Sample Advertising and Promotion Statement

Read this statement to generate ideas of how you can create an advertising and promotion statement for your business.

Ye Olde Rhubarb Inn

Ye Olde Rhubarb Inn is a bed & breakfast located in the downtown section of Grand Trees, a major 4-season resort. It is a converted Victorian mansion with 10 guest rooms and two guest suites. Its downstairs breakfast/dining area will also be available as a catering location.

Public Relations:

Building strong credibility within the community is always helpful. Guests needing accommodations are often referred by people in the area. The inn’s location in a residential neighborhood will also generate activity from friends and relatives looking for accommodations in close proximity.

The inn will take the following action to generate community PR:

• Support community programs. Become an active member of the Chamber of Commerce, Better Business Bureau, and Tourist Bureau. The Rhubarb will also be made available to these organizations as a meeting place.
• Work with local and state tourism groups, including the Upstate B&B Association. These associations also provide the opportunity for joint publicity and advertising.
• Market through the media. The Inn plans to work with local, regional, and national media to get broad coverage. We recently issued our first press release detailing the extensive, sensitive renovations we did to the Rhubarb Mansion. The release was sent to travel publications, “Victoriana” publications, and shelter publications, and resulted in several interviews and three articles.
• Create a media kit. Include the following:
  • pen and ink drawing of the Inn
  • photographs of the interiors and the grounds
  • a history of the property
  • a description of the house and rooms
  • copy of the brochure and rate card
  • information on what to do in the area

  The kit will be sent to travel and guide book writers and editors, as listed in Bacon’s Guide to Periodicals. A list of travel writers, guide book writers, freelancers, and other appropriate media will be maintained and update regularly.

• Cooperating with area businesses. Personal calls have been placed to area business, especially restaurants, other inns, wineries, and recreational facilities. Each call will be followed up by a letter.
• Contacting private citizens. The immediate neighborhood will be notified via flyer. The flyer will announce the arrival of the inn and promote it as an alternative to hotels for visiting friends and relatives.

Brochure/Collateral Materials

An attractive brochure is critical to any marketing program, particularly a B&B. We have taken great care to select images and copy that portrays Ye Olde Rhubarb in an inviting manner. Beth Cronin, an area graphic artist was hired to design the logo and handle the brochure’s production. Bob Wolfen, a well-known travel photographer whose work has appeared in several books and magazines, took the photos. The brochure will be a tri-fold – in order to expedite mailing costs – with a separate rate card insert. A copy of the brochure is attached in the Supporting Documents section.

The brochure will also be distributed locally to the Visitor’s Center, Tourism Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, and area businesses. Copies are also being mailed to travel agents, and will be available through the B&B Association.

The name and logo of the inn also will be used on note cards (featuring a water color rendering of the Rhubarb). These cards will be available in the rooms, and guests may purchase packages of them as well. We also plan to incorporate the name and logo on business cards, stationery, envelopes and rate/policy cards.

Reservation Services/Travel Agents

The B&B Reservation Service will, for a small monthly fee and commission, book rooms, screen guests, and provide some publicity. This service will be invaluable during the first start-up months.

The Inn will be listed in THE INN GUIDE, a travel agent’s guide to unique accommodations. This guide book is distributed free to travel agents, and lists Inns and B&Bs by geographical region, with a detailed description of each property. For an additional $currency_symbol$300, a photo of the Rhubarb was placed in the next edition.

The Rhubarb also will be listed in B&B ONLINE, a new electronic directory for travel agents.

Yellow Pages/Guide Books

The Rhubarb is listed in the Yellow Pages under the categories “Bed & Breakfasts” and “Hotels.”

The number of guide books the Rhubarb can be listed in will vary depending on publication dates and availability of writers. There are currently more than 195 B&B/Country Inn guides in print, and fewer than 20% charge for listings. All these guides are on the inn’s media list (described above) and have been sent press releases announcing our upcoming opening.

Special Promotions

There will be special promotions throughout the course of the year. The goal of these promotions is to attract guests during the off-season. All promotions will be monitored to determine those attracting the greatest response. In addition, all phone callers will be asked how they heard about the Rhubarb, and the information will be recorded and tracked.

The Inn also intends to offer gift certificates, and will promote these as an ideal business or personal gift.