We like the K.I.S.S. focus of the articles featured in this e-newsletter – and as innkeepers and business persons, you likely also appreciate a ‘Keep It Simple, Silly’ approach to management and marketing.
Growing your Email Opt-In list recommends taking a simple, direct approach: Don’t make your guests fill out a long form. Take as little of their time as possible, and always have an answer for their question, “What’s in it for me?”
Are you ready for EMV card adoption? We’ve been hearing about ‘chip cards’ for years – and the need to upgrade our processing hardware and software. October 2015 is the date when the new “compliance language” will shift the burden of liability for some types of fraudulent credit card transactions away from banks and ultimately on to merchants if the merchant has not significantly deployed EMV terminals and processes. This article provides a clear explanation – with some graphics – on what this means for merchants (you) – and do note the change affects ‘card-present’ transactions, meaning the points of sale where a card is physically presented; online transactions are not affected by new EMV standards and will carry on as normal.
Google Hangouts – unbundled: In a departure of the trend to package / bundle just about everything, Google Hangouts continues the trend of product independence from Google+ with a dedicated website. This week, Google launchedhangouts.google.com, a site that offers all the usual Hangout features, including voice and video calls and text chat. The new page gives the product a landing spot of its own and gives users options that don’t require the use of the company’s social network.
If you missed it …PAII’s webinar from June of 2015 “5 Greatest Marketing Challenges” features Janice Hurley ofbedandbreakfast.com sharing info based on solid research that we’ve come to expect, AND her perspective and actual practice from her two years as innkeeper at the Inn at the Round Barn. The “5” are: OTAs (online travel agents) and how they work, social marketing and time management (note that 80% of travel decisions are made by women and different channels are selected before-during-after travel), ROI tracking of listings, SEO, and photography.
This webinar – and dozens of others – are archived on the PAII website for viewing by PAII members anytime!
A REMINDER: Answers for Your Toughest Marketing Challenges SURVEY
PAII has partnered with LivingSocial to bring you a tool to assess your marketing choices and challenges. STEP ONE is the survey, STEP TWO is the report and webinar.
Share the marketing challenges & solutions you’ve experienced in a 5-10 minute survey. Your responses - and those of your fellow PAII member innkeepers - will be gathered for an exclusive industry study for PAII members and consolidated into a full-feature report called The 2015 B&B Challenges and Trends Report.
Take the survey at: http://livingsocial.travel-
On Wednesday October 14th PAII will host the webinar presented by Living Social which analyzes your top 3 challenges, along with real like strategies to increase your business.
Thank you for your participation - and of course, the more innkeepers that participate, the more valuable the information will be!
CONFERENCE TRIFECTA
We’re neck deep in the ‘trifecta’ of conference planning: the site, the speakers, and the trade show. We’re anxious to share the line-up of events and industry experts – innkeepers, industry partners, consultants – with you. What’s next of course, is welcoming YOU - we’ll be opening registration soon.
Photo & Recipe Contest Rules on PAII Blog … and much more
Our Fall Photo & Recipe contest rules are posted on the blog http://paiiinnkeepers.
Airbnb - Part 9:
You may have seen a recent Airbnb blog post wherein they boast that the “Voice of Innkeeping” has “formally embraced Airbnb and expressed their support for its platform.”
While PAII has not taken to claiming it is the Voice of Innkeeping, it is the biggest and longest standing group dedicated solely to the interests of B&Bs and Inns throughout the United States and elsewhere. Our operating expenses are 100% funded by membership dues and the only outside money we receive is from funds used to defray the cost of our annual conference. PAII has, and will continue to refrain from "embracing" any one particular vendor – especially one whose practices can prove detrimental to our members and their businesses.
PAII believes its role is to serve as the “honest broker” and we will continue to work with Innkeepers, Vendors, and Federal, State and Local Governments, to level the playing field for all B&Bs and Short Term Rentals.
To that end, we are making significant progress! Several recent news reports show that, when challenged and pressured, Airbnb properties will pay taxes, will meet building, fire, safety and health codes and regulations, will get appropriate commercial insurance and will get "legal.”
If you are an Innkeeper who cares about our industry, who is concerned that all guests have safe, secure, healthy and exceptional stays and who wants a level playing field for all B&Bs and Short Term Rentals, then you need to join YOUR PAII and your fellow Innkeepers, large and small, in this endeavor. PAII works for all innkeepers and has been, and still is, the real voice of B&Bs.
If you are a member of any other group and have been surprised with their "embrace" of Airbnb then you need to Join YOUR PAII and get involved in the effort to make every B&B Legal, Safe and Secure.
