In This Issue:
On My Mind
PAII Convention
Have Pets, Will Travel
Network Marketing
KitchenCorner
Question of the Month
Website Critique
PAII People
Letters to the Editor
About innkeeping

innkeeping Archives
2007 Volume 1

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Thursday, May 3, 2007
Volume 1, Issue 5

On My Mind
by Debrah Mosimann, Chair of PAII's Board of Directors
Swiss Woods Bed & Breakfast Inn, Lititz, PA

There are times that I stop in the middle of my day, and wonder what I am really doing. I have the sweeper in one hand, the reservation book tucked under an elbow and a phone, which will ring at any moment, hanging off of my hip. Lunch was hours ago, not that I had any, and a glance at the clock tells me the doorbell could ring at any second. Oh, and how could I forget the plumber in the basement fixing yet another sewage pump problem? How many hats can one person wear and still do justice to them all? How many hours can one person work and still have a "life?" And this is "only" May.

I think the definition of innkeeper should read "Jack of all trades, master of many—all with a smile on her (his) face—making it look easy." I am always amazed at the diverse abilities of my innkeeping friends. Tile a bathroom? No problem! Build a water garden? No problem! We have the chutzpah to tackle any project with the confidence that we know what we are doing, and that it will turn out well. We decorate, cook, and clean. We are geniuses at PR on a budget; we are handyman, gardener, writer, concierge, front desk, back desk, accountant, wedding planner, graphic designer, and chef, not to mention community and industry volunteer. We know when to take classes and add to our knowledge base. We are hungry to learn and accomplish. I look at my walls and there are no diplomas hanging there to formally validate these many "titles," but I walk around my inn and the evidence is there.

So, what am I really doing? A little bit of everything and doing it well. Education is important, but this is not as much about education as it is about heart, versatility and attitude. As we plunge into another season welcoming many familiar faces and many new ones to our inns, let the smile win and remember to take a moment to enjoy the roses, the sunset, or that rocker on the front porch.
Ah, it's time to go watch a rugby game. That would be the "Mom" hat!
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2007 PAII Convention & Trade Show: Program Highlights
March 26th–29th in Myrtle Beach, SC
The Best PAII Convention Ever

From the Overall Convention Feedback Survey: How would you rate the 2007 PAII Convention overall?

When all the elements come together just right, an industry convention can be exceptionally memorable and inspiring. That appears to be just exactly what happened in Myrtle Beach, SC, at the end of March when some 1,000 people gathered for PAII's Tenth International Convention and Trade Show for Keepers of the Inn. Here are some highlights, along with comments from those who were there.

"Was it me or the water? I had a great time visiting with colleagues and friends from all over the United States. Everyone seemed so upbeat! The general sessions were thought-provoking and challenging by forcing me to reevaluate the methods and approaches I use in running my inn. The workshops were almost all spot on! Peter Reinhart even has me convinced I can create great pastries from laminated dough. And only Howard Helmer could have persuaded me to give up valuable shut-eye time to watch his amazing technique for creating 40-second omelets. Wow. Kudos to the PAII staff, the Board and volunteers who made it all happen."
Kathryn White, The Beechmont Inn B&B, Hanover, PA

Keynote Speakers Hit the Mark

Horst Schulze, Opening Keynote Speaker
West Paces Hotels, former President and COO of Ritz-Carlton Hotels

Quality is a State of Mind, Not a State of Budget
Horst Schulze, former COO of Ritz-Carlton Hotels, is the man who made Ritz-Carlton the gold-standard for outstanding customer service and synonymous with luxury. Listening to his powerfully delivered message in Myrtle Beach, it's easy to understand how his vision transformed the entire hotel chain, along with all the employees—from top to bottom—to legendary "Ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen." Through diligent research, Horst discovered many things that dictated how he ran the operation including that what people really want can be distilled down to three simple things:
1. No defects or mistakes—they want the room they requested at the price that was quoted, lamps that work, a comfortable bed, and so on.
2. Timeliness—they do not want to wait for anything.
3. Caring—they want those delivering the service to truly care about them.

Horst elaborated on how to deliver these three things at the highest level with absolute consistency, how to instill these values in employees, and how all of this results in customers who trust you—which brings the ultimate reward: loyalty and repeat guests. It seems so simple, but takes diligence and constant attention to every last detail to deliver.

