Bed And Breakfast The Easiest Home-Based Business

There's an exciting new "down-home" kind of business springing upamong homeowners all across the country. It's called Bed andBreakfast.
Basically, this is a transplant of European Hospitality, adaptedand refined to the American way of doing things. To foreignvisitors, it's the comfort and hospitality of home---stayingovernight "with people of the land" and enjoying a heartybreakfast---without the traditional gaudiness and plasticfeelings visitors get from most big cities in the United States.To U.S. citizens, it is a welcome alternative to the same oldhotel/motel circuit.
Now, all it takes is a spare bedroom, a good cook ad an outgoingpersonality. Prices per night range from a low $25 to $100 ormore.
If you have an extra bedroom, a large home, or extra space inyour farm house, you have the necessary beginnings to startmaking extra income as a Bed and Breakfast Inn. One of thebeautiful aspects of this idea is that so long as you're hosting"overnight visitors" on a small scale no licenses will berequired. It's always best, however to check with your localauthorities just to be sure.
Naturally, your "visitors" will expect a clean, neat andcomfortable home. So assuming that your home meets theseprerequisites, and you have a spare bedroom, simply 'doll it up"a bit. Make sure it's painted brightly, there's an outsidewindow, lots of room, closet space and bureau, and perhaps asmall 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 yourparticular popularity as a B&B Host grows, you'll find that alot of American tourists and business people on the road willbegin availing themselves of your hospitality. Certainly withthese people, it won't always be necessary to give the "RedCarpet" 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 withthe people off the superhighway and want to get away from thesterilized atmosphere and sameness of hotels and motels.
Most people will either write to you ahead of time, inquiringabout the possibilities of staying at your home while in yourtown or city. This means a bit of advertising on your part, orlisting your availability with a B&B broker. Some people willcheck the local telephone listings, and the newspaperadvertisements when they arrive in a strange town. And somepeople will just be driving across the country, come to a town orcity they think is interesting, and start driving through theresidential areas looking for Bed and Breakfast Inns.
Thus, you should have a small sign posed either in your frontyard or on the front of your house. This sign needn't be muchmore than about two feet wide and about ten inches deep. It needonly state: BED AND BREAKFAST--Inquire Within or Call 123-4567.
For newspaper advertising, a similar listing in the personalcolumn of your local paper, particularly on Thursdays, Fridaysand Saturdays, will be all you'll need. But when it comes to theyellow pages of your telephone and business directories, go witha small display ad that describes in greater detail the comfortsand pleasures of your service.
Be sure to list your services with all the travel agencies inyour area. A brochure or a short synopsis of what you offer willmost assuredly give the travel agents an idea for steeringvisitors your way. At the same time, listing your services in anumber of national travel magazines --particularly those thatcater to women--- will bring customers in for you.
Listing your services with a broker usually won't cost youanything up front, but they will expect a certainpercentage--usually about 25% of the total bill. This samearrangement applies with travel agents.
Now, suppose you're organized and ready to receive your firstcustomers. You greet them as host or hostess and offer to assistthem 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 thepoints of interest, you do that. And then in the morning, servethem a big, delicious breakfast.
You'll probably find that foreign visitors will want to stayseveral days. With most people of this country who are justtravelling 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 stayaround after breakfast and plan an itinerary for a compete visitin your area, your assistance and help will be greatlyappreciated. (Remember those recommendations)!
That's it! The complete how and why of this tremendouslyprofitable business that's becoming more and more popular. It'scalled Bed & Breakfast, and it's very definitely a low investmentidea. And you can parlay it into a very interesting andcomfortable income producing business--all from the comfort ofyour own home!