Understand your guests’ lifestyles to satisfy their unique needs. The more information you know about your potential guests, the better you are able to target your marketing messages and offer attractive hospitality services.
There is no point in trying to be everything to everyone. It is rarely possible to satisfy all customers in the same way. When you know what your potential guests’ values and what motivates them, you are better able to attract them.
Lifestyles are ways of living based on motivations, needs, and wants:
Activities: actions pursued for pleasure or relaxation
Attitudes: feelings about people, things, or situations
Beliefs: trust, faith, or confidence in someone or something
Interests: curiosity, attention, or concerns about something
Opinions: judgments or ways of thinking about something
Values: important and lasting ideals
These lifestyle factors can explain why your audience buys the products and services they do. There is power in knowing how your prospects make their buying decisions.
How you package and promote your services is a key component of your marketing strategy. Put together a list of different guest personas you want to attract that is based on what is in your local area, your unique talents, and your amenities.
First, ask yourself these three questions:
What is in my local area? This could be anything from college campuses, to concert venues, to national parks, to business conferences. Once you know what is in your local area, you can better understand your potential guests’ lifestyles.
What are my unique talents? If you are an official tour guide (local trail and/or hiking tours), a party planner (excellent anniversary parties), a massage therapist (with a spa on site), a vegetarian-only chef (cooking for vegetarians and vegans), then you have a better idea of the lifestyles’ of the guests you want to attract.
What amenities do I provide my guests? This could be anything from game rooms, to gardens, to hot tubs, to luxurious linens, to indoor and/or outdoor pools, to tea rooms. Understand what amenities you have that are attractive to potential guests.
Then segment your customers into different personas. For example:
These are easy ways to better understand your guests’ lifestyles. Then you can promote your place of hospitality (bed and breakfast, inn, resort, restaurant, etc.) on your website and through social media.
Kristi Dement at Bed and Breakfast Blogging can help you attract more guests. Click here to contact me and/or feel free to comment below on what you do to attract more guests.
Fantastic fill in the blanks for social media can definitely attract more traffic to your website. People love to use their imagination and share it with others online.
Do you remember Mad Libs? Those books filled with one-page stories filled with blanks that invited you to insert your own keywords? They were invented in 1953 by Leonard Stern and Roger Price, who published the first Mad Libs book themselves in 1958. It turns out that these guys were ahead of their time in recognizing the power of the ‘blank’.
Fill in the blanks can prompt people to think about activities they would like to do and places they would love to visit. For example, Disney posted, “If I could spend a day with a Disney character, I would choose _______.”
This is a great way to encourage creative responses as well as to promote engagement with your posts and tweets. The blanks are essentially ‘platforms’ for people to share their creativity.
My favorite way to relax after a long hard day is to _______.
These types of posts often garner fun and short comments, which then encourage your audience to react and interact. Share a great photo and a good fill-in-the-blank sentence to inspire your audience to engage with you and your brand.
Image by Marcus Berg of Unique Angles Photography
Fill-in-the-blank posts feel incomplete until they’re engaged with. People love filling in blanks, and the most effective fill-in-the-blank posts are the ones that let fans share their ideas.
Make fill-in-the-blank posts and tweets relevant to your fans and the space you’re working in to see the best results.
Use fill-in-the-blank posts as a two-pronged engagement tactic: interact with your online community and get to know them better for future marketing campaigns.
Use the post tactic in conjunction with a specific event, such as a holiday.
Fill in the blank contests are great as they have the potential to actually get people thinking. The contest consists of a sentence of paragraph, and your fans are asked to add their own unique perspective by, obviously, filling in the blanks.
Fill-in-the-blanks are similar to questions. They are simple and create engagement. Some samples of these are:
My favorite social media site is _______________.
I’ve lived in ___________cities in my life.
I laugh every time I think about ______.
Have fun with these, but one piece of advice is to be careful that you don’t leave the blank too open ended for a potentially bad response. Be careful what you make a fill in the blank because people can turn it ugly. That is what happened when the German grocery chain posted this:
“I became an ALDI-lover when I tasted _______ for the first time.”
Tweet out a straightforward question that’s easy to answer. When questions are short and simple, it’s easy for followers to respond because they don’t need to spend a lot of time thinking about their answer or trying to fit a longer reply into 140 characters (or fewer if there is a hashtag).
Fill-in-the-blank tweets get your followers thinking and challenge to them to show their creative side. The key to making fill-in-the-blank tweets work for your company is to relate them to your followers’ interests. Then you will have success!