Don Farrell, Second Day Keynote Speaker
Signature Worldwide

It's No Mystery: Converting Callers to Guests
Talk about nuts and bolts! Don delivered so much incredibly useful information that it's difficult to imagine what he saved for the two Super Sessions that he presented later in the day. From the moment you pick up the phone, there are very specific steps you can and should take with your potential guests that exponentially increase the chance that they will book a room at your inn. One of the "tips" is so obvious, but believe it or not, only 6% of innkeepers do it. The tip? Ask for the reservation! Over 50% of Americans are "amiable complacent" personalities who don't like to be confronted and don't like to say "No" to you. Don played real calls that he had previously made to inns as a "mystery shopper" to illustrate his points. The entire session was jam-packed with useable information that is guaranteed to add revenue to the bottom line for anyone who uses these techniques.

Contagious Camaraderie
The evening before the educational program began "PAII Salutes the States Cocktail Party" brought everyone together to kick off the Convention by finding old friends and making new friends. State flags gave attendees a reference point for finding others from their area and lots of voices and laughter filled the air as delighted innkeepers connected with each other.

Beach Blanket BBQ, an optional dinner event, was staged outside on a beautiful Carolina evening. The casual atmosphere, glow-light necklaces and rings, delicious southern fare, and an easy listening "beach band" made for a relaxing, fun time. The air got a little breezy, but innkeepers, vendors, and PAII staff warmed up quickly when they hit the dance floor, and everywhere else, as they snaked through the tables in a Conga line!

Outstanding Trade Show
Innkeepers spent plenty of time in the Exhibit Hall visiting with the wide variety of vendors who were there because they specialize in serving innkeepers. The types of companies represented in the Trade Show included insurance, Internet directories, realtors, answering service, linens, pottery mugs, specialty items, amenities, custom ornaments, rugs, financing, coffee/Espresso equipment, credit card processing, vacuums, software, mattresses, whirlpools, tea, and more!

First-rate Workshops
Many, many of the 70+ workshops got rave reviews and the majority of comments about the educational programming say that the speakers were knowledgeable, prepared, patient, and delivered exceptionally useful material. Following is a tiny sampling from a few of the workshops.

"Not a single bad one! I learned something in each one. I was inspired in most. Instructors took their responsibility seriously and had prepared for the class well. Really, really good."
Diane Powell, Carriage House on Capitol Hill, Washington, DC

The 14 Touches
Bill Bullard, Bullard Partners, Healdsburg, CA
Bill was invited to present this workshop again after being rated one of the top ten speakers at the previous PAII Convention. He gives very specific suggestions for "touching" guests every step of the way—from the time they call through their return home, and beyond. This workshop is filled with ideas for better guest relationships and service, and to bring them back to your inn.
"Ideas Ideas Ideas!"
"Practical Nuts and Bolts—Deep and Well thought out—A must at Future PAII Conferences"

Demystifying Laminated Doughs
Peter Reinhart, Johnson & Wales University, Charlotte, NC
The melt-in-your-mouth samples clearly told the story of the end result of this cooking demonstration! The Master Baker, Peter Reinhart, teaches in a way that gives attendees confidence that they, too, can bake the delectable goodies for their guests. His unassuming manner, coupled with total comprehension of the chemistry of baking, deflated any apprehension lingering in the audience about taking on what seems to be a daunting baking task.
"Wonderful explanations! Take the fear out of making croissants and Danish"
"Absolutely wonderful—cant wait to go home to try it. One of the best I attended—fantastic"

Christian Hospitality-Sanctuary for the Soul
Paul Cowell, Whitestone Country Inn, Kingston, TN
As a Pastor for 25 years, the founder of the Christian Hospitality Network (an association of 900 inns and hotels that market to Christian travelers), and an innkeeper who caters to Christians, Paul Cowell knows the Christian market. Paul says that one of the best ways to capture this market is to fill empty rooms by offering mid-week discounts to ministers. It gives the minister a well deserved opportunity to be cared for and when they have a great experience, they tell many, many others. Paul has documented hundreds of regular guests who learned about his inn from their minister. A founding principle behind the Whitestone's success is that the giver of hospitality gets more than they give.
"Heartwarming stories—Great marketing ideas"
"Valuable suggestions for ways to market to pastors and missionaries."

