PAII News You Can Use 10-27-2015

We are committed to fostering a knowledgeable, caring and conscientious community of professional innkeepers, networking with each other throughout the world. Your Weekly News & Updates News You Can Use - our weekly cruise thru the issues and topics for the business of Innkeeping. Our Executive Director, Kris Ullmer is currently at The 28th Annual Innkeeping Conference of the Michigan Lake to Lake B&B Association, she was last night’s Gala Keynote Dinner State of the Industry Speaker: Speaking about Vision for the Future. Her Executive Director update will be returning in next week’s News You Can Use! Conference Update: PAII Innkeeping Conference & Trade Show, Austin TX January 10-14, 2016(Sunday thru Thursday) Be an EARLYBIRD registrant – you’ll get a lot more than a worm! Registration is open and here’s a quick look at what you’ll enjoy at an affordable rate: 3 ½ days of stimulating educational sessions, in both large and small group meetings. Katherine Lugar, CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association keynotes, and the Hospitality Marketing Summit (HMS) is the core of our tech & marketing education.   Conference Schedule 12 hours of Trade Show floor time – your opportunity to shop, learn, see what’s the latest from your favorite suppliers … and check out our first-time exhibitors.   3 lunches – take a quick break in the Trade Show to visit and compare notes with innkeepers while you plan your shopping strategy. And, join everyone back in the Trade Show for the reception on Monday evening. Celebrate Tuesday night along with us AND BedandBeakfast.com – it’s their 20th anniversary … and did you know they are based in Austin? We’ve got our own local concierge! EarlyBird registration rates end on October 31, 2015: More registration details at http://www.innkeepingshow.com/attendee-registration   News You Can Use: Yahoo Small Business Turns Over Local Listings Management To Yext http://searchengineland.com/yahoo-small-business-turns-over-local-listings-management-to-yext-233069 Industry News: The Rise of B&Bs for Business Use http://www.hotelogix.com/blog/2015/10/07/the-rise-of-bbs-for-business-use/ Social Media & SEO Changes Innkeepers Should be aware of: Facebook Is Rolling Out Verified Badges For Local Business Pages http://marketingland.com/new-facebook-is-rolling-out-verified-badges-for-local-business-pages-145276 Featured Past PAII Webinar from our Archives: Make your Business Work While You're Not There https://vimeo.com/user17593333/review/91299614/f8b1f867c4 Innkeeping Recipes: From the Empire State Bed & Breakfast Association http://www.esbba.com Gingerbread Scones from the kitchen of Sunny of Sunnys Roost Bed & Breakfast  http://www.esbba.com http://www.esbba.com/post.php?pid=36 Conference Vendor Spotlight: InnPayment http://paiiinnkeepers.blogspot.com/2015/10/conference-partner-spotlight-innpayment.html Upcoming Webinars (free for members) Please register athttp://www.innkeeping.org/?page=webinars (you will need to login to your PAII account) Wednesday, October 28, 2015, 2:00 PM EST Mobile Armageddon Has Come and Gone - Were You Left Behind? In the wake of the recent Google Mobile Update, some innkeepers may be wondering what happened to their sites in the Google results. Come to this webinar to have Lisa Kolb test your site to rate its mobile effectiveness, and learn more about the necessity of a mobile display in the new Mobile Age! -Acorn Internet Wednesday, November 4, 2015, 2:00 PM EST Yield Management Utilizing yield management in regard to your rates can help you increase profit without doing anymore work. How does that sound? Maybe a better question is, how does that work? In this webinar, we will show you how to use basic yield management practices to increase your profit. Some you of you may be doing it without realizing so. Do you have different weekend and midweek rates? Or do you have different rates based on peak season and low season? If you do, then you've already started practicing yield management! This session will dive a bit deeper on other ways you can increase your profit. Are you 90% occupied on weekends throughout the year? Time to raise price! Are you 100% occupied for a local graduation? Time to raise price! These are just a few examples of when you should raise price and let that additional $20, $30, or $50 go straight to the bottom line! -Q4Launch Wednesday, November 11, 2015, 2:00 PM EST Optimizing Landing Pages to Gather Prospects An in-depth look at how to create and use optimized lead gathering landing pages to grow a list of prospective customers and nurture those you already have so they continue to book on your website and return to your inn.  We will also focus on campaigns and tactics to boost occupancy during slow seasons.  We'll compare do-it-yourself services, persuasion principles, and tactics for using specials and promotional packages pages to capture more prospective visitors before they leave your site.  Includes an introduction to A/B testing concepts and real world examples; some incentives that get people to sign up; and a review of some "lead nurturing" and "drip marketing" tools like Constant Contact and MailChimp. -Webdirexion Please Click Here To See A Full List of Upcoming Webinars for 2015 Professional Association of Innkeepers International 295 Seven Farms Drive, Suite 236-C Charleston, SC 29492 Phone: (856) 310-1102 http://www.innkeeping.org

Conference Partner Spotlight InnPayment

InnPayment (parent name is Yapstone) is a credit card processor that is the leader in the industry, processing over 14 billion dollars a year across all verticals. We have several reservation software affiliates that have direct integrations with our system. Included are RezOvation/Webervation (both are HomeAway products), Innkeeper’s Advantage, and Reservation Key. We also offer a FLAT rate of 2.5%. No set up fees, monthly fees, or processing fees. Our clients and/or their guests can make payments online, over the phone, or in person by using our services. We have a call center that is open 5 AM PDT – 9 PM PDT as well as a dedicated account management team to help resolve and issues or questions.

