Marketing your B

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Marketing your BB Inn

• with Bill Bullard
• Inn at Occidental of Sonoma Wine Country
• CABBI Marketing Director
• Bullard Partners
• bill_at_bullardpartners.com
• 707-823-0350
• Slides available at www.bullardpartners.com

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BB Marketing

• You have already taken the first step in
  marketing your BB...
• Attending this Conference!

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Marketing Strategy

• Identify your Product
• Online Marketing
• Traditional Marketing
• Media Marketing

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Identify your Product

• What is the experience?
• What is unique?
• Does your inn name/logo reflect it?
• Time not money is your guests commodity

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Examples

• Hiking
• Views
• Weddings
• Eclectic Décor

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Online Marketing

• The Internet is your
• 1 tool for success

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Internet Facts

• 88 percent of travel consumers use the Internet
  to research and possibly purchase their trips.
  (Claria Corporation)
• Online purchase of accommodations reached 52
  percent last year, an increase of 30 percent from
  2004. (Claria Corporation)
• Historically, 80 percent of potential guests
  would call 2 or more places before booking. The
  Internet increases that dramatically.
• 47 million broadband subscribers nationwide and
  35 percent of all homes have broadband access
  (ClickZ.com)
• 99 percent of U.S. households now have one or
  more broadband options available (FCC)

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Online Strengths

• 24/7
• Push vs. Pull Marketing
• Less phone calls
• Educated consumer
• Ability to change information at will
• Your BB is accessible instantly
• Quantifiable tracking for advertising

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Website Designs

• Brochure of the 21st Century
• 3 year life- minor improvements every 6 months
• Screen Size and Download Speeds

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Screen Sizes
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Website Design

• Brochure of the 21st Century
• 3 year life- minor improvements every 6
  months
• Screen Size and Download Speeds
• Text and Keywords
• Photography

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Photography
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Photography
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Website Design

• Music/Sound
• Navigation- easy and redundant
• Online availability (e.g. Webervations)
• Web Statistics (e.g. SuperStatz, Google)
• Virtual(3D) Tours (e.g. Enrich Media)
• Page Popularity

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Page Popularity
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Design Philosophies

• Objective Quotes (e.g. Magazines, Newspapers,
  Radio, TV, TripAdvisor.com)
• Post Ratings (e.g. AAA, Mobil, SR, Unique Inns)
• Simplify your life (5 phone call standard)

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How to Pick a Designer

• Referrals
• Portfolio
• Photography
• Cost for updates, e.g. specials
• Search Engine Optimization

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Design vs. Volume

• Conversion
• Versus
• Quantity

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Internet Visitors

• Bed Breakfast directories
• Utilize 100 of the directory (e.g.
  specials, photos, newsletters, links)

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Internet Visitors

• National, State, Regional Associations (e.g.
  cabbi.com, selectregistry.com, ptreyes.com)
• Chambers of Commerce, Visitor Bureaus
• Complementary Businesses (e.g. Spas,
  Restaurants, etc.)
• Popular Activities
• Search Engines

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Internet Visitors

• 50 Google

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Internet Visitors

• 30 Yahoo/Overture

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Specials

• Philosophy proportional to competition and time
  of season
• Packages over Discounts
• BB Directories roughly 10 post specials

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Traditional Marketing Works

• Rackcards over Brochures
• Local business that bring in consultants,
  corporate executives, off-site employees
• Families in town for the holidays
• Postcards and emails to repeat guests
• AAA tourbook
• Local, regional, and state print advertising
• Branding (e.g. toll-free , website)
• Use different toll-free and domain names to
  track results

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Media Marketing

• It works...
• If you dont have to pay too much for it
• Donate rooms for travel writer tours
• Work with your chamber
• Send out press releases
• Brag about it!

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Evaluating your Marketing Return on Investment
(ROI)

• Vineyard Creek Inn of Northern California
• 6 Rooms
• April - September 2006
• Total Revenue during Period 119,497
• Revenue related to Internet 54,515
• Unique Internet Visitors during Period 14,646
• Revenue/Unique Visitor 3.72

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Evaluating your Marketing Return on Investment
(ROI)

• Orange County Inn of Southern California
• 46 Rooms
• June - November 2006
• Revenue related to Internet 1,226,359
• Unique Internet Visitors during Period 99,654
• Revenue/Unique Visitor 12.31

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Future Marketing

• Up-Sale Items (e.g.
  www.innatnewberlin.com)
• Trade Marketing- Turn empty rooms into barter
  dollars for services
• Selling Rooms through GDS (e.g. Expedia,
  Travelocity, Orbitz)

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Ongoing Education

• Read the CABBI Online Business Journal
• Read the CABBI InnSide Story
• Subscribe to BB industry newsletters (e.g.
  Blizzard, Inntelligent)
• Network with other innkeepers
• See you at next years conference

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Marketing your BB Inn

• with Bill Bullard
• Inn at Occidental of Sonoma Wine Country
• CABBI Marketing Director
• Bullard Partners
• bill_at_bullardpartners.com
• 707-823-0350
• Slides available at www.bullardpartners.com