Groupon-type Deals Can Work for Your B&B

The following is a guest post from Andrea Hudley (pictured right), the innkeeper at Bailey's Uptown Inn in Dallas, Texas and a B&B marketing expert. Thanks for sharing your tips, Andrea!

Have you been receiving lots of calls from Groupon, Living Social or Google Offers? They have gotten a lot of bad press from small businesses which can make you think twice, but they reach a huge audience of people that might not even know you exist. 

My name is Andrea, and I’ve owned a B&B in Dallas for 9 years. I also have a website that helps B&B owners learn to market their own B&B, bedandbreakfastbusiness.org. I have worked with Groupon and Living Social three times in the past year, and it has generated $38k of incremental revenue for me. I think it CAN work for bed and breakfasts if you follow some important rules. 

1) Always add something to the deal to increase the “value” of the deal. This increases the amount you make from each coupon. For example, wine and chocolates in the room for $70, flowers for $50, breakfast in bed for $40. By adding something to the price you increase how much you make on each coupon.  I added wine and chocolates, my cost was about $7 but the “value” was $70. 

2) Always limit the number of rooms that can be booked with the coupon.  I have five rooms and I limited the deal to two to three rooms. That way I wasn’t full every weekend with discount people, but I was full.  If you have empty rooms you can always allow them to book the other rooms, too. 

3) Run the deal when you are slow. Most people stay within 90 days. I ran one in January, which is normally slow, and another in June because the summer is slow. 

4) Be sure to block out popular weekends or weeks around popular holidays like Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve.

5) Be sure to be by the phone for the week that the deal is going. You will get a lot of phone calls from people wanting to check dates before they buy one.

6) If you don’t have housekeeping help, you can make the deal for two nights only. This may reduce the total number you sell but it will eliminate one-night stays if you have problems keeping up. 

7) Make them pay the credit card processing fee. They will do that and it saves you another 3%. 

8) Collect the taxes. Unfortunately, it is the B&B’s responsibility to collect and pay the taxes.   

Let me explain how the deals work. They are usually available for people to buy for one week. There are a number of different payment options they offer. I like the one that paid 50% up-front and 50% 60 days later. If you run a deal that is $200 face value, you will collect $65-$70.  The customer gets 50% off, Groupon gets 30% and you get the rest. My deal was $289 and I made over $100 per coupon. 

If you are looking for other marketing ideas please visit our website, or if you have more questions about how these deals work, email me at info@bedandbreakfastbusiness.org.

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Seven Ways to Drive More Conversion to Your Website

An innkeeper recently asked us how they can improve their conversion from BedandBreakfast.com to their website. We think that many other innkeepers are probably wondering the same thing, so we wanted to share some insight here.

Some travelers only spend a few seconds looking at a page before they decide to stay or click away, so your photos and listing descriptions must quickly capture them. With so many B&Bs to choose from, your listing needs to stand out and give a peek into what a stay at your property is like. That will lead them to click on your website to learn more or book.

How can you make your listing more effective in order to drive more travelers to your website? Here are seven strategies:

1) Use all of the photo slots available to you. We often see that many members do not take advantage of all of the photo slots they’re paying for! Remember, Bronze members get 1 photo, Silver get 10 photos, Gold get 15, and Platinum and Diamond Collection get 25.

2) Lead with your best images; your thumbnail image should really show off your property. The exterior photo of Castle in the Country to the right is a great example. Our surveys show that photos are incredibly important to the majority of travelers. Think about it—would you want to stay at a B&B or hotel if all the photos were fuzzy and outdated? Remove photos of poor quality, as that is a huge turn-off to potential guests. It’s better to have a few high-quality photos than many low-quality photos. We highly recommend investing in a professional photographer to take high-resolution, well-lit photos that capture your inn at its best. They are also skilled at staging. For more information, read our articles about 10 photo mistakes to avoid and how to select a photographer.

3) Add photo captions. Potential guests want to know what they are seeing, whether it’s the name of a specific guest room or a description of a delicious breakfast dish.

