping you advertise, pull up your website on their phone or possibly even took it home with them and saved it to pull up your website on their computer, it’s VERY doubtful that they’re going to shop around for a different place to stay. Kudos to you!
Loislane21: Thanks for your compliments.
I always put myself in my Airbnb guests’ shoes: How do I contact my host if something goes wrong or I need help nearby?; What can I show my friends and family of where I stayed and wish to recommend this Airbnb to others?; etc.
I provide my guests with free writing pens (19-cents each) and small 24-page notepads ($1.35 per-notepad), as you find in most hotel rooms. These pens and notepads have my Airbnb phone number, e-mail address, personal website and city/state where my Airbnb is located.
P.S.: I also provide my guests with brochures of area tourist sites, which my county’s tourism and visitors bureau gives me for free. I have these various brochures neatly displayed in a multi-tiered acrylic brochure holder I ordered online through an office supply store for $65.
Don’t forget to include your local public bus schedule and business cards of area taxi drivers (if there is no Uber or Lyft service) in the brochure rack.
Also, have a large map of your region and/or city framed and mounted on your guestroom wall. The map is very useful for guests to plan their day’s adventures. Add a “You Are Here” arrow on the wall map.
1 Like
Here is our “tourist information kiosk” with free brochures and a regional wall map in our Airbnb guestroom area. Click photo for a complete view.
Our display looks more attractive than laying a stack of brochures flat on a coffee table.
1 Like
Thanks for the additional information. Do you have a conversion rate you can share with us about the number of bookings you receive through the rack cards?
No real conversion rate. I used a discount coupon from a previous VistaPrint order, so 1500 cards cost me about 4 cents each. My dues for the convention/visitors bureau are $350/year each for my 2 businesses (the tour company and the B&B) which includes a text listing in their 24 page destination brochure and 3 text listings with photos on their web site with links to my listing, as well as the right to have cards in their racks. Every spring members make a 3 minute pitch to the volunteers that man the visitor center, the visitor desks at the airport and ferry terminal (you can’t drive here, you have to fly or come in a boat), and the visitor kiosks on the cruise ship docks (1.3 million cruise passengers every summer), so the volunteers will know about your business. I plan on having an open house wine & cheese reception for the volunteers if I have an empty day at the beginning of our summer season. I know that the first tour from the visitor center or kiosk pays my tour company dues for the year which is a good deal. Since I have shared bath rooms, it will take about 7-8 nights to pay for the B&B’s membership, which is just starting.
1 Like
Pain In The Ass
PITA
Pain In The Ass