Here are some behind the scenes secrets to Disney hospitality magic. Disney Company focuses on giving their customers a memorable guest experience that exceeds their expectations by paying attention to details. Hospitality providers know that exceeded expectations leads to returning guests as well as word-of-mouth guest referrals.
Hospitality providers should always analyze the experience from the guest’s perspective. Disney defines “guestology” as the art and science of knowing and understanding their customers. More commonly known as “market research.”
Disney’s theme is “We create happiness [their mission] by providing the finest in entertainment [how their mission is accomplished] for people of all ages everywhere [for whom].” Disney set four criteria standards (in order of priority) which outline the the actions necessary to accomplish their service theme:
Safety (they look out for the welfare and peace of mind of their guests)
Courtesy (they require that every guest be treated like a very important person)
Show (they must offer seamless and exceptional entertainment for guests)
Efficiency (they strive for smooth operation and prioritize their standards)
With the magic of service, Disney recognizes that the most important judges are your customers. Therefore, it is extremely important to know and understand your customers. Demographics are factual knowledge about your guests including who they are, where they are from, and how much they spend. Psychographics seek to better understand guests’ mental states–their needs, wants, expectations, and emotions.
Disney, as a company, watches what people do in their theme parks, resorts, and stores to find out how they can make it more enjoyable for them. They use methods like surveys, comment cards, guest observations, and mystery shoppers as well as read guest letters and emails.
Disney studies guest usage and visitation patterns. Knowledge developed from guests is used to create and improve all elements of the quality service cycle. According to Disney, it is crucial to gather information at a variety of points during a guest’s experience.
With the magic of the cast [what they call their staff], Disney understands that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Disney trains their cast in universal procedures and behaviors, with performance tips, and guidelines for guest service.
Make eye contact and smile: start and end every guest contact and communication with direct eye contact and a sincere smile
Greet and welcome each and every guest: extend the appropriate greeting to each and every guest with whom you come into contact, make guests feel welcome by providing a special differentiated greeting in each area
Seek out guest contact: it is the responsibility of every cast member to seek out guests who need help or assistance (such as listening to your guests’ needs, answering questions, and offering assistance)
Provide immediate service recovery: it is the responsibility of all cast members to attempt, to the best of their abilities, to immediately resolve a guest service failure before it becomes a guest service problem; always find the answer for the guest and/or find another cast member who can help the guest
Display appropriate body language at all times: it is the responsibility of every cast member to display approachable body language when “on stage” (visible to guests): be attentive, clean cut, have good posture, and appropriate facial expression
Preserve the “magical” guest experience: always focus on the positive rather than the rules and regulations; talking about personal or job-related problems in front of guests is unacceptable
Thank each and every guest: extend to every guest a sincere thank you at the conclusion of every transaction and give an expression of appreciation as he or she leaves your area
With the magic of setting, Disney wanted his cast to pull off fantasy without losing sight of reality. It was important to him that others find their fantasy believable.
Whether companies know it or not, all organizations build messages to their customers into the settings in which they operate. The setting communicates the quality of the person’s products and services that customers can expect as well as the price they are willing to pay.
Setting must be designed and managed effectively to effectively communicate and deliver service to customers. Setting is not restricted to physical properties, but extends to reservation systems, cleanliness, comfort, and so on. Setting components include:
Walt Disney’s motto was, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” “Imagineering” was his term for the blending of creative imagination and technical know-how. Disney has the following ten setting principles:
Know your audience: have a firm understanding of who will be using your setting
Wear your guest’s shoes: evaluate your setting from the customer’s perspective by experiencing it as a customer
Organize the flow of people and ideas: think of the setting as a story and tell that story in a sequenced, organized way; build the same order and logic in the design of customer movement
Create a visual magnet: Disney uses visual landmarks (like Cinderella’s Castle) to orient and attract customers
Communicate with visual literacy: use the languages of color, shape, and form to communicate through setting
Avoid overloads: do not bombard customers with data; let them choose the information when they want it
Tell one story at a time: create one setting for each big idea; avoid the confusion of mixing multiple stories into a single setting
Avoid contradictions: every detail and every setting should support and further your organizational identity and vision
For every ounce of treatment, provide a ton of treat: give your customers the highest value by building an interactive setting that gives them the opportunity to exercise all of their senses
Keeping it up: never get complacent and always maintain your setting; keep it clean, protect it from damage, and repair wear and tear
What does your setting tell your customers? What they see is as important as what they don’t see. Setting not only creates an impression, but it can guide guests through service experiences. Appeal to all five senses: sight (ex: colors), sounds (ex: music), smell (ex: popcorn), touch (ex: water fountains), and taste (ex: changing menus).
