8 Questions Your Bed and Breakfast's Website Should Answer
Remember Those"Griswald" Type Family Vacations?
Those of us who have ever gone on vacation with small children remember how we used to be subjected to the abject horrors of packing them all into to a tiny motel room with two queen beds, one bathroom and a single television set. The kids had a great time, but it wasn't really a relaxing vacation for us adults.
Fortunately, our children are now grown and living on their own. We still take family vacations, together and we are now all adults sleeping in separate hotel rooms. My sons seem to have given up on pillow fighting; tossing water balloons out the windows and pressing all the elevator buttons to frustrate the other hotel/motel guests. Then again in separate rooms we aren't paying that much attention to their extracurricular activities anymore.
Another nice thing about having grown children is being able to get away more often, as a couple or with friends and stay at nice quiet places that thankfully do not caterer to families and pets. Bed and Breakfast Inns (B&Bs) sell couples romance, luxury, epicurean delight and relaxation. That is, of course, if they are marketing themselves as they probably should be doing.
When "Going Away" Feels More Like "Coming Home"
Friends of ours, Bob and Lynn Griffin own the
"Australian Walkabout Inn" in Lampeter, Pennsylvania. Where is Lampeter, Pennsylvania some will ask? Quite alright, because we didn't know such a place even existed before we stumbled upon the "Walkabout Inn" while searching the Web for a romantic getaway place with some old world charm, a cozy fireplace and yesa hot tub right in our suite. These are all absolute requirements for my wife and me, by the way. These are things we never had at any Econo Lodge we ever stayed at with the kids.
The "Australian Walkabout Inn" (aka: Bob and Lynn's place) is a comfy and cozy B&B right in the heart of the corn field and windmill laden Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Lampeter is just a couple of miles outside of downtown Lancaster, Pa. It is a little nondescript town far away enough from the heavily commercial Route 30 where the Amish House and Barn backs up to a Target retail store. Turns out, I set my GPS for Lampeter and there was the Australian Walkabout Inn when we finally arrived in heaven.
The problem for the owners and their guests is that the "Walkabout" really isn't in a very obvious location and it gets very little drive by attention. This is actually a good thing for peace and quiet-seeking B&B fans, but it is also a slight impediment to Bob and Lynn's marketing efforts. Ironically, they have been able to "turn a positive into a positive" by building a strong following for the Inn on the Web.
If Your Business Ignores the Web the Web Will Ignore Your Business
My wife and I have been visiting the "Walkabout Inn" for nearly ten years and under three different owners. All were terrific people, but the Griffins seem to be doing the best job of making their B&B well known and respected throughout the region due to BOTH their focused online marketing strategies and aggressive offline activities.
Lynn and Bob seem to be doing all the right things with their Inn's website and they are supporting their website very strongly through the use of targeted social media marketing. Unfortunately for my wife and me, it is now becoming rather difficult to get a suite at the "Walkabout" because it is nearly always booked even in the offseason. People just love it not only because of its nice amenities, but mainly because everyone has gotten to know and love Bob and Lynn Griffin. Lynn has been very successful creating a virtual "Australian Walkabout Inn" on her Facebook and she stays in touch with her regular clientele, daily. People don't go away to the "Walkabout." They come home to the "Walkabout."
Unfortunately, not all B&B owners are as Web marketing savvy as Bob and Lynn Griffin. In fact, one of the principals at Avatar Business Intelligence recently shared the following online regarding the Social Media and Website shortcomings of many of their Bed and Breakfast marketing clients:
"I help business owners grow their business and I am amazed at the number of tourism businesses that fail to understand how their customers go looking for a place to stay at. Another point is to make sure that your website is ranked high in all the tourist directories in the country/state of the tourist not just in your own local area. Remember visitors plan accommodation before they leave home most of the time. Without a website you are missing out on over 60% of potential bookings. "
60% of your potentials bookings (!) is too big a number to yawn at.
Taking Stock of Your Business Website leads to Rising Stock in your Business Futures
The company I work for, RiaEnjolie, Inc. specializes in professional looking and affordable Websites for more than 70 small business categories, including
Bed and Breakfasts. Experience has taught us that the Website is the focal point of all Social Media Marketing strategies. When you are engaged in Social Media and attracting attention for your business, it is a professional looking, content rich Website with a strong call to action that you need your potential customers delivered to. It is on your website's homepage where they will form an opinion about your Bed and Breakfast. It is there where they will decide whether to make a reservation with you or to instead move on to another Inn that they find more appealing than yours.
Remember. My wife and I were looking for a charming little B&B with an in-suite fireplace and hot tub in the Pennsylvania Dutch Country. We never would have found the Australian Walk About Inn had these things not been listed on their website and their website not turned up by location by Google. Furthermore, had Bob and Lynn not presented us with a very appealing Website loaded with all the wonderful photos of their delightful Inn supported by lots of great selling points, we definitely would have looked elsewhere to stay.
It is a modern day reality that a website is more important to your future customers than it is to you. Just consider the following perceptions it creates for those coming upon your B&B for the very first time:
Why You Need an Effective Website
A website is a measure of viability and stability.
A professional looking website implies both success and longevity.
A well designed website makes it easier to be found by the search engines and your future guests using them.
An information rich website is an absolute requirement.
A website makes yours a global business.You can interface with future guests looking to come to your B&B from around the nation or around the world.
If you do not have a website, many customers will not take you seriously. A well designed website presents evidence of your business acumen and staying power.
If your website was created with advance thought given to understanding and meeting your customer's needs, those coming to it will view your Inn as a leader in its category and capable of creating a memorable experience for you and your significant other.
Your website will help your future guests locate you both on the Web and also at your physical location even in Lampeter, Pennsylvania.
Content is king and having all the right information on your website let's people weigh your value against their needs.
Does Your Website Pass The Test?
1. Is your website's design aesthetically pleasing?
2. How intuitive is your website to navigate?
3. Does your website have a clear statement of PURPOSE near the top of its homepage?
4. Is your website copy concisely written and richly informative?
5. Do you update your website content REGULARLY?
6. Does your website have a "call to action" on every page for your future guests to respond to?
7. Does your website's index page draw visitors further into its content and to where you display and sell your products and contract your services?
8. Is your website designed to encourage future visits (i.e. is there a newsletter; a tell-a-friend feature; a blog with an RSS button to subscribe with?)
If you presently have a website, ask yourself all of the above questions about its quality of design and development.
If you are completely satisfied with your own answers to these questions continue on and seek out a seminar or webinar on "Effectiveness of Your Business Web Site" or some similar title. It's worth your time and reasonable investment. Your website needs to work for your Inn as hard as you do.
Marc LeVine is the Director of Social Media for RiaEnjolie, Inc. a NJ-based web development company specializing in professional looking and affordable websites for small businesses.
8 Questions Your Bed and Breakfast's Website Should Answer
By: Marc LeVine
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