What trends are you seeing in your own specific industry that are important to innkeepers? Processors typically charge extra fees, as well as hidden fees, on top of the rate that they quote. We don’t charge any additional fees or hidden fees. We charge a flat 2.5% across the board for Visa/MC/Discover domestic. International cards do incur a higher fee. AMEX is a flat $0.50 on top of whatever rate they charge. This is a trend that we started long ago and are continuing, making InnPayment a very desirable company to use for processing credit cards. More and more, people want to book and pay online. We enable them and our clients to do so either via the reservation software program, or through our system directly.

What is your favorite thing about the B&B industry? The fact that it is a small, niche market where people in the industry know each other and help each other.

http://innpayment.com

PAII News You Can Use 10-20-2015

We are committed to fostering a knowledgeable, caring and conscientious community of professional innkeepers, networking with each other throughout the world. Your Weekly News & Updates News You Can Use - our weekly cruise thru the issues and topics for the business of Innkeeping. News You Can Use – whether immediately, or kept in mind for a future need, we at PAII are all about sending timely industry information your way!  As you operate your business, you are continually being tugged by social media demands, how to (or whether to) maximize your TripAdvisor presence, to pick a few from this issue. These and virtually all topics that affect your enjoyment of Innkeeping – and your ability to make it profitable – will be explored at our aptly named Innkeeping Conference & Trade Show in just over 2 months!  And, before you leave the comfort of your inn for Austin, check out the How to Network in Person webinar that we’ve included! Til next week! Kris Ullmer, PAII Executive Director PAII Q&A Webinar: You still have a few minutes to sign up for this afternoon's B&B.com webinar (you can join in after the webinar has started as well) Join members of the Professional Association of International Innkeepers for an in-depth question and answer session about the state of the industry. BedandBreakfast.com and PAII open Q&A. https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6391378998507245314 (this webinar is being recorded and will be available for later review if you miss it!) News You Can Use: 5 Ways Lodging Operators Leveraged Guest Feedback to Improve on TripAdvisor https://www.revinate.com/blog/2015/08/5-ways-hotels-leveraged-guest-feedback-improve-tripadvisor/ Industry News: Hotels vs. bed and breakfasts [INFOGRAPHIC]  (also a good comparision about what a B&B offers vs Airbnb) http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/info/travelers/travel-inspiration-guides/hotels-vs-bed-and-breakfasts Social Media & SEO Changes Innkeepers Should be aware of: Facebook Is Testing Tweaks In The Design For Brand Pages http://marketingland.com/facebook-is-testing-tweaks-in-the-design-for-brand-pages-141758 Featured Past PAII Webinar from our Archives: How to Work a Room (Or How to Network in Person) https://vimeo.com/user17593333/review/105168965/c3a88c3794   Innkeeping Recipes: From the California Association of Boutique & Breakfast Inns https://www.cabbi.com Raspberry Pikelets with Mascarpone from the kitchen of The Bissell House https://www.cabbi.com/recipes/detail/29   Conference Vendor Spotlight: Comphy http://paiiinnkeepers.blogspot.com/2015/10/conference-partner-spotlight-comphy.html Upcoming Webinars(free for members) Please register at http://www.innkeeping.org/?page=webinars (you will need to login to your PAII account) Wednesday, October 21, 2015, 2:00 PM EST 10 tax tips for B&Bs We will discuss the tax treatment of Bed & Breakfasts and give 10 tax tips every B&B owner should know.  We will discuss entity selection, maximizing deductions, tax minimization strategies, and long-term planning for the B&B owner. -Legare, Bailey and Hinske, LLC Wednesday, October 28, 2015, 2:00 PM EST Mobile Armageddon Has Come and Gone - Were You Left Behind? In the wake of the recent Google Mobile Update, some innkeepers may be wondering what happened to their sites in the Google results. Come to this webinar to have Lisa Kolb test your site to rate its mobile effectiveness, and learn more about the necessity of a mobile display in the new Mobile Age! -Acorn Internet Wednesday, November 4, 2015, 2:00 PM EST Yield Management Utilizing yield management in regard to your rates can help you increase profit without doing anymore work. How does that sound? Maybe a better question is, how does that work? In this webinar, we will show you how to use basic yield management practices to increase your profit. Some you of you may be doing it without realizing so. Do you have different weekend and midweek rates? Or do you have different rates based on peak season and low season? If you do, then you've already started practicing yield management! This session will dive a bit deeper on other ways you can increase your profit. Are you 90% occupied on weekends throughout the year? Time to raise price! Are you 100% occupied for a local graduation? Time to raise price! These are just a few examples of when you should raise price and let that additional $20, $30, or $50 go straight to the bottom line! -Q4Launch For additional webinars scheduled into next year please visit http://paiiinnkeepers.blogspot.com/p/upcoming-webinars.html 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. Professional Association of Innkeepers International 295 Seven Farms Drive, Suite 236-C Charleston, SC 29492 Phone: (856) 310-1102 http://www.innkeeping.org

