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innkeeping
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Thursday,
January 4, 2007 On
My Mind Happy new year! We're glad to have you here with us as we relaunch innkeeping! We hope that once you've had a chance to browse this issue you'll find that we've kept features from the printed edition that we know are important to you, but that we've added some features that we think will help make this online version very valuable. What We've Kept What's New A second new feature that we're excited about is "Website Makeover." Those of you who have been to PAII conventions know that one of the highlights of the program is the one where we feature suggestions for website makeovers from industry experts targeting a real B&B website. Kicking off this feature in innkeeping is the recent website makeover of Swiss Woods, which is owned by our own PAII Chairwoman, Deb Mosimann and her husband Werner. Take a look at the job PAII member White Stone Marketing did for this site. If your site is in need of a makeover, let us know and you might get picked for an evaluation by one of our web experts. Another section that will appear regularly in the newsletter is "PAII People." We know how important your friendships with fellow innkeepers are—and that when you have a friend, you want to keep up with how they're doing. Now you have a place where you can share your news with us. So if you win an award, if your inn gets featured on the news, if you get married, complete your doctoral thesis, publish a book, or get elected to office, we'd love to hear. Please send your news to karen@paii.org. Finally, every good publication welcomes feedback from its readers, and we think that we'll make it much easier for you to comment on the articles and information in innkeeping now that we're electronic. So we're pleased to kick off our "Letters to the Editor" with an e-mail from Howard Levitan regarding an article on yield management from our December issue. Please send your letters to stacey@paii.org. Of course, we know that you're busy and you may not get to every
article or even every issue of innkeeping, but don't worry,
we archive every issue for you on the PAII website in the Members
Only section. And don't forget to support the PAII vendor members
who help to make this newsletter possible with their advertising
support. These are the companies who support innkeepers so that
you can support your guests. Enjoy innkeeping!
Master Innkeeper™ Offerings We received a lot of feedback after the 2006 PAII Convention in Phoenix indicating that the educational program was the best ever, and the Master Innkeeper Level workshops, first offered in Phoenix, received some of the most enthusiastic comments. "We are in business 21 years with 31 rooms.
Master Innkeeper Level workshop topics fall into three categories:
Other designated workshop levels are "Novice" (for aspiring innkeepers and relatively new innkeepers), and "All" (of interest to ALL innkeepers from Novice through Master Innkeepers). The Master Innkeeper workshops at the 2007 PAII Convention will include some interesting and unusual topics. For Master Innkeepers who have a full-service restaurant and who may be considering their life beyond innkeeping, "Exit Strategies for Inns With Restaurants" offers insights. Howard Levitan, Oates & Bredfeldt, will present proven strategies for making restaurant operations both profitable and easier to manage—strategies that really pay off when it comes time to sell. If you love to serve your guests fare that is freshly baked but have shied away from homemade croissants, consider "Demystifying Laminated Doughs" with PAII Convention favorite, Peter Reinhart, Johnson & Wales University. Peter will unlock the secrets of making sweet and savory croissants and other pastries so you can easily incorporate them into your breakfasts. Master Innkeepers who have developed and used printed press kits and press releases over the years may now be ready to take it to a whole new level by attending "Maximizing Media Relations Online" with Susan Sweeney, internet marketing expert and the author of six internet marketing books. Interactive press-release distribution can be done easily through building the right media e-mail list or making use of one of the online press distribution services available. Developing an online media strategy for your inn can be extremely effective in building traffic to your website. More Master Innkeeper Level Workshops: Marketing for Masters Creative Electronic Marketing Dynamic Packaging in a Networked World Create Your Own In-House TV Channel Take the Guesswork Out of Your Hiring Decisions For more information about the convention and for a link to register, go to www.paiiconvention.org or call the PAII office 856.310.1102. See you in Myrtle Beach!