The Disney cast must keep onstage [anywhere they are visible to guests] and backstage [not seen by guests] separate. Did you know that Disney employees can go underneath the park to get from one area of the part to another? That is why you will never see a Disney character travel through a section of the theme park unrelated to their character.
Like the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, Disney offers behind-the-scenes tours. Thus, the setting should support and enhance the guest experience and deliver quality service.
Important to Walt Disney was that he provide superior service and hospitality. That meant hiring and training his “cast” to treat the guests with utmost respect. Walt also paid attention to the details of setting.
Walt Disney and his brother Roy’s legacy lives on to this day. Today, Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida has an average of 53,000 visitors each day and is the #1 most-visited theme park in the world.
The Disney empire also includes include Disneyland; EPCOT; Animal Kingdom; Disney television, radio, and movies; and Disney merchandise sold in Disney stores and at Disney theme park locations. Thus, Disney hospitality magic is alive and well.
Celebrating January holidays at B&B inns can attract more hospitality business. Both big and small, there are special holidays throughout the year. Some holidays are officially observed (like Thanksgiving) while others are just for fun (like April Fool’s Day).
Image by Marcus Berg of Unique Angles Photography
Depending upon where you are in the United States, the month of January can be really cold yet beautiful. It is a time for reflecting on and making decisions to improve your overall life. It can also be about honoring those who have made a great impact on the world like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
January Holidays
Jan. 1 New Years Day
Keywords: Happy New Year, New Year’s Day, January 1st, 1st Day of the Year
Themes: fresh start, new you, resolutions, commitments, goals, dreams
Example: New Years Eve Special
Cobblestone Bed and Breakfast of Birchwood, Wisconsin celebrated the New Year with champagne, hors d’oeuvres, noise makers, and hats. That sounds very festive!
Example: New Years Eve Dinner or New Years Eve Package
Each New Years Eve, Orchard Inn of Asheville, North Carolina hosts a decadent 7-course dinner. The night begins with hors d’oeuvres at 7 pm and then dinner at 8 pm. Then guests raise a glass to the New Year with a complimentary glass of French champagne.
Guests who chose their New Years Eve package (for the 2015-2016 calendar change) received 2-nights accommodation, breakfast each morning and dinner on New Years Eve as well as a choice of dinner on December 30th or January 1st.
St. Augustine Foot Soldiers Monument in St. Augustine, Florida
Jan. 18 Martin Luther King Day
Keywords: MLK Day, Martin Luther King Day, Civil Rights Leader
Example: Carriage Way Bed and Breakfast of St. Augustine, Florida is promoting FREE admission into Castillo de San Marcos Fort on Monday, January 18, to honor the memory of where Dr. King himself walked.
Example: Morehead Manor Bed and Breakfast of Durham, North Carolina, named by Black Enterprise magazine as the number one black-owned bed and breakfast in America, promotes their local area’s Annual MLK-Black History Month Parade.
Promote your bed and breakfast by celebrating more holidays throughout the year. Have the appropriate decor (such as New Years’ noise makers) to make your inn more festive. Consider hosting a dinner or encouraging your guests to attend local events (such a parades) in your area.
Become known for celebrating amazing holiday festivities (like these January holidays at B&B inns) throughout the year. This attracts visitors to come again to experience your hosting of another holiday.
How to easily attract more guests to your inn? One key component is to focus on good things to do, things to see, food to taste, places to explore, and places to go in your local area.
Why do most people visit our local area? (ex: for a romantic getaway in a secluded area or in a bustling city with lots of culture)
What do people like to do when they visit my area? (ex: attend a major business conference or participate in a marathon for your favorite cause)
How could I convince someone to want to visit my area? (ex: write great content about your local area and develop a reputation for showing warm hospitality to your guests)
Do I ask for guests to give me great online reviews? Tell guests when they arrive, that if for some reason they do not have a five star experience with you, to let them know in person how it could have been better. For the few who were disappointed, perhaps offer them an upgraded room or some other perk if they decide to return again. Make it your marketing mission to get 5 star reviews online so others will want to visit.