Build Your Own Marketing Plan…Today!
Cynthia Cobb, PetalSoft Silk Petal Soaps and Colby Hill Inn, Henniker, NH
This hands-on workshop took attendees through the actual process of creating a customized marketing plan for their inn. Cyndi recommends that innkeepers (and anyone else with something to market) create yearly objectives, define their marketing budget, and spell-out specific tactics to reach the stated objectives. Objectives must be specific: I want to grow my business by X% or by a specific dollar amount. Keeping track of revenue by source is an important piece of the feedback loop when evaluating marketing vehicles to see what worked and what did not work. Marketing ideas included postcards, email marketing, tapping into local businesses and universities, a loyalty program for repeat guests and guest referral.
"Great job—Very impressive speaker."
"This was great marketing material—very organized and loaded with practical info."
"Clear instructions for taking control of marketing budget."

There is no way to effectively describe all that happened during the three days when 1,000 people from the innkeeping community converged on Myrtle Beach, SC to participate in the national event for all innkeepers. Everyone was upbeat and the positive energy in the air was palpable. Those who were there were glad they came. If you missed it, be sure to mark your calendar for the
2008 PAII Convention at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim California, April 7-10.

Click here, to order CDs of individual workshops or a set of all recorded sessions at the convention.
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Creative Innkeeping: Theme Parties
by Mike Venturini, Munro House B&B and Spa, Jonesville, MI

A lot of inns are very busy because of their location. Most of that has to do with proximity to highways, bodies of water, mountains, or local attractions. Unfortunately, not every bed and breakfast can rely on lodging as their only source of "inncome". That is where the creative innkeeper needs to find a source that will make their B&B a destination in and of itself because of an "inn-house" event.

One innkeeper friend does weddings to make their B&B a destination. Another has scrapbooking weekends three times a month. Both of them have found a niche to create business when lodging is not enough to get by.

There are plenty of people who are looking for something to do and want to avoid the hustle and traffic that goes along with going to a popular tourist area. That is where innkeepers can capitalize on a need by offering a theme party or social event. You need to do some research, choose a theme, develop promotion, have Internet presence, and offer a fair price.

Research
Who knows what the next big theme is going to be? Nobody! Just keep your eyes and ears open and you may be the one to start it. Guests are always looking for something fun to do. If your area doesn't provide it, then it's up to you. Listen to what your friends and guests are talking about, the fun things they have done, and the things they have heard about but haven't done yet. Then decide if your property is a good fit for the event. Choose something you could be competent running and an activity you could develop a passion to pursue. Take some time off to experience how someone else does a similar event, take good notes, and incorporate it into your business. The rest will fall into place.

Themes
Part of every innkeeper's job description is to be adept at cooking, especially breakfast. Most theme parties revolve around a meal. Whether it's a luncheon, an afternoon tea, or a full blown dinner party, eating is part of the event. Find out what you are good at, choose something that is fun, develop an informative routine, and practice until it becomes second nature.

The bed and breakfast industry has taken it upon themselves to be leaders in the Murder Mystery segment. Although its heyday was a few years back, there is still enough residual interest in a two hour radius of your property to fill a table with suspects and put heads in beds several times a year. There are boxed games available at retail outlets or on e-bay. There are companies that sell scripts on the Internet. There are professional troupes that will come to your house and perform in costume. There are people who will write a murder mystery just for you. There is a cost associated with all of these options. Most are fair and affordable. Some would only be cost effective before a large audience. All could be very lucrative if you provide a quality product at a reasonable price.

Every innkeeper has a certain amount of talent in the kitchen. We all have our tricks that could serve people well in their own homes. Everybody has to eat. But few Americans take the time to create a meal that is not in their repertoire of ten favorite recipes. That is the perfect audience for a cooking party. If you are limited on space, it could be a demonstration by you. If you have a big kitchen and lots of utensils, it could become a hands-on class for a small group. You can help people become more adventurous in the kitchen while exhibiting a passion for your style of cooking. All it takes is an idea, a little prodding, and some encouragement to take on a new challenge. Once it begins, initial fears and trepidations fade away and you are on to a new adventure.

Promotion
Some people plan their vacations and getaways months in advance, many plan weeks in advance, and some 'go with the flow' and can plan nothing more than ten days out. The future planners will dictate your need to host a special event on any given weekend.

Most innkeepers have a feel for how future business will be by reviewing their history and by tracking their current bookings. Some weekends just take care of themselves, while other weekends need help. Six weeks is usually ample time to sell enough people to make an event happen. I have found that eight is the minimum number of people required to have a decent party. So, if it's May 1st and you have no bookings for the end of June, you have time to create and promote an event that could lure at least eight people to your house.