Winter Storm Safety There has been some extreme winter storm activity as early as October 2006. In spite of global warming, winter has a way of providing some “wicked” weather. The Mid-Atlantic and New England States are subject to heavy snow showers, blizzards, and ice storms. Southeastern and Gulf Coast States encounter ice storms and occasional snow. The Midwest and Plain States have heavy snow showers, blizzards, and ice storms. The Rocky Mountain States and Alaska are hit by heavy snow showers and blizzards. Public warnings for winter weather should be heeded: Winter Storm Watch: Frostbite is a severe reaction to cold exposure that causes freezing in the deep layers of skin and tissue. This may cause permanent damage. It is recognizable by loss of feeling and a waxy white or pale appearance of the cheeks, nose, or ear lobes. Hypothermia is a condition when the body temperature drops to less than 95 degrees F. Symptoms of hypothermia include uncontrollable shivering, slow speech, memory lapses, frequent stumbling, drowsiness, and exhaustion. To protect against frostbite or hypothermia: - Recognize the environmental/workplace conditions that lead to
cold-induced illnesses or injuries. Source: LOSS PREVENTION MANAGEMENT BULLETIN—
(January, 2007)
In its effort to entrench itself in the search community, MSN has made significant investments not only in technology and personnel, but in the area of research as well. One such example is Microsoft adCenter Labs. AdLabs was created in early 2006 but has been steadily expanded and improved over the course of the year. Today it boasts some of the most innovative free (emphasis on free) research tools available to search marketers and is a welcome breath of fresh air. Let's take a look at some of the tools available in adLabs and potential applications: Keyword Group Detection Keyword Mutation Detection Search Funnels Search Result Clustering Forecasting Search Volume Seasonality Keyword Forecast Detecting Online Commercial Intention A word of caution: It is not recommended to use adLabs data alone to make any radical changes to current campaigns or search strategy. The information in adLabs is based on a sampling of data (per MSN, currently 4.7 million keywords and growing) and should therefore be used directionally. While that number may seem like a lot, as you begin to play around with the tools, you'll notice that many long-tail queries and smaller website domains are not represented. Nonetheless, as my dad once told me, "Some Data is better than no Data." Now, at the time, he was referring to a "Star Trek" episode that had only a brief appearance by everyone's favorite android, but the point remains, the information that can be culled from adLabs is a far cry from what was freely accessible to search marketers at this time last year. If we're ever going to truly evolve the search platform or, to use a popular buzzword, cross the chasm (although I prefer ford the river—Oregon Trail, anyone?) from pure direct response to holistic brand marketing, we need tools like MSN adLabs to help us flesh out the insight into consumer behavior that is inherent in each query. I applaud MSN for cheffing up free tools that will empower agencies
and marketers to traverse the trail of insight. And I encourage
the other top search providers to follow suit and up the research
rations from meager to filling, so we can set a grueling pace of
innovation and avoid data-dysentery along the way. Until then, for
the most robust search info no money can buy, it's Redmond, ho!
Aaron Goldman is Director of Client Strategy
and Development for Resolution Media, an Omnicom Media Group Company.
Resolution Media delivers customized business solutions through
search marketing strategy and integration. This article is used
with permission from MediaPost.
One of the amenities our guests enjoy the most is our food. There is a reason all of the hotel chains have started to copy our industry by offering breakfast. As food becomes a more and more important factor that potential guests use when choosing a property, it is important to periodically look at what you serve and when in order to be sure that you are staying fresh and competitive. You must consider what style of food and service really fits with the character of your inn and your guests. What is the style of your inn? Victorian, mountain lodge, urban/business, or romantic getaway? We all want to serve ample nutritious meals and can do so in a way that reflects our properties. At our property in Park City, the guests were active skiers and hikers. Breakfast was served at one large table where breakfast was hearty and guests could swap stories. Seconds were always offered and the guests could supplement the hot entrée with house-made granola or oatmeal. Our afternoon offering tended to cookies and brownies rather than fancier fare. All of this fit with our rustic décor and our guests' needs. They were far more interested in bottled water and snacks that would pack in a pocket or backpack than a high tea. But what if your inn is a romantic getaway? Your guests want as little interaction with others as possible. So maybe you deliver a little evening snack tray to their door, sustenance enough if they decide to stay in, but an hors d'oeuvre if they go out to dine. A small assortment of cheeses and fruit with fresh bread or crackers, or possibly a brie en croute would be plenty. Chocolate-dipped strawberries are easy to prepare and a popular treat. Some inns of this style start their guests' morning with a preliminary tray with nibbles and hot beverages; Again, not a full meal, but enough to sustain them if they want to enjoy their solitude. Business travelers have their own set of needs, such as early breakfasts to go, or light late meals. This can still reflect the style of