4) Make your inn description clear and detailed. It should point out your inn’s best and most unique features. It’s the perfect place to mention things like close proximity to local attractions, gourmet food, luxurious amenities, or awards you’ve won. It’s also an ideal place to mention who your inn is perfect for. Is it an adults-only inn ideally geared toward a romantic getaway? Or is it family-friendly? Be specific. 

5) Solicit reviews from your guests, especially if you don’t have many on your listing. In addition to photos, our surveys show that reviews are highly important to travelers. They develop trust. Not sure how to get them? When guests check out, ask them to write you a review when they get home if they enjoyed themselves.  Send follow-up emails to recent guests thanking them for their stay and asking for them to write you a review. We can also send you free review cards that you can leave in your rooms, which can be mailed back to us at no cost. Email Support@BedandBreakfast.com to request them.

6) List specials and packages to let guests know about some of the great extras they can purchase. You should also consider listing a Hot Deal, as travelers can search for these on the site and opt in to receive emails each week that list Hot Deals in the location of their preference.

7) Fill out all the fields on your profile including room information and meals information so that guests know what to expect.

Create an experience that the guest will love, starting with your listing. Use it to show them in great detail what an amazing experience they will have at your property. That will grab their interest and lead them straight to your website.

By Emily Starbuck Crone

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Survey Says: Traveler and Innkeeper Trends

Every few months, we survey our travelers and innkeepers so we can keep up with trends. Here are some of the key findings from our surveys.

Traveler Survey: September 2011, 1,148 respondents

Who is the typical B&B traveler?

• Affluent: 40% responded they have a household income of $80k or more
• Mature: 91% are over 35 years old
• Frequent travelers: multiple trips per year
• Takes weekend getaways within 250 miles of their home – 84.3%
• Typically travel without children

Who do they travel with?

• 82% of travelers say they most often travel to B&Bs with their partner/spouse
• Just over 6% travel with their family to B&Bs
• 6% travel mostly with friends
• Around 4% travel to B&Bs alone

What are their travel preferences?

• 55% of travelers prefer their trips to be quiet and relaxed
• 45% prefer their trips to be busy and active

How far in advance do they usually book their weekend trips?

• More than one month: 25%
• One month: 22%
• 2-4 weeks: 38%
• About a week: 10%
• A few days: 5%

How far in advance do they book their week-long trips?

• More than one month: 57%
• One month: 17%
• 2-4 weeks: 19%
• About a week: 5%
• A few days: 2%

The things travelers say are “very important” or “won’t book without it”:
1. Private bathrooms - 93% of travelers
2. Photos – 78% of travelers
3. Consumer reviews – 62.7% of travelers
4. Ability to book online – 55.9% of travelers
5. Flexible cancel policy – 55.8% of travelers


US Innkeeper Survey: January 2012, 624 respondents

How long have they operated their inn?

• 1-6 months: 3%
• 7-11 months: 6%
• 1-2 years: 10%
• 3-4 years: 12%
• 5-7 years: 20%
• 8-10 years: 12%
• 10+ years: 37%

What age groups did they most commonly see at their property in 2011?

• Gen Y (18-34): 8%
• Gen X (35-44): 33%
• Baby Boomers (45-64): 84%
• Seniors (65-80): 14%
• Senior Plus (81+): 1%

How did their 2011 revenue compare to 2010?

• Ahead: 59%
• Even: 24%
• Down: 17%

For those whose bookings were up or even, what were the factors contributed to that?

• 67% report that increased online reviews led more travelers to stay with them
• 23% found success from starting to use social media, such as Twitter and Facebook
• 22% got a boost from receiving media attention
• 20% said extra exposure and reservations from the BedandBreakfast.com Online Reservations Program (with Expedia, hotels.com, Travelocity, etc.) drove more bookings
• 14% attribute some of their success to displaying the BedandBreakfast.com review widget on their site

By Emily Starbuck Crone

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Tips for Hiring a Professional Photographer

This is the third article in our series about inn photography. The first installment is available here, and the second installment is available here.

