Extras For Sale That Delight Your Guests
BY MIKEL HUBBARD
FORMER HGTV PRODUCER | CO-FOUNDER, THE HOST CO |
OWNER, TIMES EIGHT PROPERTY & DESIGN
You might be surprised by these extras guests will gladly pay extra for! Stock your store with some key items to make them appreciate your hosting skills and thoughtfulness even more.
HEALTHY SNACKS
Picture this: you just got back from a long hike, or arrived late and the kids (and you!) are starving… you could hit up a gas station, but it’s all chips and soda. Yuck.
Offer your guests healthy snacks that they’d have to go out of their way to find to leave them delighted and satisfied. Organic granola bars, nuts, or local, small-batch chips are all items guests clamor for. So provide them when they’re hungry and you’ll be a hero!
Plus, they’ll also pay a premium since they expect these kinds of items to cost more. Win, win.
LIP BALM
Being without lip balm can be one of the most uncomfortable things, so provide it for your guests and save them the trip to the store. Ideally, stock a lip balm with SPF in case they’re headed to the beach or a hike and need the protection.
Here, organic or non-petroleum based lip balms will fetch a higher price and appeal to more guests.
BASIC MEDICATIONS
Ibuprofen, sleeping pills or antacids are items you would move heaven and earth to have when you need them. Stocking these could be the difference between a guest having a great vacation and suffering through one, so we highly recommend making these a part of your store.
EAR PLUGS AND EYE MASKS
Often, people don’t think to grab these things before they leave town because they don’t use them on a regular basis. But when it’s 3AM and your friend is snoring, or the sun is up at 5AM and you’re used to a darker space, suddenly it’s a need. Guests will be so happy to have them at an arm’s reach, plus the middle of the night isn’t exactly the best time to be eager to rush out for supplies.
FIREWOOD
Some hosts like to supply their guests with free firewood, which is great! But guests tend to burn a lot more wood than they would at home so whether you supply it or not, it’s good to make them pay for excess firewood when they run out.
Because most people burn fires at night, this isn’t when you want to run into town and guests will be happy to pay to keep the fire going, especially after a couple glasses of wine. Cheers to that!
SOUVENIRS
How often does it happen that your trip is over and you totally forgot to get something for your mom? Guests will quickly reach for a mug, magnet or hoodie dedicated to their vacation destination without thinking twice. When you must bring something back and there’s no time to stop before you hit the airport, you’ll be thrilled your host thought of everything for you.