Then, as you read this list, think about what you could feature in your local area:
Another important key to attract more guests is to establish relationships with these other local proprietors. Perhaps the business person will give you a reasonable deal in exchange for exclusively their particular type of business (such as using only one local florist for all of your flower arrangements). Consider putting together guest packages that include local area businesses:
When you categorize your blog posts, this allows your web visitors to easily go to the content that best fits their needs. For example, some of my blog categories include:
Write about what makes your area a destination for most people. For some, this could mean featuring local concerts at your popular entertainment venues or dishes from award-winning restaurants. If your bed and breakfast is in a place known for popular events (such as film festivals), be sure to promote that.
Write about things that make your inn unique. Give them reasons to choose your inn for their accommodations. Does your bed and breakfast have its own restaurant, horse farm, gift shop, spa, or something else? Maybe you have amenities such as hot tubs and fireplaces in private guest rooms. For those who cater to the business traveler, be sure to talk about your free wi-fi internet access as well as desks with comfortable office chairs.
In summary, write blog posts and put on social media the things that are popular in your local area as well as what makes your inn so special. Offer packages that include things only found in your area. Be sure to encourage five star reviews from your guests. This is how you will easily attract more guests to your bed and breakfast inn!
Images by Marcus Berg of Unique Angles Photography
Autumn Bed and Breakfasts features three United States bed and breakfasts with “Autumn” in its name. Starting with Autumn Leaves Bed and Breakfast as seen above. Located in Anacortes, Washington, this scenic inn is around two hours drive from the Seattle Airport in between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia.
There are three spacious bedrooms to choose from and all of which come with free wireless internet, one queen size bed (that sleeps up to 2 people), gas fireplace with remote control, private bathroom with an air-jetted tub, 40″ flat-screen HDTV as well as bathrobes, slippers, and hairdryer. Enjoy water and mountain views as well as their fabulous garden.
Autumn Pond B&B rests on three quiet country acres, surrounded by panoramic views of the majestic Cascades. Their Leavenworth, Washington location is perfect for a brisk walk to downtown or a quiet evening stroll to the Ski Hill area where wild flowers will delight your senses. They offer five guest cozy bedrooms with the following names:
Their private pond (below) provides guests with memorable entertainment where they can become friends with their hand fed ducks. Guests can unwind in a wooden swing by the pond and watch the wild birds in their natural setting.
Autumn Ridge Cottages are located just two miles south of Downtown Historic Lexington, Virginia. The three cottages are situated on a forty-acre ridge surrounded by grassy fields and woodlands. Enjoy the Blue Ridge Mountains from the picnic table at the end of the ridge! Wildlife is abundant with deer, wild turkey, rabbits and birds of all types.
The location is ideal in its convenience to Lexington while maintaining a secluded atmosphere. The cottages have been carefully situated so that each one is not visible from the others. Autumn Ridge is a setting that allows for peace and serenity. Although the cottages are new construction, they are designed with that old, rustic mountain cabin feeling of the past.
The exterior is clapboard siding with cedar trim. All cabins have furnished front porches. The interiors are all wood-paneled, tastefully furnished and comfortably outfitted with kitchens and living room space. Relax and enjoy the view!
4 Ways to Share the Fall Festivities
DECORATE
Do you decorate your inn to look like the Fall season? Take inspiration from Autumn Pond B&B. Here is a list of items or areas that could inspire autumn decorating:
Blankets
Candles
Centerpiece
Dining Room Table
Dinnerware
Front Door
Lanterns
Mantel
Picture Frames
Pillows
Porch
Topiary
Vase
Wreath
List of props:
Acorns
Apples
Baskets
Birdhouses
Broom
Corn husks
Cornucopia
Dried flowers and herbs
Firewood
Gourds
Hay
Leaves
Letters that spell “FALL” or “GIVE THANKS”
Pears
Pine cones
Pumpkins
Rake
Scarecrows
Squash
Wheel barrow
MENU
Does your menu reflect the changing of the leaves? There are so many tasty things to cook. Look on any recipe search engine by typing in phrases like “fall breakfast” or “fall dessert”:
Apple Nut Muffins with Streusel Topping
Brown Butter Pear Crepes
Pumpkin Waffles with Trail Mix Topping
The Best Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
PACKAGES
Do you offer any fall season packages to your guests? They could include tickets to a corn maze or pumpkin patch. A gift certificate to a local restaurant known for offering festive Fall feasts! Your only limit is your creativity. Think about what your local area is known for and the type of guests you attract. Consider that as you design your packages.
PROMOTE
Does your area offer any local Fall Festivals or other seasonal events? Check out this list of the Top Fall Festivals in the United States. Be sure to promote these festivals and autumn events on your website and in person with your guests!