As we’ve emphasized before, our surveys show that nearly half of travelers say photos are very important to them when booking a B&B stay. Bad photos can lead a traveler to question the quality of an inn and book elsewhere.

If you are having trouble taking high-quality photos yourself or simply don’t have the time, it’s a very wise investment to have professional photos taken of your property. Try to schedule them during a time when few, if any guests are present. Here are some of the things you should consider when hiring a photographer.

Where do you find a professional photographer?

• Ask nearby inns with great photos which photographer they used
• Ask local real estate agents for photographer recommendations
• Search a review site, such as Yelp.com, for recommendations
• Search for a real estate photographer online or in the yellow pages
• How much should it cost?
• This can vary greatly based on your location and the size of your property, which will dictate how long it will take. It can also vary based on the photographer’s experience. Decide a price range you’re comfortable with and ask several local photographers for a quote.

What should you ask potential photographers?

• Can I see your portfolio? Make sure to view some of their work to make sure it is of the quality you’re looking for.
• Is photo editing included in their price? You will want photo editing if you can afford it.
• Will they be staging the rooms, or do you need to do that?
• Can you use the photos without having to give them credit or are there limitations for where you can use them? You should be sure to get the full rights to the photos if you want to be able to freely use them on your website, on your BedandBreakfast.com listing, and your promotional materials.
• What recourse will you have, if any, if you are not pleased with their photos?
• Can we get our arrangement in writing? You should always have the photographer draw up a contract.

What shots should you make sure they take?
You may not know which photos you want to choose for your listing or website until you see how they turn out, so the more coverage they get, the better. Make sure to give them an outline of your must-haves:

• The inn’s exterior
• Every bedroom, unless you have over 10 rooms
• Every bathroom, if attractive
• Common areas
• Dining room
• The view, if any of the rooms or common areas have a great one
• Optional: A food dish or two
• Any other important amenities, such as a spa, pool, or exercise room

By Emily Starbuck Crone

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10 Photo Mistakes to Avoid

This is the second article in our series about inn photography. The first installment is available here.

1. Dark or shadowy photos. Take interior photos during the day so you can have your windows open and take advantage of natural light. Turn on lamps and lights, and if you have a fireplace, light it up.

2. People in the photos. This can occasionally work, but more often than not, having people in your photos (especially in private areas such as bedrooms, bath tubs, or hot tubs) detracts from the property. Travelers don’t want to think of other people in those places—they want to imagine themselves there.

3. Low resolution. Low-resolution photos are either very small or blurry/pixilated. Make sure the photos are large files that are crisp and clear. They should preferably be digital, as scanned photos do not turn out very well.

4. Poor framing. Focus on one thing if possible, like a comfortable bed or a great breakfast dish, rather than trying to cram in too many things into one shot.

5. Lack of staging. Before you take the photo, make sure the beds are tidy and the room is clean and clear of clutter. Feel free to rearrange furniture for a photo if it will make the space look better. 

6. Too few photos. Your photos sell your B&B, so take advantage of the photo slots that you’re paying for. The more excellent photos you have, the more inquiries you should get.

7. Too many photos of surrounding area. It’s OK to put up a photo or two of nearby scenery, but make sure you cover all of the property basics first, including the exterior, bedrooms, the living area, the dining area, and the view (if there is a good one). Don’t use half of your photo slots for pictures of the garden or outdoor views.

8. Unappealing food pictures. It’s surprisingly difficult to take good pictures of food. When you take a food photo, look at it as though you are a guest seeing it for the first time. Does it look extremely enticing, or just so/so (or even unappetizing)? If your photos don’t make your mouth water, you should hire a professional photographer to take some shots.

9. Not changing seasonal photos. Guests don’t want to see photos of your property with a Christmas tree and wreaths when it’s the summer. Likewise, if you’re in an area that gets snow, you may want to sure that you have a winter photo of the property for that season rather than only photos of springtime.

10. Not using photo captions. Is that the view from your property, or a lookout from a nearby area? Which guest room is that? Is that a common area or part of a suite? Write captions to help your guests know exactly what they’re seeing.