your inn. A small assortment of finger sandwiches as a late-night snack at a Victorian inn, or a thermos of hearty soup with bread at a mountain property, for example. Breakfast-to-go might be as simple as a bagel and cream cheese for the plane, a hot breakfast sandwich, or slices of frittata cut for easy eating. So if you are considering changes to your food service, whether it be adding more meals such as snacks, hors d'oeuvres, dinner, or expanding the meals you already serve, the first step is evaluating what you already do. For example, are there times of the day when you routinely get asked for something (i.e., tea, snacks, etc.) by your guests? Then brainstorm what the supplement might be, in keeping with the style of your service. The next step is to consider your skill set and decide if you are equipped to do what you want to do. Evaluate your personal needs and strengths. Paying someone else to do the things you lack passion for is effective management. If you find that developing a new menu makes you want to run and hide, you have options. You could work with a caterer to do the actual recipe and menu development. If it is the actual in-kitchen time you detest, hire a cook. Keep in mind that the drastic move of hiring a chef is a big step that is often overkill. There are many competent culinary professionals out there who are not chefs who could successfully fill the needs of your inn. It may very well be that you need more of a prep and line cook, and you feel not only comfortable, but energized by the idea of recipe development. In the next issue, we will consider the many options available
and consider the question of "To Chef or Not to Chef."
A guest keeps picking the nuts off the top of the chocolate cake
you've left out for evening desserts. What do you do? Post what you would do in the "Question of the Month"
thread on the Member
Forum and your response will be included in next month's issue
of innkeeping. Also, do you have a nut-picker, a loud-snorer,
or another scenario you'd like to ask other innkeepers "What
do you do?" If so, please post your scenario in the "Question
of the Month" thread on the Member
Forum and your question will be included in a future issue of
innkeeping!
Over 95% of PAII innkeepers own their own URLs, which means they've committed to owning and controlling a website for their property on the internet. Maintaining a good website requires translating all of the wonderful things guests should know about you and your B&B into the print and graphics that hopefully generate reservations. In this section on web makeovers, we're going to take a look at what goes on behind the scenes whenever there are substantial changes to a B&B website. What got changed, and why? How did the process work? What were the costs and the benefits? Just as importantly, we'll show you the "before" and "after," so that you can see for yourselves how the sites have changed, and compare the improvements to your own site. Swiss Woods' Website Makeover For White Stone's Scott and Allison Crumpton, who are based in Hawaii, the biggest challenge was designing a site for a property that they had never visited. Debbie and Werner placed very few restrictions on Scott and Allison. "There was nothing in particular that we wanted to keep other than our URL," stated Debbie. "I needed to write the copy and choose the color scheme, and what all we wanted included." The innkeepers also wanted to add pages for non-room revenue options such as roses and chocolates for special occasions, as well as for the gift shop which features Debbie's popular biscotti. Ultimately, the project involved a complete redesign of the site including a dynamic rather than static homepage, new photos, navigation, and better links to the booking option. Once the strategy and look were agreed upon, Debbie scheduled a photo shoot with Jumping Rocks Photography out of Philadelphia. One of the challenges the photographers faced was in getting the diversity of the gardens with the exterior shots. With different flowers and vistas throughout the year there could have been a shoot every month. On the other hand, there's always something in bloom to shoot. "The designers were actually very quick. It was a month long process once they had all the materials and about four months from start to finish to get everything where we wanted it to be," notes Debbie. One of the key changes White Stone suggested involved repositioning Swiss Woods as a B&B in Pennsylvania's popular Lancaster County instead of the less well-known Lititz, which is in Lancaster. Lancaster County is well known for the Amish and Mennonite farms dotting the country side as well as for beautiful quilts, antique stores, and German food. The new focus allowed the designers to significantly expand the number of activities, attractions, and restaurants that are featured on the site and lets Debbie tie her other marketing activities in to these other websites. At the same time, there is now more emphasis on important aspects of the inn itself, including the gardens and vistas, the sumptuous breakfasts, the opportunities for bird watching, hiking, curling up with one of their many books, or just sitting by their massive fireplace. The new site also profiles Debbie, including a note about her volunteer work with PAII, and Werner, including his success as a beekeeper. The total cost for the project was about $10,000 including the
$2,000 for professionally done photographs. Was it worth it? "I
could not be happier!" says Debbie. "It has brought us
huge amounts of business and raised the percentage of website-visitor
bookings. We feel the website accurately represents us and is designed
well, allowing it to come up high on the search engines." Debbie
uses PAII member Superstatz to track her website's performance.