YOUR TURN
What does your inn do to celebrate the autumn season? Please comment below and share a link to your bed and breakfast inn. Let others know what you do to make this season more inviting to your bed and breakfast guests.
What if there was an amazing way to market your bed and breakfast by keeping the alphabet in mind? These are some of the most important factors to consider when blogging about your bed and breakfast inn.
Amenities: What extra amenities does your B&B have that others do not? It is important to know what sets you apart from your competition. Whether you have in-room hot tubs or fireplaces, this is a great thing to mention in your blog and on your website.
Antiques: Do you have any unique antiques that guests can look at? You may want to keep priceless or fragile antiques behind glass to protect them. Some B&B’s sell antiques to their guests.
Art: Do guests admire your art collection? Whether you have paintings, murals, or sculptures, people enjoying looking at art. You may refer them to your local art museums and galleries.
Awards: Do you have some honor or distinction that is noteworthy? It is okay to mention your Diamond Rating level, your prize-winning recipe, or anything else that distinguishes you from other places of lodging.
Bathrooms: Show off your spacious, well-decorated, and luxurious bathrooms with pictures and blog about recent upgrades.
Beach: Having a beach or waterfront property adds to your appeal. Share plenty of outdoor pictures as well as pictures of the outside view from inside your inn.
Bedrooms: You could let guests know the meaning behind the names of your bedrooms. Is it named after a former resident, your state bird, or a local sports team? Blog about what your own guests tell you they love about your guest rooms.
Benefits: Blog about the benefits that come to those who take a break to relax and spend time with loved ones. With permission, you could feature some of your guests and have them share how they have benefited from their stay at your B&B.
Birthdays: It is always great to ask guests the reason for their visit. Even if the reason is not a birthday, it may be a good idea to find out those dates so you can send guests a postcard or email on their birthday to remind them of their stay and entice them to want to come back.
Breakfasts: Do you cater to special diets like gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan? How do guests receive their breakfast: delivered to their room or eaten in a common place? These are all things you can blog about. Even give a behind the scenes look at your kitchen or interview your chef.
Business: Do you host a number of business travelers in your area? Do you have a conference room and technology resources like free Wi-Fi and guest access to a printer and fax machine? Blogging about this may result in hosting more business travelers.
Classes: Do you teach, or know of someone who could do this, a certain skill? This could be cooking, dancing, photography, etc. By offering unique classes, you can attract more people to your inn.
Complimentary: Emphasize all the free things that come to your B&B guests versus those who stay at your local hotels. This includes: breakfast, concierge services, parking, etc. This gives people a reason to choose to stay with you over your local hotel competition.
Concerts: Are you near a big venue like a concert hall or stadium? Blog about the next musician or theatre performance coming to your area.
Decks: If you have a deck with an amazing view, by all means blog about it and show pictures of the view. People like to get away to scenic places.
Dining out: Do you provide your guests with a list of local restaurants or have local restaurant menus available for guests to browse? You could feature certain restaurants you know are popular with your guests.
Eco-Friendly: If you are an environmentally friendly bed and breakfast, then you should write about what things you do to earn that green distinction. If you line dry your blankets and/or offer an electric car charging station, guests will appreciate that.
Events: Keep an eye on events that are happening in your local area. A great way to do this is to regularly check your local and state visitors’ bureaus.
Farms: If you live on a farm that grows crops and/or has animals, blog about this. Some guests would love to meet animals from your petting zoo. Other guests want the experience of picking berries, for example.
Fireplaces: If you have fireplaces inside and/or fire pits outside, this is an attractive feature. Mention that indoor guests can sip hot cocoa or drink wine by the fire. Outside they could roast marshmallows and make s’mores.
Flowers: As long as you know your guests do not have any allergies, displaying fresh flowers on throughout your B&B is a nice added touch. These flowers could come from your own garden or a local florist, farmers market, or grocery store.
Frequent stay: Reward your repeat guests in some way. This could be a free upgraded room, a free bottle of wine, free massage, or even an extra night.
Games: Do you offer cards, board games, or even video games at your inn? You may have a pool table or air hockey table or even have a horseshoe pit outside. Blog about the games that your guests enjoy playing at your bed and breakfast.
Garden: Guests love to walk the grounds of bed and breakfasts with gardens of all kinds, including: flower gardens, produce gardens, and rock gardens.
Handicap accessible: Do you accommodate handicapped people? If you have these available, discuss your ramps, ground floor guest rooms, wheelchair friendly bathrooms, and elevators in a blog post.