By Emily Starbuck Crone

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Photos Can Make or Break Your Listing

Did you know that according to our recent survey, 48% of travelers say photos are very important to them when booking? Another 27% say they won’t even book without photos. Images are the single most important component of your BedandBreakfast.com listing. But not just any images—clear, large, high-quality pictures.

Photos that are blurry, tiny, outdated, poorly lit, or unflattering are often enough to make a traveler book elsewhere. We also aren’t able to feature listings with low-quality photos in our press releases, blog, articles, or social media.  If your guests arrive and say, “Your B&B looks better than in your photos,” it’s time to get new pictures taken.

What steps can you take right now?

• If you have high-quality photos on your website but have not uploaded them to your BedandBreakfast.com listing yet, please do so now. BedandBreakfast.com users would love to see them, too!
• If you have 10 photo slots on BedandBreakfast.com but are only using six, fill up the rest if you have good photos. Take advantage of the opportunity to show off more bedrooms or areas of your B&B.
• On the other hand, if you currently have some low-quality photos on your BedandBreakfast.com, it is better to remove them than keep them there. Only leave your best ones. It most cases, quality over quantity is more important.
• If you don’t have any current or high-quality photos but you have a good camera, take new ones yourself. You may want to take a local photography class to learn more about lighting and composition.
• If you don’t feel confident with your own photography skills, consider hiring a professional. Our survey results reveal how important photos are in the booking process, so it will be worth it in the long run. You can get photographer recommendations from other nearby inns or real estate agents.

By Emily Starbuck Crone

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Results from our March Innkeeper and Traveler Surveys

We sent out surveys in March to both travelers and innkeepers to gain insight into B&B travel trends.  Below are some of the highlights from both surveys. Some of the most interesting findings are that many of the top 20 summer destinations for travelers are small towns, and close to half of innkeepers think rising gas prices may actually increase their reservations.

Highlights from the Traveler Survey

How many trips are they planning and how long are they going?

• Even with ever-increasing gas prices, nine out of 10 (90.3%) say they will take at least one weekend getaway this summer, and nearly two-thirds (62.3%) say they will take two or more weekend getaways this summer.
• Nearly two-thirds (64.5%) of travelers say they will take one or two long weekend getaways this summer, and 70% will take one or two week-long vacations this summer.

Where are they going?

• Click here to see the top 20 destinations for summer 2011.

How do they choose where to stay?

• When deciding where to stay, travelers rank consumer reviews the highest (49.6%), followed closely by photos (48.7%), ability to book online (44.4%) and friends’ recommendations (44%).

Why do they stay at B&Bs?

• B&B travelers say B&Bs allow them to get away from masses staying at hotels, while offering unique, interesting, and intimate accommodations that are adult/couple-oriented.

Highlights from the Innkeeper Survey

How did their business perform in 2010?

• More than three out of four (75.8%) said their 2010 revenue was as good or better compared to 2009, with more than half of those saying revenue was up 10% or more.
• Almost 19 percent of innkeepers said revenue in 2010 was up 20% or more.

Are they optimistic for 2011?

• Two-thirds of innkeepers (63.3%) said they expect their reservations to increase in 2011.

Do they think rising gas prices will affect their business?

• With no end in sight for rising prices, 61% said yes.
• Interestingly, 40% of innkeepers think reservations will go down slightly due to consumers traveling less, while another 40% think reservations will go up slightly as people choose weekend stays over long vacations.

What led to success for those who had increased reservations?

• Innkeepers overwhelmingly attribute online reviews (74%) for improved bookings in 2010, but also say social media like Facebook and Twitter (28.9%) and publicity (28.9%) contributed to their improved performance.

By Emily Starbuck Crone

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Use the Power of Packaging to Sell Your Rooms

by Sandy Soule

Although the economy is gradually improving, and both leisure and corporate travel is on the upswing, we continue to operate in a highly competitive environment where consumer purchasing is primarily value-driven.  