Traffic on the old site averaged about 1,400 unique visitors per
month while the redesigned site is more than double that with an
average of 3,000 visitors per month. The new site takes advantage
of the uptick in traffic with a prominently placed "Book Now"
button on the home page that links to Webervations reservation software.
Webervations also handles the e-commerce transactions for Swiss
Woods' new online gift store which sells gift certificates, teas,
the famous biscotti, and mugs from PAII member Deneen Pottery that
have been rebranded to reflect the new Lancaster County emphasis. Thanks to Debbie and Werner Mosimann at Swiss Woods and to Scott
and Allison Crumpton at White Stone Marketing for sharing this website
makeover with us. If you'd like to share your website makeover with
us, send your e-mail to stacey@paii.org.
Congratulations to Art & Kathy Winters of the Brick Inn B&B in Washington, MO, who recently opened their inn and were featured in their local newspaper. Best of luck! Congratulations to Bruce & Jan Garrabrandt of the Artist's Inn and Gallery in Terre Hill, PA, who were recently featured in the Washington Post. They were mentioned in the article entitled, "At these B&Bs, it's more about the breakfast than the bed." Keep making those delicious breakfasts! Congratulations to our aspiring innkeepers who have purchased an inn and are now official innkeepers. All the best in your new venture! Frederique & Thierry Procyk Brenda Zechmeister Tom & Lori Giamanco Kudos to the following PAII members who have referred new members and will receive two free months membership as part of our Member-Get-A-Member campaign. Many thanks for your support! Alyce Mundy of Alyce's Dunscroft By-The-Sea
in Cape Cod, MA, Carol Edmondson of Innkeeping Specialists
in Brewster, Cape Cod, MA, Wendy Tamiso of Candlelight Inn in Napa,
CA, Peter Scherman & Rick Wolf of The B&B
Team in Scottsville, VA, and Kennebunk, ME, Antiques and Lace Inn Battle Island Inn Bed & Breakfast Big Blue House—Tucson Brand Bed & Breakfast Chapin Park Bed & Breakfast Cherished Pearl Bed & Breakfast Chimes Bed & Breakfast Church Street Inn Churchtown Inn Bed & Breakfast Crystal Manor Bed & Breakfast Enchanted Pines Fairfield Place Bed & Breakfast Inn Fulton House Bed & Breakfast Gibson Mansion Gold Coast Guest House Hood River Bed & Breakfast Inn at Gray's Landing Jacob's Resting Place 1790 Bed & Breakfast Living Well Bed & Breakfast Madelyn's in the Grove Old North Durham Inn Pillars of Plainfield Bed & Breakfast Silver Forest Inn Sugar Tree Inn Terrell House Bed & Breakfast Town Hill Bed & Breakfast Walla Walla Inns New Aspiring Members Jennifer Malt Mary McCall Thomas McMurray Sue Schaber Nacon Property Group Nacon Property Group specializes in investment grade real estate and hospitality properties with a strong background in appraisal, market analysis, and counseling for the acquisition, sale and financing of select properties.
Helping you get better rankings in Google is what we do. Offer to PAII members, $19 off our Enhanced membership, learn more here.
Dear Editor,
Sincerely yours,
innkeeping is published monthly. Annual subscription is included in the price of membership. Publisher Editor-in-Chief Production Coordinator Editorial Staff Editorial Suggestions and Contributions Advertising Rates & Information Title Image Courtesy of Jumping Rocks ©2007 innkeeping, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the editor. (back to top) |
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