Saturday Guardian Travel & Sunday Observer Escape

Using press and magazine advertising, brochures, mailings - old hat or still cost-effective?
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vrooje
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Location: Burgundy, France

Post by vrooje »

Well, if it got one booking, it did at least pay for itself! :)
Brooke
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tansy
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Location: La Manche, Normandy, France

Post by tansy »

Well I did my email flyer - sent out 29 "could we entice you back to Normandy?" - 7 sent back from postmaster - addresses unknown...2 replies and one booking....not for the weeks I have left but for October half term...so it was worth it and cost nothing! And as well as that from one of the best families we have had to stay...really lovely people...very pleased with the result. :D
Fraise
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Location: Charente Maritime and Middle England

Post by Fraise »

Great! Did you send them out by post?
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vrooje
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Post by vrooje »

Tansy,

Would you mind very much if I used a close variant of that phrase for our e-mails to past clients next year?

If you do mind, let me know and I'll come up with something else. That's just perfect -- and it's a fabulous idea. :)
Brooke
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tansy
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Location: La Manche, Normandy, France

Post by tansy »

No problem Brooke.....I will think of something else later for my next inspiration ....I'm sure I should have been an advertising genius earning millions 8) :roll:

Fraise...sent by email :oops:
Christine Kenyon
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Post by Christine Kenyon »

Hi Tansy. Nothing wrong with email :oops:. If that's how the initial contact was made those potential customers are probably happiest with email - and it costs you next to nothing and you can personalise it easily. Well done on an excellent result.
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Normandy Cow
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Post by Normandy Cow »

A word of warning....

I did something similar, at the beginning of January I sent out an email to all past guests and enquirers wishing them a "Happy New Year from Le Gaillon", so that they would think of us when looking for properties for the summer.

I did get a few responses, one of which was the following:

"Hi. Please could you take me off your email list. I don't wish to be rude but it's really not good to disclose people's email address to lots of other strangers as this message has done. You should use the BCC facility for email groups."

I had made the mistake of just adding everyone's email addresses in the "To" box, so that everyone could see the emails of everyone I was sending it to. I was not aware of the BCC ("blind carbon copy") facility. I now feel suitably stupid and chastised and won't do it again.... :oops:
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tansy
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Post by tansy »

I did think of that and as I have a few celebrities on the list didn't think it prudent to show addresses - so did a group - no addresses shown :)

I wouldn't worry - did others complain? All my enquiries come in via email...I'm not going to do this on a junk mail basis - perhaps once/ twice a year....I can't see why anyone would look at it as being offensive or intrusive.

I do always ask our guests to recommend us to their friends/family as well...as someone said earlier word of mouth the most powerful!
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Normandy Cow
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Post by Normandy Cow »

Wow - Celebrities - How exciting!!!

Are they good guests, and did they leave the house clean and tidy at the end of their stay???

Do tell!!!!
alexia s.
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Post by alexia s. »

re Celebrities:
One of the leading legal figures in world trade (make that World Trade) stayed at our place last week: 3 generations, 12 members of the family. They were absolutely delightful, warm & friendly, adored the place, etc. I was absolutely horrified - but maybe I'm odd - when the children showed me a huge bag of fossils they had prised - hacked? - out of our hill. They didn't want to take them all home & asked where they should throw them away. I consider this to be thoughtless plundering of the environment , showing a lack of respect for the natural world which is shocking in any context and even more when the family is so privileged and intelligent (they are all serious academics).
Even if I am in a minority I am apalled by this - but my curious nature makes me ask: how small is this minority? What do the other members of the forum think?
I didn't say anything to the adults (or the children - perhaps there, I should have). I don't think they would understand & it was too late to make amends.
Our hill has been settled since pre historic times, with a large cave (all of the stalictites were cut off, but that was before we arrived) and, of course, fossils. Considerably fewer fossils now.
Best,
Alexia.
Fraise
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Location: Charente Maritime and Middle England

Post by Fraise »

BCC- thankyou for that- I didn't know it existed!!! :oops:


Fossils- mmmm,well now you mention it it wasn't a good move on their part but if I step back 20 years I must admit to being delighted if my children showed an interest in such things and would have encouraged them to dig a few out :( .Not actually wanting to take them home though ,ah...I could imagine lots of people wanting to take them to school and they could be really useful- as you have got them and they have been dug out- could you maybe channel them to a school or some such? Just a thought....
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tansy
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Location: La Manche, Normandy, France

Post by tansy »

Alexia - I too would have been horrified..it's bad enough when I see children burrowing in our protected dunes...not only are they protected as a place of beauty but also for the protection against the sea :roll:

And yes some of the culprits were from our celebrity...the house I won't say - except I wasn't that surprised...
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Alan Knighting
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Post by Alan Knighting »

Alexia,

I think the records of human habitation of the Hyères area go back as far as 600BC.

If these are genuine fossils of some significance perhaps the Hyères Municipal Museum might be interested in them. I seem to remember the museum houses artifacts some from Celto-Iberian, Greek and Roman times.

On the other hand, if they were easily hacked out of the hillside by some children then, probably not.

Regards

Alan
alexia s.
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Post by alexia s. »

Alan,
It wasn't our property at Hyeres, but the olive mill near Salernes: the oldest pre historic artefacts in the Var come from here.
Good idea about a museum: I'll pursue this.
Best,
Alexia.
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Alan Knighting
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Post by Alan Knighting »

Alexia,

Salernes. Isn't that where France's finest terracotta floor-tiles come from?

Alan
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