I don’t mean that spare tire around my waist!  It was 66 years ago today,December 16, 1944,  that the German offensive into the Ardennes Forest of Belgium and Luxembourg, to recapture Antwerp, was repelled by American and British forces.     

I had the opportunity to visit the reunion of the Veterans of The Battle of the Bulge, South New Jersey Chapter,  at

the Carroll Villa Hotel in Cape May, NJ.  Mark Kulkowitz, owner and operator of the inn, invites the veterans…all of them pushing 90, to share their stories and to meet and greet family and friends of these soldiers of the Greatest Generation.

Combat soldiers do not talk much about their combat experiences…emotionally charged and often with memories of lost friends and misery.  But the South Jersey chapter has taken on the mission of visiting school children and museums to share their stories.  As Gus Epple, Chapter president put it, “If you don’t tell your story…who will?”

That comment stuck with me… “If you don’t tell your story…who will?”

As Peter Scherman stated in the last blog posting, “Voila! It’s all about perspective and the choice of words”.  If you don’t tell your story…who will?  Many inns are slowing down for the season which offers an excellent opportunity to get into your website, your policies, and marketing materials to ascertain how they can better tell your story. 

• Are you still using a tri-fold brochure that you printed out yourself?
• Could your website benefit from professional photography?  (Guests don’t just want to see a photo of the bed)
• Do you have restrictive signs hanging around the inn that can be reworded (or removed)?  They usually send messages that may be counter to your story of hospitality.
• Does your staff represent your story when you are not around?  Are you sure?  Training is critical.
• Does your breakfast “fit” the character and style of your inn?  It’s your biggest marketing story.

Telling your story and having a brand consistency woven throughout your marketing plan is a lesson we can all learn from the veterans of the Battle of the Bulge.      Scott