Innkeepers are under increasing pressure to think creatively about different ways to keep their RevPar (revenue per available room) maximized; effective use of packaging is certainly worth considering.  After all, it’s more feasible to increase revenue per available room than it is to increase your room count. In general, there are two types of packaging -- all-inclusives and add-ons. We’ll be discussing both in this article, along with some survey results from both innkeepers and consumers.

Survey results:  Innkeepers

After the second quarter of 2010, we surveyed both innkeepers and consumers to determine packaging preferences.  We asked innkeepers:

Do you offer packages to potential guests?

• On BedandBreakfast.com & other B&B sites: 55%
• On my own website: 77%
• Telephone inquiries: 45%
• After arrival at the inn: 13%
• On other travel websites: 28%

Comment: Many innkeepers think that packaging is synonymous with discounting, and avoid it for that reason. Others realize that value-added packaging can increase income and reservations, and can be an excellent alternative to discounting.

Suggestion: About 20% of innkeepers aren’t taking the few minutes required to cut and paste their package information from their own websites to their directory listings. Give it a try -- you never know what will attract a potential guest to your listing, your website, and your inn!

If you don’t offer online booking of packages, why not?

• No guest interest: 21%
• Don’t want the extra work: 25%
• No package components available: 22%
• Technological/website limitation: 32%

Comment:  Of approximately 600 respondents, 400 skipped this question, 200 replied, and 118 commented. Responses included many who said they don’t need or want online packaging; some misunderstood, thinking that packaging involved either discounting or high commissions; and a number were interested, as soon as a new website was ready; others had PMS issues that either didn’t allow for packaging or the setup made it overly complex.

Suggestion:  Both packaging and rate discounting are viable strategic marketing techniques, each with different advantages and disadvantages. Investigate them both to decide which approaches will work best for your property during different dates and seasons. When testing pricing levels, be sure that you understand both the fixed and variable costs of renting a room (or having it sit empty), so that you can balance the cost of an unsold room with one that is booked.

If you do offer online booking of packages, what has been the effect on sales?

• Increased: 39%
• Decreased: 2%
• No change: 59%

 Comment: The fact that almost 40% of respondents found that online booking of packages increased sales makes it well worth testing.

 Survey results:  Consumers

 Have you ever booked a package at a B&B or inn?

•  Yes:  56%

• No:  44%

 Comment: Many consumer comments ran along the lines of "it depends on whether it’s a good value," while other remarks reflected confusion about what constitutes a package. Several mentioned singles as a neglected group. Some samples:

 "If the packages are a good value, I like to book them, but if it's just a way to increase the price, then no.”

• “I especially like packages that include a reasonable price for fine dining nearby.”
• “We booked a wedding package for our small ceremony; it was wonderful!”
• “I love getting away on my own, but packages are always for families or couples. Change that, and I'll be there!”

 What kind of package add-ons interest you?

• Food: 73%
• Activities: 50%
• Romance: 35%

 Comment:  Food was clearly the most appealing add-on. Consider offing a dinner certificate as a profitable extra on busy weekends, or make it a freebie to build occupancy midweek. In either case, work with high-quality locally owned restaurants, and negotiate a discount with the owner. To test this, contact local restaurant(s) and offer to pay $40 for a $50 gift certificate for two entrees (or whatever amount is appropriate for your area; excludes tax, tip, drinks). Guests get the dining certificates at check-in. You pay the restaurant the $40 when/if certificates are redeemed. The restaurant owner is happy because of the added covers on a slow night; their 20% discount softened by extras (alcohol, dessert). You get a two-night midweek reservation for a cost of $40. Some guests won’t use the certificates, costing you nothing.

“Activities” was the second most popular add-on; work with local outfitters to offer bike, kayaking, fishing, riding, and other experiences. They should offer you a commission or discounted price that you can incorporate to make your package attractive to potential guests.

“Romance” packages generally include some combination of roses, chocolates, champagne or sparkling cider, and often, two wine glasses with your inn’s name. Purchase these elements as needed for your packages at discounted rates, so that you make a small profit when offering them to guests.