Internet
You do not have to spend a ton of money to get people involved in your event. To achieve your minimum goal, you need to sell just four couples to get eight people. You can use keyword search tools to help you find the search terms that will get you the best results for your specific event. It is amazing to discover which words people actually use in an Internet search. There are websites and analyzer tools that can help you find these key words and make them work for you.

When you choose your words wisely and optimize your web page for those words, you will get a very high buy rate on specific terms. Example: If your inn is in Michigan and you are going to do a murder mystery, you do not want to have "murder mystery" as the only key word. That term is just too broad—you could get hits from people in California, Florida, and Australia. It would not be practical for these folks to attend your event. You would want to include your state, region, or city to the search term. In this example, "Michigan Murder Mystery" will lure more potential buyers to your website. Then, it's up to your website to promote the package and for you to close the deal when the calls come.

You should have a separate optimized page on your website that just deals with your event. To get them to your home page is not your goal. You want them on your specific event page and the information they are looking for should be very near the top. The event is selling your house—not the other way around. Your search result should pique their interest and get them excited about the event. We all are so used to getting people to book a room and then add on services. This in an opposite approach—and it works!

Pricing
We are all worried about charging too much or too little. You need to associate a cost for the event-setup, props, food, assistants, and cleanup. That will be the bare minimum charge. The right pricing will come with trial and error, supply and demand.

You will need to practice before a live audience. That is where friends and family come in. Hosting your very first cooking demonstration or murder mystery will certainly have unforeseen glitches that you can address easily in front of your friends, but would make a paying guest feel short changed. Iron out most of your problems in the company of people you know and you will be comfortable under any circumstances before the buying public.

I have found that it is important to cover your food costs for 8 people with the booking of one package for two people. There will come a time when you think your event will sell out, but doesn't. In these cases, you need to have a ready supply of family and friends to fill up the event on short notice—and probably at no cost to them. Never cancel an event that already has guests registered. You will keep them happy and you will build wonderful relationships by including the special people in your lives to fill in when needed. It also helps to have a "ringer" or two at the table to keep any event flowing smoothly—especially on "opening night".

Theme parties are a lot of work and take a certain amount of expertise but can be very lucrative and fun. Develop a good one and you could have fewer empty beds on otherwise slow weekends. Who knows? If it's a big enough hit, you could be doing it all of the time—like my friends, the wedding innkeepers and the scrapbooking hosts. Their "inncome" is not totally reliant on guests who are just sleeping over.Yours could be, too.

Mike Venturini is the owner of Munro House B&B and Spa in Jonesville, MI (www.munrohouse.com).
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Kitchen Corner: Butters and Spreads to Liven any Menu
by Debrah Mosimann, Chair of PAII's Board of Directors
Swiss Woods Bed & Breakfat Inn, Lititz, PA

The impetus for these thoughts on butters and spreads came from a lively discussion in the PAII.Forum. If you do not participate please note that it is a benefit of your PAII membership,
a jewel many overlook and underestimate! The wealth of knowledge and our fellow
innkeepers' willingness to share is impressive.

Butter and cream cheese are by definition bland. They have little flavor on their own, but it is
this very fact that makes them so versatile. Here we will explore a variety of techniques and ideas even the non-foodies can master in their inn kitchens. What we strive to do in a meal, whether it
be breakfast, lunch or dinner, is coordinate a variety of flavors, textures and colors that
produce eye appeal, and compliment each other. As innkeepers we also aim to serve
something that will be remembered long after our guests check out.
Keep that in mind as you choose flavors and shapes to add to your menu.

Shapes
We are all familiar with the butter curls on ice or rolled butter balls.
At a very contemporary restaurant I had the opportunity to visit recently the butter was served
in geometric patterns. Plastic candy molds make excellent little butter shapes though they
can be a challenge and somewhat time consuming to unmold. The best alternative, in my trials here, has been washing the molds in hot water before spraying the mold with Pam®, or brushing it
with oil, then filling it with butter, pressing to make sure there are no air pockets.
When unmolding use a sharp knife to loosen around the edge and then pop the butter out.
Molds are available in any number of shapes and are not expensive at all. While living in Europe
I also became enamored with the hand carved butter molds. While those are not practical for
most inns, a good alternative would be the cookie stamps available here. Use them to stamp
pretty designs onto a flat butter surface. Be sure to spray the stamp with Pam® or brush
with oil before use. These can become works of art by embedding or applying edible
herbs and flowers around the edges using the butter surface as the glue to hold them fast.
For larger molded forms line the mold painstakingly with foil before filling with the softened butter. This will enable you to unmold them without pieces chipping off. Another alternative to molding
is piping as you would icing for a cake. Using softened butter, pipe your shapes onto
waxed paper and then chill. To add color paint the sides of the bag with puree of parsley
or a small amount of food color pastes. The possibilities here are limited only by imagination and time. Remember when piping flavored butters or cream cheese that the pieces used to
flavor need to be pureed so they are smaller than the tip or they will catch and not pipe smoothly.

