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The Goodstone Inn & Estate

Portfolio: Hotel Leisure Market

Background: The Inn is located 60 minutes from Washington, DC and 3 miles from the town of Middleburg. Middleburg is a high-income community in the heart of Virginia’s wine and horse country. Opened in 1998 and privately owned, this property is a luxurious country inn and restaurant. Guests enjoy swimming, canoeing, hiking and birdwatching and nearby horseback riding, sightseeing, and antique shopping in the town of Middleburg.

Challenge: The Inn has been in transition with constant staff turnovers and new management since we have worked with them. In 2008 the marketing strategy was to increase the public relations efforts and start branding The Goodstone.

Results: From 2006, business increased by 80% during the first year, mainly due to aggressive management. The new website played a big factor in that increase, as it now brings in 40% of the reservations. The PR effort played a large role in getting exposure for the Inn equally more than 20 stories in newspapers, magazines, and websites.

“Benoit Associates has put Goodstone on the map in the Washington, DC area. We were virtually unknown until we started working with Benoit Associates.” General Manager, The Goodstone Inn & Estate

Solutions:

• To brand the Inn as a strong, bold business with a logo that clearly shows the name of Goodstone, including the inn and estate.

• Researched, developed a strategy, wrote, optimized and designed a brand new web site including online booking, promotional “real estate” for seasonal promotions, engaging photography, music and Search.

• Developed an extensive public relations plan for gain editorial exposure in national, regional and local publications and web sites. Click here to view Goodstone’s Media Center.

• Developed a strategy for a direct mail piece to market the Goodstone for the leisure and corporate market. This high-end beautiful brochure can be used as a special mailing. The 12-page brochure has beautiful photography with a dye-cut on the back that will allow rack cards personalizing the brochure for the meetings market, the restaurant and the Inn.