History: Many bed and breakfasts are registered historic places. You could blog about the history of your B&B including its former occupants and what it was used for. Some bed and breakfasts were once private residences, boarding schools, or used for other purposes.
Holiday: Use the time leading up to holidays to show pictures of how your inn is decorated and discuss local events related to the holidays.
Honeymooners: Many couples choose to stay at a bed and breakfast for their honeymoon. You may even have a Honeymoon Suite as part of your inn.
Innkeepers: Your guests want to know more about the innkeepers, the people who run your inn.
Just in Time: You could offer discounts based on the time of their stay. This could be last minute specials, mid-week discounts, or stay for a specific number of nights and get the next night free.
Kid-friendly: All bed and breakfast inns need to establish their minimum age requirement. Some bed and breakfasts cater to romance and do not allow anyone under a specific age to stay overnight. Others B&B’s are known as “kid friendly” and welcomes kids as well as provide accommodations like adjoining rooms.
Lakes: Being located on a lake is a tremendous advantage. If your guests can go fishing, swimming, waterskiing, rafting, canoeing, or do any other water-related activities, this is an opportunity to blog about it and share pictures.
Leisure activities: Anything that your guests can do for fun should be mentioned in your blog. I recommend having a list of links to local leisure activities such as amusement parks and golf courses.
Libraries: Do you have a common room that is perfect for guests to read in? Do you have a library of books available for them to use during their stay? If so, you could write a blog post about it. If you know a local author (or happen to be one yourself), consider hosting a book talk or book signing. Your library can include movies that guests can watch in their rooms.
Linens: Brag about your high thread count sheets, plush towels, and luxurious robes.
Local area: Find out why most people visit your area and blog about those reasons often. For example, if you are located near a famous race car track, feature that.
Membership: Belonging to associations can attract more guests. Guests rest easy when they know that you are part of a bed and breakfast association; have a certain Diamond rating, and so on. Membership in these organizations adds credibility.
Mountains: Bed and breakfasts located in the mountains can show their breathtaking views and discuss those pictures on their blog and website.
Museums: There are many types of museums that could be in your local area: art museums, history museums, natural science museums, and even sports museums (or hall of fames). If your inn is near any museums, blog about this.
Mysteries: Some bed and breakfasts offer Murder Mystery evenings or weekends. This may even include a dinner and/or getting into a costume. Those who like reading mystery novels are great candidates for people who are likely to enjoy these kinds of mysteries.
Night walk: Some local area events happen late at night or you could host your own night tour.
Occasion: A special occasion might bring people to your inn. This could be an anniversary or even a family reunion or class reunion.
Outdoors: It is important to know what people like to do outdoors in your area. It often depends upon the weather your area receives and the topography of your region.
Packages: Add more value by putting together guest packages based upon interests, seasons, area activities, occasions, and much more. This could mean making arrangements, on behalf of your guests, for restaurants, tours, concerts, and more.
Partnerships: You may decide it is in your best interest to form partnerships with local business people. For example, in exchange for exclusively using only their business, you can get a deal with a local florist to reduce their rates.
Patios: If you have an outdoor patio area for your guests, take pictures of it. Blog about any outdoor events you hosted on your patio.
Patriotic: American patriotic holidays include Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Veterans Day. Your bed and breakfast may decorate, host events, and/or offer patriotic packages.
Pets: Your bed and breakfast may not allow pets or the only pets allowed are the innkeepers. Other bed and breakfast inns may accommodate pets in certain places of the inn (like the first floor, rooms with private exits, and private cottages) or it could be entirely pet friendly. If your B&B does allow pets, you could devote a blog post about the lovable pets that have stayed.
Pictures: They can say much more than words ever will. Be sure to have flattering pictures of your bed and breakfast inn on your website and in your blog posts. The pictures should accurately represent what your inn looks like today.
Pools: If your B&B has an indoor or outdoor pool or hot tub, you can share pictures of that. Guests really appreciate private in room hot tubs.
Porches: Many bed and breakfasts are known for their porches. Share pictures of your porch with its rockers, swing, and other furniture.
Promotions: Bed and breakfasts can offer special promotions based on the holidays, seasons, and local events. This could include discounts, complimentary services, and free upgrades.
Quiet: Guests like to get away from the noise of everyday life. If you live in a tranquil setting, write about the compliments you receive about being a quiet place to stay.
Recreation: Discuss types of recreation guests can take part in on your property as well as in your local area.
Redecorating/remodeling: Feature the before and after pictures from a recent redecorating or remodeling project. Blog about how and why you decided to make those changes as well as why guests will want to visit.