Packaging online: all-inclusives and add-ons

The Castle in the Country in Allegan, Michigan effectively promotes and books both all-inclusive and add-on packages on its well-designed website, giving potential guests the choice of telephoning or reserving online. Their all-inclusive Celebration Package, for example, makes it easy for guests to enjoy a special occasion escape while generating significant additional income for the inn with relatively little effort.  Use of the RezOvation Booking Engine makes it easy for guests to read reviews, check pricing, and select the room of their choice for their preferred dates. If a potential guest is not interested in an all-inclusive package, add-on upsell items like a massage, flowers, etc. are also presented as part of the checkout process; this makes it easy for guests to pick these extra items. Innkeeper Ruth Boven was exceedingly generous in sharing some of her advice on how packaging works for them:

 “We sell a lot of packages because they are a great way to give guests exactly what they really want in a getaway experience.  Value is created not only by the package components, but also in the service we provide by bundling together the best of what our inn and area offers. Here are our primary packaging objectives:

• “Sell multiple night stays: Potential guests must view us as a destination getaway location, allowing us to compete with other lodging alternatives such as casinos and resorts with multiple activities/attractions, plus more centrally located B&Bs. Our all-inclusive packages make it easy for the guest to understand how much our area offers for them to do, despite our slightly out-of-the way location.”
• “Increase revenue: We want to make money on our packages because they cost us money to implement.  For long-term sustainability, we aim for a profit of at least 30%. We prefer bundled packages so we can recoup our costs over several components. We sacrifice this profit only when we need to increase reservations with specials.”
• “Brand our unique selling proposition: Not only do our packages make the guest experience different from a stay at a competitive property, but the take-away package components continue to remind them of their experience here.”

Packages increase SEO

If travelers wanted to find a country B&B in which to celebrate Thanksgiving, they might enter a term like “thanksgiving bed and breakfast” into Google. If you have such a package, you might end up with a three-night reservation from folks who would never have found you otherwise.  

Promoting your packages: In describing and promoting your packages, keep these goals in mind:

• Keep the descriptions concise, clear, and appealing, with the focus on WIIFM (what’s in it for me, the guest).
• Enhance your written description with great photos relevant to your packages.
• Work with state/local chambers/tourist offices to promote your packages and your property.
• Send press releases to local media about your packages, especially those with a timely theme and/or a news hook.
• List your packages prominently on your website, directories, state B&B association, CVBs, etc. and ensure that your staff is well informed about this as well.

Social Marketing: Use your blog, Facebook and Twitter pages to attract potential guests possibly looking for package options. Younger guests often use social marketing sites as an alternative to email or telephone when doing research.

Take-away: In conclusion, bear in mind that packaging is not for every property. Test packages that will grow income by increasing RevPar and/or occupancy, while avoiding packages that require too much time or money with no guarantee of success. Offer simple up-sell packages online in your checkout to increase revenue risk-free.

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How to Increase Your Telephone Reservations

Although many innkeepers prefer telephone inquiries to online reservations, our Diamond Collection inspections reveal that many potential reservations are being lost because of missed opportunities.

We live in a time where multi-tasking is the norm, but it’s important to give potential guests your undivided attention. Put everything down when you answer the phone. Remember, this is a two-way conversation focused on the guest; you’re not just taking a reservation. Take notes to stay focused and track action items.

If you don’t have time to have a full conversation, especially if it’s going to inconvenience actual guests, don’t answer the phone. Instead, let the call go to voicemail, though make sure your voicemail greeting is friendly and apologetic. Mention that they can find your complete information on your website, including photos, reviews, and online reservations, and spell out the URL if necessary.

It’s always ideal to have a real human answer the phone when possible, so consider extending the hours when a trained innkeeper is available to answer the phone, and train multiple people to answer the phone effectively. Consider giving them incentives, like bonuses or commissions, for making sales after regular working hours. Have calls forwarded to your smartphone so you can answer and take reservations while you’re away from home.