Flavors
Here it helps to think out of the box for a bit. Herbs and spices in combination provide some interesting variations. It can be as simple as roasted pepper butter for toast to compliment an
egg scramble or frittata, a scallion and fresh herb cream cheese for that sesame bagel, or even a pineapple butter with a hint of curry to go along with corn fritters. Finely chopped herbs
mixed with softened butter are a natural accompaniment to meats. Lemon, lime, or orange zest
(or any combination of the three) with a bit of confectioners sugar gives a fresh tasting citrus butter to accompany poppy seed bread. Maple syrup and cinnamon flavors make a unique butter
to melt on pecan pancakes or apple spice waffles. Soak golden raisins in rum and blend with cream cheese or butter for a sure fire favorite! Plain bagels, fresh croissants, and warm scones
provide a vehicle to show off these creative spreads. Roasted pistachio and honey cream cheese
to accompany plain mini bagels, raspberry cream cheese makes a cinnamon raisin bagel
a special feast, and the ultimate, chocolate cream cheese on just about anything!

The key to success is to soften the butter to room temperature before mixing in the flavors.
Cream cheese should be gently heated in the microwave before flavors are added to ensure
smooth blending without lumps. Once mixed, fill into a plastic container and chill immediately. Because of the beautiful way that butter freezes many of these can be made ahead, cut, molded
or piped and then frozen. Mix softened unsalted butter with your favorite flavors, shape, and freeze in an airtight container. Keep flavors stored separately so they do not cross over.
You will always have them on hand when needed! Cream cheese does not freeze well so these
will need to be made up in batches as needed. With both butter and cream cheese the flavors will marry and develop better if made at least a day ahead. It is helpful to remember, that in our fat conscious society, our guests are using less butter then they once did. When making molds or cutting shapes make them small enough to minimize waste.
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Question of the Month: What Do You Do?
Question:
You have agreed to hold onto a package for a guest that would be arriving in two months time. The package contains clothing for an upcoming wedding at the inn. When the package arrives you notify the guest that it has arrived and are storing it in a “safe place.” When the guest finally arrives for the wedding you go to retrieve the package, only to find that it is not where it should be.

How would you handle this situation?

Answer:
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!

Q&A Last Month
Question:
I have two cats and most of the guests love them. The problem is that guests let the cats inside the inn even though I tell each and every guest as part of check-in to simply pick up their room phone and call my extension if/when a cat slips inside the inn. Asking the guests to call me is not working. And of course, we all know that signs do not work either. There is no garage on the premises so I cannot lock them up at night. This might sound like a silly problem, but I need some ideas rather quickly because I want to be able to sleep uninterrupted most nights. What do you do?

Answers:
Molly
from The Red Dog Inn in Beaufort, NC (www.thereddoginnbb.com)
My inn is totally dog friendly, this really helps keep the cats out!! Seriously, several of my catalogs have pet repellent products. Perhaps you could use a repellent at each door to keep the cats from asking to come in. You can't change the guests' behavior so you need to work on changing the cats.

Mike Venturini
from Munro House B&B & Day Spa in Jonesville, MI (www.munrohouse.com)
We have an "Invisible Fence" that keeps our dogs in the yard. Perhaps you could get an invisible fence that keeps your cats OUTSIDE of the house!

Theresa & Bill Hamilton
from the Fairbanks House in Amelia Island, FL (www.fairbankshouse.com)
We have a sign on our front door that actually does seem to work. It has a silhouette of a cat in a circle with a line through it (like a non-smoking sign) and it says: "Please don't let the little black kitty in... no matter WHAT she tells you. She's a liar."
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Websites That Work
by Sandra W. Soule, BedandBreakfast.com/RezOvation

At conference and after conference, innkeepers told us that 80-90% of their reservations are generated by the Internet, with many bookings coming directly from their own websites. They know that an effective website is essential in generating these reservations, yet have many questions about cost, results, and reliability.