Referrals: Give your guests incentives to make referrals to their friends and family. The incentive could be a discount on their next stay.
Restaurant: If you own your own bed and breakfast restaurant, this part of your inn may be open to the public. This is a great way to draw new overnight guests by giving them a taste of your incredibly delicious food when they come to dine at your restaurant.
Retreats: You could offer retreats like yoga retreats, scrapbooking retreats, or business retreats. Blog about the variety of retreats you offer.
Reviews: Share genuinely positive reviews you have of local places of interest to your potential guests.
Romantic: Bed and breakfasts may be the perfect place to rekindle the romance in your relationship. Relationship building is one of the primary reasons people take vacations.
Seasons: Decorate your inn to reflect each new season. This encourages people to return at a different time in the year to enjoy that time, too.
Shopping: Whether you have your own bed and breakfast shop or you are near a lot of wonderful area shopping malls and retail outlets, guests who like to shop will want to read about the shopping that is available in your local area.
Spas: You may have your own spa or have a partnership with a local spa or masseuse to provide spa services. Having these services sets you apart from other lodging accommodations.
Sports: Bed and breakfasts near sporting arenas and stadiums can blog about local sports teams season schedules, players, and coaches. Innkeepers might provide a Sports Package that includes tickets to their choice of certain local sporting events.
Tea: Bed and breakfasts may have a tea time or even a tea room. They may serve scones, tea sandwiches, cookies, and other finger food.
Ultimate experience: Position your bed and breakfast inn as the ultimate experience in lodging accommodations, hospitality, and cuisine. Encourage guests to give you a five star rating, or if they cannot do so, to talk with you about it instead of sharing their less than 5 star rating. This keeps up your image as the ultimate experience and gives you valuable input for how you can improve your guest experience.
Videos: If your bed and breakfast has its own video, be sure to put that on your website in a prominent place for your web visitors to see. Videos show more than pictures do. This allows your guests to get a feel for the layout of your bed and breakfast.
Weddings: If your inn hosts weddings, it is wise to dedicate a place on your website for that as well as to blog about it. Smaller bed and breakfasts may do small weddings or elopements.
Wine: Depending upon your state laws and licensing, you may host wine tastings or allow your guests to bring their own wine. You may even offer your guests the opportunity to tour one or more local vineyards in your area.
Xtra special: This was my “extra special” attempt to come up with a word that starts with “X.” It is important that your guests feel extra special not just when they arrive, but from the moment they see your website and speak with you over the phone. Your bed and breakfast should have a great reputation.
Young and old guests: Bed and breakfasts appeal to young couples as well as older ones. You may have guests that return regularly over the years. That is great to have such loyalty and friendship with your guests.
Zzz…. Are your guests ready to have a restful experience at your inn? Make sure that your mattresses are comfortable. Be sure to offer extra pillows and blankets. Have a night light for guests to see their way to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Be sure to share your blog posts regularly in social media. No time to write your own blog posts? Contact us about your bed and breakfast blogging.
Have you seen that HGTV Channel show called Curb Appeal? That informative show is full of tips on how to attract people to want to come inside your home. It is about becoming the best looking house in your neighborhood. As a bed and breakfast owner, your goal is to look so appealing from the curb, that those passing by will want to book a stay.
The last thing you want is for people to visit your website that shows your bed and breakfast looking at its best, only for them be sadly disappointed when they visit and see that it has not been well maintained. This is why first impressions are very important.
Useful Curb Appeal Questions
Do I have an attractive sign displaying the name of my bed and breakfast? Well made signs can attract the attention of others from the road.
Does my home look inviting? You want it to look loved and cared for, just as you will do for your guests in showing them hospitality.
Is there a clear path to my front door? Guests should not be confused about the main entrance to your bed and breakfast.
Does my front door look welcoming? You may need to refinish it and add a coat of fresh paint. You may want to feature seasonal wreaths on it. Some even inns have front doors with stained glass.
Is there an outdoor focal point that tells guests where to look first? This could be a fountain, bench, walkway, tree, or anything else attractive.
Do I have an attractive way to distinguish the boundaries of my property from that of my neighbors? This could be fencing with landscaping inside your yard. Or it could be trimmed hedges that add an attractive border.
Is my lawn well-manicured? The key is to consistently mow and fertilize so that it is easy to maintain and you have the greenest turf on your street. If your yard needs to be revitalized, talk to some local lawn care companies.