Three Rules of Phone Selling

1. Pretend that you are having a face-to-face conversation. Smile while you talk – people can hear the "smile" in your voice.
2. The person asking the questions controls the conversation. If the prospective guest is asking the questions, you’re on the defensive. You can't sell effectively until you regain control. Create a question checklist to use on each call.
3. Stay focused on your goal, while always being friendly, helpful, and courteous.

Telephone Etiquette

A little etiquette goes a long way. Your phone shouldn’t ring more than four times before it goes to voicemail. If you’re answering the call, aim for two rings.

Always ask permission before you put a caller on hold. You have 17 seconds before they get annoyed. Reduce annoyance by asking permission, explaining the reason, and by giving an estimated time before you return.

Make sure potential guests don’t hear you eating, drinking, or chewing gum, or the voices of staff and guests. If necessary, take a cell or cordless phone to a quiet location for the best caller experience.

Use the first 30 seconds to establish a positive perception through voice, tone and focus. The last 30 seconds is when the caller finalizes their opinion; thank them for calling, review their reservations, and thank them for their new or continued business. Before you hang up, ask, "Have I answered all of your questions? Is there anything else I can do to assist with your travel plans today?"

Five steps for increasing conversion

1. When answering the phone give the property name and your name, then get their name: How callers are treated is vitally important; if they weren’t concerned, they would probably have booked online.
2. Ask open-ended questions: Let them talk and don’t interrupt. People go where they feel comfortable and appreciated.
3. Recommend and upsell: Build the relationship by adding value with restaurant reservations and other insider advice; upsell with packages, luxury rooms, specials.
4. Objections are usually requests for more information. If the caller is objecting to the price, work on selling the value, assuming you’re competitively priced. If they are looking for a specific date and you’re sold out, get their email address for future trips.
5. Ask for the reservation: How many reservations have you lost because you didn’t say, "If you have your credit card handy, I can confirm your reservation"?

Sell the breakfast

While it may sound obvious, explain that a key part of the B&B experience are your amazing breakfasts. If you know that the caller is looking for a romantic getaway, suggest that you can enjoy it in the privacy of your room; for business travelers, mention that "we can accommodate you at almost any hour." Be sure to ask about dietary restrictions/preferences for caller and partner.

Sell the packages

Although packages should be bookable on your website, guests may have questions before purchasing. Ensure that everyone who answers calls from potential guests is fully aware of your packages and add-ons and that it’s the same as the info on your website. Ask caller if you can email a list of packages, a reminder of the wonderful options.

There are no be-backs

When a caller says "I just want to check with my partner," you are most likely losing the reservation. Ask if you have answered all of their questions so they can make a decision. Ask if you can place a courtesy hold on a reservation date/room for 24 hours. Offer to email your virtual brochure to personalize the inquiry. Consider a closing offer for serious inquiries – "Reserve now, and you’ll get our romance package for free, usually a $50 value."

Repeat guests

Although many repeat guests book online, some will call. If they don’t identify as repeat guests, ask and/or check your computer for details. "Great to hear from you again! Are you planning to celebrate your anniversary with us?" By returning to your inn, guests are paying you a wonderful compliment. Thank them with a special welcome note and by remembering their preferences, with little gifts, upgrades and extras, and they’ll keep coming (and referring others!).

Extend the relationship

If you can’t close the sale, ask the caller if they’d like to be on your mailing list or if you can email them a sample issue of your email newsletter. "I’m sorry we couldn’t accommodate you this time, but we’d love to welcome you to back to the Downtown Inn in the heart of amazing downtown Austin, Texas in the future. Would you like to be added to our mailing list? We send a monthly email covering special deals and events!"

Cold calling

Making cold calls can be intimidating, but when it’s slow, you shouldn’t wait for the phone to ring!

1. List every possible local source of reservations: businesses, hotels, churches, schools, funeral parlors, senior housing, country clubs, hospitals.
2. Introduce yourself to owners/managers, invite them to your inn, add them to your email list, stop by with brochures/muffins – whatever is required.
3. Invite local college marketing class to learn from participating in your marketing blitz.
4. Offer incentives to local businesses to encourage leads or referrals, and be sure that they know that you are recommending their businesses to your guests. Supplement as needed with other appropriate thanks.

