THE PRINCIPLE

Adding unusual value to a routine service makes it stand out

About sixteen years ago Kevin and Belma Marshall bought an 1812 Colonial house near the charming historical town of Granby, Connecticut, and turned it into a bed and breakfast. So far, so ordinary. What made the venture a roaring success was creating a ‘Tax & Relax’ package.

Kevin is an accountant and people who bought the package got one night at the B&B, breakfast for two … and if they were US citizens he prepared their taxes. When they left, he completed the forms and sent off the tax returns within ten days.

Adding this kind of value took the business out of the ordinary. The Associated Press wire service did a story on the couple and their unique service. That led to further media coverage from CNN, USAToday.com, NYTimes.com, the Wall Street Journal and half a dozen others. The result was a flood of customers.

Currently the Inn is run by Bill and Nancy Ross, who don’t offer the tax package but have added innovative special weekend events that continue to set the venue apart from most B&Bs.

Most bed-and-breakfast establishments might think of having flat-screen televisions or an extensive breakfast menu in order to stand out, but those are only incremental improvements. What really gets people’s attention is adding something unexpected and unusual. What can you add to your endeavour?