There are many unique benefits to a sampling program at a bed & breakfast that other distribution methods cannot match:
- Peer Messengers: Innkeepers are trusted "peer messengers" instead of a typical anonymous sampler. Most guests rely on their innkeeper for dining and activity tips, and many develop a close relationship with their innkeeper. Thus, when an innkeeper recommends a product, it carries more weight with guests.
- Relaxed Atmosphere: It's hard to find a consumer more relaxed than when they are on vacation being pampered at a cushy bed & breakfast. Because guests are relaxed and not distracted, they are more amenable to trying and enjoying a new product.
- Real Life: Because of the setting, we are usually able to distribute samples in a way that shows guests how the product is relevant to their life without intruding on or disrupting their normal, everyday behavior. In the past, for example, Taster's Choice coffee was served at breakfast, with samples left out throughout the day so guests could easily whip up a quick cup of coffee. Tylenol PM was distributed at night, often with turn-down service. Lipton tea was served in the afternoon. Minute Maid orange juice was given out at breakfast.
- Highest Quality: Inngoers tend to associate bed & breakfasts with high quality. Thus, they tend to associate any product being used by an inn with those same high standards.
- Feedback: We keep in regular contact with our innkeepers during the course of a sampling program. Usually we are able to provide guest and innkeeper comments about the product and trial success while the sampling program is still ongoing. Once the program is complete, we also receive feedback forms from the innkeepers (usually written by the client), compile the data and forward it to the client.
- Best Inns: We have more than 15,000 inns in our database, but we work exclusively with the top 5,000 or so properties. A typical sampling program includes 1,000-2,000 inns.
- Experience: American Historic Inns, Inc. has 15 years of consumer promotion experience, beginning with our first promotion for Nabisco in 1990, which was called "the best promotion in the 100-year history of Nabisco Shredded Wheat."
- Target Audience: We have the ability to target your consumer by market and class of inn. Sampling programs can be created nationally or in regional key markets.
- Full Customization: Programs customized to reach client objectives and position samples as part of the inngoer experience.
If you would like more information about our sampling programs, call our promotions department at (800) 397-4667 or e-mail at promotions@iloveinns.com. We'll be happy to answer any questions you might have and/or brainstorm how a bed & breakfast sampling program could work for your product.
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