Here are some key points:

What are the most important elements of an effective website?
Although there are some notable exceptions, website design is not rocket science, despite the astronomical prices some companies charge. While truly creative custom websites are appropriate for some high-end properties, most properties will do just fine by focusing on these key points:

· Professional up-to-date design: Any website more than three years old needs a fresh look, whether it's just adding new photos at the minimum, to enhance navigation, or a complete new design. An "antique" website will not deliver the reservations you need for profitability.

· Consistent navigation: Easy-to-read links on the inside pages of your site should run across the top of every page on your site (under the header template) or down the left-hand side of the page.

· Uniform template: The top of every single page of your site should have a design template that includes the following information:

" Inn name"
" Toll-free phone number"
" Book Now button"
" Marketing slogan that indicates the inn's location"

· Great photos: Spend as much as you can on the best possible professional photography. Combining appealing photos, with an effective website, generates reservations almost immediately. Large photos can be optimized for the Internet so they load quickly; with most users now on high-speed connections, there's no need for the tiny thumbnails of the early Internet. When hiring a pro, ask to see their online portfolio of inn pictures. Interior shots are tricky; rooms must be appealing without being over-staged or made to look larger then they are. Take seasonal exterior shots yourself so you have photos of your inn in all seasons—with spring blossoms, summer greenery, fall foliage, Christmas decorations, winter snow, and so on. Remember, if your guests tell you that your inn is much nicer than it appears on the Internet, you are losing business every day.

· Good SEO (Search Engine Optimization): A knowledgeable web designer will create website pages that will get you coverage on Google, and other search engines, by building your website with SEO built in from the ground up. This includes appropriate use of keyword density, meta and alt tags, page titles, and other specific strategies. Your website is not an art project; it's a marketing tool designed to deliver reservations…lots of them!

· Strong call to action: Never make prospective guests click through multiple pages to find your phone number or reservations page. The point of your website is to generate reservations, so make it as easy as possible to do just that. In addition to a toll free number, have multiple links to a real-time booking engine, or you will miss reservations from a large percentage of travelers.

· Reliability: Choose a company that offers reliable hosting and promotion services, with a responsive support staff available to make changes and answer questions.

How much should I spend?
Don't be penny-wise and pound-foolish. Unless your nephew is an experienced, licensed plumber, you wouldn't trust him to install your new $20,000 whirlpool and marble bathroom that just happens to be over the antique crystal chandelier in your dining room, would you? By the same token, your website designer should be a specialist in the B&B industry, and with a track record of proven results of creating websites that are not only attractive, but easy to navigate, turn lookers to bookers, and come up well in the search engines. If a friend or family member promises to build you a website for free, consider that a "free website" may cost you tens of thousands of dollars in missed reservations. In fact, a November, 2006 study on online airfare purchases by DoubleClick and ROI Research showed that 33% were most influenced by the website, more than word-of-mouth (9%) or online ad (6%).

· Analyze your marketing spend: Average gross revenues for B&Bs are $150,000 annually (PAII Operations Study, 2004), and the average total marketing spend is $24,000 (PAII Marketing Study, 2006), or 16% of revenues. If 90% of your reservations come from all Internet sources, then consider allocating 90% ($21,600) of your marketing budget to Internet marketing. Of that 90% of reservations, how much revenue is generated by your own homepage?

· Understand your conversion rates: It's not just the number of "hits" your website receives, but the revenue that results. Tracking software will tell you how long people stay on your site, and how many pages views per unique visitor. The longer they stay, the more pages they visit, the more likely you are to convert a looker to a booker. On the other hand, the higher your bounce or click-away rate, the lower your conversion will be. For example, if you have 1,000 monthly visitors and you get 20 reservations, your conversion rate is 2%. If the average reservation made from your website is two nights at $150 nightly, your monthly gross is 20 x $300 = $6,000. If you improve your website and increase the conversion to 3%, you've increased your monthly gross income by 50%, e.g., 30 x $300 = $9,000. That's an extra $36,000 per year!

By making these updates, and then following up to make tweaks as needed, your website will look better and perform better. Guests will be hooked when they see your beautiful photos and easy navigation, and you will be happy with the increased reservations.

