Hostel Rack Flyers

[Hostels]

Do people have systems for sending out hostel rack flyers?

What I usually do is to track visitors to the Web site with a Web stats program like Google Analytics. That gives an idea of where people are located when they search for hostels in your area. You can then target your rack flyer mailing at specific cities where people are searching for your hostel.

Here is a sample screenshot from Google Analytics:



Here are the steps that I use:

1. Install the free Google Analytics on your hostel's Web site
2. Let Google Analytics gather data for at least a month or two
3. Use the visitor geo tracking to find a list of cities where people are researching your hostel (visiting your Web site)
4. Use a hostel directory like Hostelz.com to find the addresses of hostels in those cities where people are researching your hostel
5. Mail your hostel's rack flyers to hostels in those cities

This systematic method gives a more precise measurement than just guessing where to send your rack flyers.

[aboriginalhostel]

Some managers think flyers are out of date, costs too expensive (internet ads are cheaper) and it is hard to feedback the efficiency. I say it is NOT.

You can use your flyers EFFECTIVELY if the partner hostels HAVE flyer-racks (lots of them don't!!!), recommending your hostel by the reception, and you have a good distribution in the neighboring cities. When I mean good distribution, you probably have to promote your hostel personally, building up a good relationship with the partner hostel, and on a regular basis. If you take the efforts to make an offline marketing campaign, the flyers are the best investments on the first round.

[Hostels]

I agree... I think rack flyers work well. I often look at them when I'm travelling in hostels and if I see a hostel flyer that looks good I remember the name.

[Hostels]

Registered forum users probably already saw this in the email newsletter, but there is a flyer exchange program in Central Europe.