All “Inn” The Family

Despite years of extolling the virtues of B&Bs, writing a book on them, and running a directory, many of my extended family members had never stayed at a bed & breakfast, but that all changed the first weekend in June. I’m excited to share this story because the event surrounding this conversion was a very special occasion for me – a family reunion. Also, I think group gatherings are a business opportunity that some inns are missing out on and I discuses this business opportunity in my book in Chapter 15:  Assessing Your Success and Building on It. Many inns may not be set up to accommodate groups and events, but if your inn can, it’s a niche market that I encourage you to consider. If you’re thinking about hosting group events, or exploring other niche markets to find new business, here are some suggestions from my book, “Running a Bed & Breakfast For Dummies:”

There are endless possibilities for niche markets from which you can attract guests and it’s easy to get started:

1. Identify a market segment or unfilled need.
Be creative, yet practical. The rewards of niche marketing come when you think out side the box and brainstorm about ideas for groups of people you want to attract to your inn (local corporations who would benefit from a comfortable meeting space in a serious but relaxed atmosphere or church groups for example).

2. Research the feasibility of catering to the niche market you’ve identified.

Don’t waste your time on impractical ideas. There could be any number of reasons that no one else is catering to your niche, including:

• Not enough potential guests are interested.
• Zoning restrictions or regulations are prohibitive.

3. Once you find a niche that’s workable and likely to attract guests to your inn, clearly define that niche.

Decide exactly who you are targeting, why you are targeting them, what you will offer them, and how you will get the word out:

• Make sure you have appropriate accommodations for the guests you hope to welcome.
• Evaluate and adjust your reservation and damage policies.
• Update your website and marketing materials with keywords.
• Create special packages surrounding your niche.
• Update all of your current advertising (directory and association sites) to include your niche markets and seek out niche websites to join.
• Issue a press release.
• Contact writers who’ve previously written about your niche in articles or blogs.

Our family reunion was very special. My cousin, whom I have only seen 3 times in the past 40+ years, decided to get our family together near Harrisburg, PA. Our grandparents lived there and it is a place we all have fond memories of visiting. She chose the Bridgeview B&B in Marysville, PA because its proximity has sentimental significance to us. As kids my mother, aunts and uncles spent summers in a rustic cottage on the Susquehanna River and then brought my generation. Additionally, we’d all heard stories that my great-grandfather helped to build the famous Rockville Bridge, the longest stone arch railroad bridge of its time.

Located on the shores of the Susquehanna, over looking the Rockville Bridge, the Bridgeview B&B offered a comfortable setting for our group as well as the few other B&B guests who were there at the same time (something to consider is if you will host other guests at the same time if you book the majority of rooms to one group).

Innkeeper, Keith’s ability to accommodate is extraordinary. A large eat-in kitchen has a guest refrigerator and the inn has many outdoor decks and porches, a backyard, and two common areas that offer ample space for guests to congregate and reminisce while giving everyone (including the other B&B guests) plenty of their own space.

Not only did we vow to meet again at the Bridgeview B&B, I was able to share first hand why B&Bs are special with so many of my family members. You can bet they’ll be bed and breakfast regulars from now on. And seeing how quickly my family became B&B converts sure brought home the importance of reaching out to niche markets.

Mary White Founder and CEO, BnBFinder.com Author, Running a Bed and Breakfast for Dummies

Cleaning & Marketing Have More In Common Than You Think

The chapter on cleaning tips in Running a Bed and Breakfast For Dummies is one of the most popular chapters in the book, but spring cleaning takes on a whole new meaning when you're running a successful inn. Sure, it still involves flipping mattresses, scrubbing floors and dusting furniture, but it also includes cleaning up your marketing campaign. Start by taking a good look at your business within the last year. If you feel that you haven't gotten the results that you want, now is the time to start fresh and try something new. Remember spring cleaning is all about - "out with the old and in with the new."

It may sound strange, but cleaning and marketing have more in common than you think. Both are laborious and require hard work and patience. Yet, the payoff at the end is always incredibly satisfying and worth the effort. It's important to remember that we all have our own cleaning rituals and the same applies in marketing. What may work for one inn may not necessarily be right for your bed and breakfast. The hardest part is determining where to start "cleaning." Ask yourself the following questions. Will new marketing efforts affect the overall guest experience or will they bring you more guests? How much time and energy are you willing to invest? Set realistic time goals for your inn. A good point to remember is that it's not how much you want to accomplish as opposed to how much you can actually accomplish. I have devoted two chapters in Running a Bed and Breakfast For Dummies to marketing…it's that important!

Before you "clean" house or make any drastic changes, take a look at all your marketing avenues. If you're still advertising in the yellow pages or guidebooks, make sure you're receiving an acceptable rate of return and that your ad is up to date. If you have a blog, think back to your last post or entry. Have you taken the time to update your blog consistently? If not, you should reconsider keeping a blog. Remember, an outdated blog is like a half cleaned window and it can actually turn your guests away. Your blog may be the first impression they have of your inn, even if your website is up to date. It's a way for you and your first time and repeat guests to stay connected to you. If blogging feels like a chore select topics that are of interest to you, such as local happenings and upcoming activities in town or at your inn, to blog about. Your blog can serve as a platform for you to come up with new ideas for specials and packages. (Just make sure you don't sound too advertorial.) Insert rich keywords that search engines would like and update your specials on your directory listings as well.

Spring cleaning at your inn also means checking to make sure everything is in working order. Don't forget to review your website and advertisements. Your information should be up to date, appealing and most importantly, easy for guests to contact you and/or make reservations. (You'd be surprised how many inns with beautiful websites lack user friendly reservation systems.)

There are always ways to scrub and polish your marketing efforts, but if a spruce up is all you have time for then place your focus on a "clean" return. Start with the basics, like an attractive, easy to use website, guest reviews and updated directory listings, all of which are covered in the book. Your "cleaning" should also include regular touch ups so that your inn stays current and guests can always see your inn in the best possible light.

If you have other marketing "cleaning" tips that you would like to share, please email me. I welcome all feedback.

Mary White
President and Founder, BnBFinder.com
Author, Running a Bed and Breakfast for Dummies