Well known travel writer and speaker Sandy Soule is a key member of the BedandBreakfast.com/Inns.com/RezOvation team. She offers a unique perspective on the B&B industry, derived from her decades of experience as a freelance writer, book author, editor, and Internet pioneer, combined with the fact that she has visited more inns than anyone else in the United States. As the Marketing VP, Sandy is responsible for communiating a wide range of company products and services to both cumsumers and the innkeeping industry. Let RezOvation take the worry of web design and maintenance with the new RezOvation design, hosting and promotion suite. www.RezOvation.com
Sample websites: http://www.rezovation.com/dhp/samples.html
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Membership: Winter Business Survey & New Home Depot Supply Benefit Program
Winter Business Survey
Would you like to know how your winter business compared to other inns across the country? Just click on the link below before May 15th and complete a 5 minute anonymous survey. The results will be posted in INNfo so you can gauge your business against other PAII members nationally. It's important for all of us to know how the industry is doing as a whole so please participate!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=356773052073

New Home Depot Supply Benefit Program
Just in case you missed the news in our weekly INNfo emails, PAII is very excited to announce a great new member benefit program designed to save you money! We have partnered with Home Depot Supply, the online Hospitality Solutions division of Home Depot, to bring you discounts on over 18,000 maintenance, housekeeping and operational products. They are your one-stop shop for reliable, quality products. Their vast distribution network ensures you'll get fast, on-time FREE delivery from coast to coast.

PAII members will receive their lowest published catalog price on every item with no need to reach minimum thresholds on your purchases! This means you can buy a quantity of one and automatically receive the case price break. Just look for the check-marked price online and that is the discounted PAII price. This adds up to an average savings of over 14% off their everyday low prices.

In addition to the products you would normally associate with Home Depot, you may be surprised to learn that they offer such merchandise as flat screen televisions, bamboo and other linens, more than 10 amenity product lines, furniture, mattresses, environmentally safe cleaning products, guest room supplies and much more!

In addition to great prices and an extensive product line, you receive FREE delivery* directly to your inn usually in a day or two. There is a $50 minimum order to avoid a $5 handling charge. (*A few items are plus freight and these are noted in the catalog).

To make your first purchase, simply call 1.800.431.3000 and advise the customer service representative that you need your customer ID number. They will ask for your telephone number to pull up your account so please provide the number that is listed in the PAII directory. Once they give you a customer ID number, go to www.hdsupplysolutions.com to place your order.

Once on their site, click on "register to order" in the 2nd box down on the right side of the page where it says "Not Registered Yet?". Next, you will see a box with "Existing Customers" at the top. Enter your customer ID number and click the "register to order" box. This will bring you into the site where you can create your own password.

If you have any problems, please feel free to contact Karen Hudgeons or Kristin Strong in Membership & Member Services and we will be happy to assist you.
This is a great PAII member benefit and we want you to take full advantage of it. Remember to check our PAII INNfo emails every Tuesday for information on other great benefit and discount programs!
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PAII People: Member Kudos, New Members, & New Vendors
Member Kudos
Congratulations to Duane and Rachel Brown of Gobblers Ridge Lodge B&B in Linn, WV whose inn was recently featured on West Virginia’s ABC and FOX channel's "Traveling West Virginia" spot. As a result of this exposure, they received over 29,000 hits on their web site in 4 days. What a great PR opportunity!

Congratulations to members of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce in North Carolina recently gave awards to Danielle Deschamps and Sandra Deschamps Siano of the Mast Farm Inn for providing "outrageous customer service" and for being the unsung heroes of their community. Good job Danielle and Sandra!

Congratulations to the following aspiring innkeepers who are now inn owners. Best of luck in your new venture!

Janet Calnan of the Inn at Catlin Gardens, State Hill, NY

Diane Thomas of the McCloud Railroad House B&B, McCloud, MN

Denise & Peter Burghardt of the Holly Thorn House B&B Inn, Whitehouse Station, NY

We would like to thank Jack & Judy Burgoyne of the Enterprise House in Enterprise, OR for referring new member Roy Collier of the 1901 Eagle's Haven B&B in Joseph, OR. We really appreciate the support of those who help us grow our membership, and we have given them 2 free months membership as part of our Member-Get-A-Member campaign.