If you dropped out of PAII because you heard that PAII was dead – BE ASSURRED - YOUR PAII is very much alive and well, is advocating for our members, and all B&Bs, on a wide variety of topics and at multiple levels of Government. Please consider rejoining us and take advantage of the educational opportunities, PAII Forums, Webinars, Blog, Newsletters, Quarterly Magazine, Annual Educational Conference, Vendor partners, and the dedication of an organization that will fight for your best interests, not the interests of a select few Inns or vendors.
If you are the owner of a property listed on Airbnb and you want to get "legal" then join PAII and we will help you.
And if you are not listed on Airbnb - then you should be so you can get exposure to a whole new set of potential guests. But - make sure you are legal first - and then brag about being legal on your listing. Guests do care that that you will provide them with a safe, secure, comfortable, and exceptional experience that only a legal B&B / Inn can offer.
Our recommendation to list on Airbnb is not a contradiction to our philosophy. If ALL B&Bs listed on Airbnb were legal and in compliance with applicable regulations and codes, maybe someday we could all learn to “embrace” their platform, too. PAII believes that by highlighting the fact that we are legally compliant, customers will soon focus on the differences and choose our Inns over those that are not.
Photo Contests:
Deadline for entering has been extended to September 15, 2015: Details and Contest Rules for the PAII Member’s Recipe Contest For Our Fall Innkeeping Now Magazine! http://paiiinnkeeper
News You Can Use:
How to Grow Your Lodging's Email Opt-in List -
Industry News:
Are you ready for EMV card adoption?
Social Media & SEO Changes Innkeepers Should be aware of:
Google Gives Hangouts Its Own Place To Hang:Google launches a dedicated desktop page for its free communication tool.
Featured Past PAII Webinar from our Archives:
The 5 Greatest Marketing Challenges
Innkeeping Recipes:
From the Nebraska Association of Bed & Breakfast http://www.nebraskabb.com/
Cherry Chocolate Chip Muffins From the kitchen of Pine Crest Farms B&B
Upcoming Webinars for PAII Members
Please register at http://www.innkeeping.org/?
(you will need to login to your PAII account)
(you will need to login to your PAII account)
Wednesday, September 2, 2015, 2:00 PM EST
Clever hacks to boost your inn's revenue!
Little Hotelier and the Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII) are excited to bring you this free webinar that covers:
· The basics of yield management
· Pricing strategies you can use to boost revenue
· How you can measure your success
Your hosts: Noelani Berkholtz, Little Hotelier
This webinar is perfect for small accommodation providers who want to pick up some practical tips on how to increase your revenue.
This webinar is perfect for small accommodation providers who want to pick up some practical tips on how to increase your revenue.
Association Webinars (Open to All)
Wednesday, September 9, 2015, 2:00 PM EST
Member Retention and Acquisition for Associations
It has become harder and harder for Associations, not just Bed and Breakfast Associations to retain and acquire new members. We will go over what's working, what's not and the latest and best models for retention and member acquisition.
-PAII Staff
This webinar is open to anyone in the Bed and Breakfast industry, please register at: https://attendee.
Wednesday, Sept 16, 2015, 2:00 PM EST
7 Strategies to Increase Traffic to Your Website
If putting more heads in beds is a priority of yours, then increasing traffic to your website needs to be a priority, as well! They will explain the 7 Strategies to Increase Traffic to Your Website. A few of the strategies they will discuss include familiar subjects like email marketing and blogging, while a few of the other strategies are centered around goal setting and measuring success.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015, 2:00 PM EST
Mistakes That Cost You Money
Lisa Kolb will go over some of the mistakes made by SMBs (small business owners) that can cost them a lot money in the long-run, generally made from not knowing the big consequences of what seemed like a small decision. Knowing about these consequences can help you to avoid the pitfalls of a bad decision and make more money!
Lisa Kolb will go over some of the mistakes made by SMBs (small business owners) that can cost them a lot money in the long-run, generally made from not knowing the big consequences of what seemed like a small decision. Knowing about these consequences can help you to avoid the pitfalls of a bad decision and make more money!
Wednesday, September 30, 2015, 2:00 PM EST
Top 10 Online Marketing Recommendations for Inn Websites
Learn how you can optimize and leverage your inn's website, and use content marketing tactics to gather more leads, grow your business and compel more visitors to book direct at the site. From solid principles to progressive tactics, we'll look at strategies, tips from the trenches, and compare tools with a goal of increasing revenue and profitability. We will cover in more detail the ideas presented in this post -http://webdirexion.com/
For more upcoming webinars check out http://paiiinnkeepers.
To register, please use http://www.innkeeping.org/
Don’t forget, We have set up an e-mail address questions@PAII.org for you to ask questions and make comments directly to your board.
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