The practice of PR at B&Bs can be especially educational because it demonstrates "grassroots hotel PR" at its most fundamental level. Newcomers to the practice can witness many of the standard PR tools, messages, media targets, and audiences in operation on the smallest possible scale.

Across the United States there are about 20,000 licensed B&Bs and country inns, representing 170,000 rooms, according to the Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII). Half of these properties operate in small towns, 32 percent in very rural locations, and the balance in urban areas. (The primary customer base for B&Bs is leisure travelers, as opposed to most hotels and motels that have sizable meeting room space and which depend on a mix of leisure and business travelers.)

Many B&Bs are "mom and pop operations" managed by family members. It is not unusual for innkeepers to assume multiple operational roles such as general manager, concierge, bellhop, housekeeper, server, and PR manager.

Basic PR tools for the typical B&B startup include simple brochures and flyers, press releases, and Web sites. Innkeepers often employ local freelance talent to develop these tools. Most new property owners concentrate their media relations on potential local guests, and local and regional press outlets within a 200-mile radius of their establishment. The owners frequently take on the responsibilities of principal media spokesperson, escorting journalists through their property and befriending local editors and reporters.

Because innkeepers must focus their PR efforts on local goodwill and patronage to sustain their...