New Members
1901 Eagle's Haven B&B
Roy Collier
Joesph, OR

Alpine Inn
Susan Lough
Little Switzerland, NC
www.alpineinnnc.com

Anniversary House
Nan Johnson
Cedar City, UT
www.theanniversaryhouse.com

Azalea Inn and Gardens
Teresa Jacobson
Savannah, GA
www.azaleainn.com

Bit of Heaven
Carol Newton
Landrum, SC

Cameo Heights Mansion
Deanne Fielding
Touchet, WA

Dane Emerson House
Craig Rogers
Newfield, NY
www.daneemersonhouse.com

Ellis House Bed & Breakfast
Connie Ellis
Southold, NY
www.ellishousebandb.com

The Gathering Place
Diane Shambaugh
Mansfield, OH

Grand Victorian B&B
Bonnie Rabe
New Orleans, LA
www.gvbb.com

The Inn at Ellsworth Estate
Steven Abide
Hailey, ID
www.ellsworthestate.com

Inn at Still Pond, LLC
Lisa Sutton
Homerville, GA
www.innatstillpond.com

The Inn at Willow Creek
Wayne Johnson
Willow Creek, MT

The Levi Deal Mansion
Lara Whelan
Meyersdale, PA
www.levidealmansion.com

Maison Beliveau
Joyce Beliveau
Blacksburg, VA
www.maisonbeliveau.com

A Newfound Bed & Breakfast
Sondra Keene
Bridgewater, NH
www.newfoundlake.com

Rocking Horse Inn B&B
Robert Walker
Ravenna, OH
www.bedandbreakfast.com/ohio-ravenna-rockin

Salmon River Inn
Tracy Mathey
Brightwood, OR
www.salmonriverinn.com

Taylor House Inn
Bernard Russo
Banner Elk, NC
www.taylorhouseinn.com

Victoria Inn
Michael Ninos
Murphys, CA
www.victoriainn-murphys.com

Whispering Waters Bed & Breakfast Suites
Danielle Keith
Lehighton, PA
www.whisperingwatersbnb.com

Wild Goose Inn
Al Bay
East Lansing, MI
www.wildgooseinn.com

New Aspiring Members
Tracy Beam
West Trenton, NJ

Rick DeJarnette
Woodinville, WA

Jessica DiPietro
Portsmouth, RI

Rick Dunham
Dacula, GA

Edith Gower
Palacios, TX

Teresa Graves
Upper Marlboro, MD

Dave & Liesl Mann
Wheaton, IL

Christine Moncure
Alexandria, VA

Patti Navilio
Chicago, IL

Susan Noddin
Elk River, MN

Sarah Pebworth
Montague, MA

Ann Selover
Kirkland, WA

Johnsie Sumner
Charlotte, NC

Lisa Talbott
Hudson, WI

Peter Wajda
Springfield, VA

New Vendor Members
B and B Consulting
Jane Sales
265 Preservation Crossing Avenue
P O Box 745
Midway, GA 31320
consult@bandbconsulting.com
www.bandbconsulting.com

We will guide you to discover crucial details for your decision in buying, selling, jumpstarting, or turning around a bed and breakfast inn. Compelling Bed and Breakfast business success requires keen, strategic focus.

Interim Innkeepers Network (IIN)
Rosemary Seidelmann, President
info@interiminnkeepers.net
www.interiminnkeepers.net

We are a "nonprofit" association of innkeepers who are trained and experienced in providing relief innkeeping services to Bed & Breakfast & Country Inns.
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About innkeeping

innkeeping is published monthly. Annual subscription is included in the price of membership.

Publisher
Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII)

Editor-in-Chief
Laura Middleton

Editorial Staff
Debrah Mosimann, Karen Hudgeons, Jeanine Zeman, Laura Middleton, Kristin Strong, Liza Simpson

Editorial Suggestions and Contributions
Editorial comments and suggestions are welcomed. In addition, if you have a suggestion for an article or would like to contribute an article for innkeeping, please contact innkeeping’s Editor-in-Chief, Laura Middleton, at 856.310.1102 or Laura@paii.org.

Advertising Rates & Information
Monthly banner ads are available. Please send all inquiries to Marlene Sapir at marlene@paii.org or 856.310.1102. MC/VISA/AMEX/DISCOVER accepted.

Editorial Offices
c/o PAII
207 White Horse Pike
Haddon Heights, NJ 08035
Phone: 856.310.1102 • Fax: 856.310.1105
membership@paii.org • www.paii.org

Title Image Courtesy of Jumping Rocks