Bay firms 'are missing out' by failing to plan out marketing

MANY Bay guesthouses are missing out on valuable custom by failing to execute an adequate marketing strategy.

That's the view of a Torquay-based printing and creative firm with customers throughout the UK.

Steve Gowers, creative director at Full Colour Store, believes owners of guesthouses and bed-and-breakfast businesses are too reliant on passive sales and are failing to retain the customers they already have.

Speaking at last week's Expowest trade show, Mr Gowers said far too many Bay firms were unable or unwilling to carry out basic marketing exercises such as direct mailing.

He said: "I was talking to a B&B couple and they said that business had been a bit slow, so I asked them if they did any direct mailing, and they say no.

"It turned out they didn't do any form of communication with their customers."

Having moved from West London to Torquay with the printing firm a year ago, Mr Gowers said businesses needed to tie their strategy to events which would lure visitors to the area.

"If you are just sending them offers all the time it becomes like a spam email," he added.

"What I would do is send people details of events taking place down here, and tie that into the accommodation.

"It is giving people a reason to come to the Bay — but a lot of B&B businesses don't see that logic."

He continued: "What we tend to find with a lot of B&Bs is that they can't see the light between the trees when it comes to marketing, or they just want an easy life.

"You have just got to find that level playing field and be a bit more proactive."

Mr Gowers said the firm had many customers across the country, but wanted to promote themselves more in South Devon.

"The majority of our customers are spread across the UK and we thought we would make a bit more of an effort in the hospitality market," he said.

"We don't actually have a lot of customers in Torquay, which is on our doorstep.

"We've got a great product — it's just a case of letting people know what we do."

Full Colour Store offers creative services alongside the printing arm of the business, Mr Gowers added.

"We are printers, but we are also creative people," he said.

"For example, we can sit down with a restaurant that's looking for a new menu, do the creative side of things and then execute the print for them."

He said they were also promoting Torquay as a night-time destination, through businesses such as The Venue.

For more details, visit www.fullcolourstore.com or call 01803 873888.