Do my windows sparkle and shine? Make sure that windows are clean. If they need replacing, go green with energy efficient windows.
Do I need to have anything repaired? This means looking at things like your roofing, gutters, decks, and siding. Make sure that nothing is rotted. Have regular pest inspections performed.
Are my driveways and walkways safe, clean, and attractive? This could mean power-washing, repairing brick as well as repairing stonework and concrete.
Do I have any dead or diseased plants or trees that need removing? Trim shrubs, prune overgrown plants, and remove dead trees and their stumps.
Do I have a variety of evergreens and flowering shrubs?Group plants by height and layer the groups for visual interest. You can also vary the colors and textures.
Is there something that sets my yard apart from others? This could be a gazebo, a pond, a fountain, statues, porches, and swings.
Do I have plants in pots or urns in eye-catching places like near steps and walkways? Some people prefer a symmetrical look at the front door with the same thing on each side of the front door.
Do I have a garden of some kind for guests to enjoy? This could be a flower garden, rock garden, or a vegetable garden. You can even grow your own spices to flavor your meals.
Do I have a plan for irrigation? Depending upon your climate, ideally you have sprinklers for hot and dry times of the year.
Is everything that is painted on my property look clean and bright? You never want guests to see cracked or peeling paint. It is amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do to revive the look of something.
At night, will my guests be able to see when they return to my bed and breakfast? There should be enough outdoor lighting that it is safe and attractive for guests to come back to your inn. Any paths they should walk should be well lit.
It is important that your property gives them a great first impression and sets your guests at ease that they made the right choice to stay at your bed and breakfast. Help them feel sure of their decision from the very moment they see your property.
To attract more visitors to your bed and breakfast, you may want to develop guest packages. Packages are a great way to reinforce your brand and your inn’s image. This also allows you to offer discounts without cutting your room prices. When you bundle several items, services, and features together, this adds more revenue to your B&B business.
Wondering how to come up with some great ideas for bed and breakfast packages?
Can you offer some courses or classes? If you teach a particular skill (or can find a teacher), offer a bed and breakfast retreat.
If you are a green inn, you could offer a discount to those driving cars with alternative fuel options. You can reward your guests for being eco-friendly and helping Clean the World.
For more alternatives, offer an a-la-carte approach and let your guests create their own package by choosing from specific add-ons you offer. They could add chocolate, flowers, heart-shaped balloons, teddy bears, and other special upgrades to their room price.
The package could be centered around the time of the week the stay, “Midweek Specials” for slower times during the middle of the week. “Spontaneous Specials” for last minute bookings for spontaneous travelers. Even a Frequent Stay or Extended-Stay Discount.
There are many more bed and breakfast packages that you can put together based on what is in your local area, the types of guests you are trying to attract, your skills, and your amenities. The key is to design your packages around the desires of the guests you want to attract.
Most people choose the area they want to visit before they choose which bed and breakfast to stay at. If you have a Twitter presence, you can make a Twitter list of great places in your local area that also have a Twitter account:
Bed and breakfast owners and innkeepers, it is fairly easy to create Twitter lists. In your Twitter profile at the top of the screen, click on your icon to the immediate right of the search area. This will pull up a column. Right under “view your profile”, click “Lists”. Select, “Create New List.” Name your list (in 25 characters or less) and then describe your less (in 100 characters or less). This list can be private (only you can access the list) or public (anyone can access the list). To promote your area, you want to make the list “public” so others can follow it. Make it clear what your list is about so that it will attract subscribers.
Morehead Manor Bed and Breakfast
For Morehead Manor Bed and Breakfast of Durham, North Carolina, we created, “Durham, NC Hot Spots.” Twitter may limit how many you can add to a list in one day. Once we had a little over 100 put on our list, it did not letting us add more that first day. We can come always back.
Bed and Breakfast Blogging created a Twitter list called, “B&B’s on Twitter.” Any bed and breakfast inn who follows @bandbblogging on Twitter, will be added to this list. This list is also public, so anyone searching for a bed and breakfasts on a Twitter list can access this list. Any bed and breakfast inn is welcome to follow us on Twitter!
Another cool feature of using Twitter lists is that you can just look at the tweets made only by the people on the list. In addition to people being able to subscribe to your list, they can also choose to follow any member on your list.
If your bed and breakfast is looking to start or improve upon your social media practices, then consider Bed and Breakfast Blogging for your solution. Feel free to post questions and comments below, e-mail us, or contactus through our social media channels. Putting together Twitter lists is a great way to encouragevisitors to come to your local area!