Updated by Emily Starbuck Crone

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Survey Says: Results Summary, Second Quarter (Q2) 2010

BedandBreakfast.com recently surveyed both U.S. member innkeepers and inngoing travelers to gauge travel trends.

Results Overview

This quarter, over half of innkeepers saw an increase in reservations compared to the second quarter of last year. Half of innkeepers also expect their reservations for the third quarter to increase over the prior year, which is bolstered by the fact that only 6% of respondents have no leisure trips planned between now and September 30, 2010.

Our survey found that over half of travelers have booked a package at a B&B in the past, and half say they are more likely to book a property that offers packages. Nearly 40% of innkeepers report that they have seen an increase in reservations since adding packages. Our survey also found that close to all of the respondents would consider staying at a luxury B&B.

Our survey indicates that smart phone usage is low in regard to B&Bs. Very few travelers report using smart phones to find and book inns, and just a fifth innkeepers use smart phones to manage their business. We were pleased to find that the oil spill only affected less than 8% of travelers’ plans.

To view a report of all survey responses with graphics, click here for the innkeeper survey and click here for the consumer survey.

Innkeeper Survey

Over 570 U.S. member innkeepers took our survey covering the second quarter of the year (April-June 2010).

Around 56% of innkeepers have seen an increase in reservations compared to the second quarter of last year, with 20% of innkeepers seeing an increase of 20% or more. While 59% of innkeepers saw no change in reservations when they began offering packages online, our survey found that 39% did have an increase in sales by offering packages online. Technological or website limitation is the primary reason most innkeepers don’t offer packages online (32%), but many other factors come into play, such as no guest interest (21%), no package components available (22%), and innkeepers not wanting the extra work (25%). This chart shows the results:

While 77% of innkeepers with packages advertise the packages on their websites, 55% list their packages on BedandBreakfast.com and other B&B websites, 28% offer packages on other travel websites, 45% offer packages to telephone callers, and 14% offer packages after arrival at the inn.

It appears that smart phones are not being utilized by most innkeepers to help run the business. Only 33% of innkeepers have smart phones, and just 20% of innkeepers use a smart phone to enter booking engine reservations or another purpose for the B&B.

Traveler Survey

In addition to our quarterly innkeeper surveys, we also send regular polls to over 50,000 consumers on our mailing list, giving you a direct line into what's important to inngoers. Below are some of the replies received from over 4,900 respondents.

Packages

Our survey shows that travelers are receptive to packages. Nearly 56% of travelers report having booked a package at a B&B in the past, and just over 50% of travelers say they are more likely to book an inn if they offer packages. Most appealing are food packages, which 73% of respondents say they would be interested in. Activity packages appeal to 50% of travelers, romance packages interest nearly 31% of them.

Smart phones

We found that 30% of travelers have a smart phone. Only 11% of travelers report that they have used a smart phone to find an inn or make an online reservation.

Oil spill

Only 7.6% of consumers reported that the Gulf of Mexico oil spill affected their travel plans. Many of these consumers left comments expounding on this; some canceled existing bookings, but most of these consumers reported that they had been considering or tentatively planning going to the Gulf and decided to postpone the trip or go somewhere elsewhere once the spill happened.

Luxury

Nearly 90% of travelers say they would consider staying at a luxury B&B. While 60% of consumers say they would only stay in a luxury B&B for special occasions, 40% of consumers would stay in one for a regular vacation. When asked to select why they would choose a luxury B&B, 71% said it would be for a special event like a honeymoon or anniversary, 24% said it would be because it’s in the budget so why not, and 36% said it’s because they like the extra amenities. When it comes to selecting a luxury B&B, the majority of travelers say reviews, a professional inspection, and the professionalism of the website are important. The majority of travelers consider price, value (included extras), photos, and location to be very important. Only 6% say that a professional inspection is not important.

By Emily Starbuck Crone

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