Conference Partner Spotlight Comphy

Comphy provides luxury linens that are not only remarkably soft, but satisfy both the functional needs of an innkeeper and bring a finished look to your bed. Modeled after our innovative spa treatment table linens, Comphy offers the best in durability, sustainability, design, and quality. 

Benefits of Comphy linens include:

·       Performance fabric assures breathability and comfort

·       Eco-friendly fiber is 100% recyclable

·       Wrinkle free fabric that gets softer over time

·       Treated for stain release

·       300 wash guarantee

·       Extra fine weave protects against dust mites and allergens

·       Linens are made of a high-performance, superior quality microfiber that is comparable to the hand of 600 thread count Egyptian sheets

In addition, Comphy is known for excellent customized services. Comphy Retail for Home collection allows your guest to take the experience they had at your inn, home with them every night. There’s nothing more inviting than a Comphy bed. Developed for Spa, designed for Ahh!

2. What do you see as the biggest challenges to the innkeeping industry at this time? Finding time…

3. What trends are you seeing in your own, specific industry that are important to innkeepers? Innkeepers don’t have a lot of time, so providing time saving tips on laundry can help them save in time and money.

4. What is your favorite thing about the B&B community? Bed and breakfast community is  warm and friendly, if there was one thing I have seen over the years; it is everyone is open to helping one another. This is a big part of what drives me to be the best I can be for the B&B market.

5. Do you have any new products/services that you’re introducing this year?

Luxury Pillows & Inserts:

www.comphy.com

Conference Partner Spotlight Berkshire Amenities Group

Berkshire Amenities Group, Inc. (BAGI) is a privately help corporation owned by Gene and Karen Faul CEO and President respectively. BAGI is the exclusive distributor for Monarch/Cypress bathrobes, towels, and Sheets. Gene and Karen also serve as CEO and President of Monarch/Cypress which serves the hospitality industry at large. In 1980 they founded Cypress in Carmel, Ca. which was subsequently sold to others. During the Cypress years and aside from the hospitality sector they managed Ralph Lauren Robes and Sleepwear, and all through the 90's Tommy Hilfiger Sleepwear as well as serving the best department stores as Saks, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Dillards, Neimans, etc. Primary hospitality customers include Four Seasons Hotels Worldwide, OMNI, Marriott, Trump, Mandarin Oriental, Pebble Beach Corp, the Breakers to name a few. BAGI and Monarch/Cypress pride themselves by offering the very best service and quality in the hospitality marketplace.

Monarch/Cypress has pioneered products which seriously address the growing concern for our environment. Its Green Earth towel collection is capable of conserving energy and water both of which have been proven with extensive hotel testing in the hotel environment. Our microfiber sheets dry faster, are super comfortable, and are guaranteed for 300 wash/dry cycles which is unheard of for cotton sheets.

BAGI is headquartered in Sheffield, Ma in the heart of the Berkshires, and Monarch/Cypress distribution center is located in S. Plainfield, N.J. This DC also maintains full in house embroidery ability.

You could not possibly put your trust in a more capable organization and in Gene and Karen Faul both of whom have decades of experience in both the apparel and hospitality sectors.

    Besides representing Monarch/Cypress BAGI also represents Down Inc. and its exceptional down products all made in the USA.

What do you see as the biggest challenges to the innkeeping industry at this time?

1. Airbnb

2. A worsening environment and weather concerns

3. Failure to stay current with new product innovations.

What trends are you seeing in your own specific industry that are important to innkeepers?

1. Rapid development of environmentally friendly products

2. A greater use of more sophisticated electronics

What is your favorite thing about the B&B industry?

-The high quality of innkeeper ownership

New products this year?

-Expansion of products that address environmental concerns

http://www.berkshireamenitiesgroup.com

http://www.monarchcypress.com

PAII's News You Can Use 10-6-2015

We are committed to fostering a knowledgeable, caring and conscientious community of professional innkeepers, networking with each other throughout the world. Your Weekly News & Updates News You Can Use - our weekly cruise thru the issues and topics for the business of Innkeeping. Your “News You Can Use” this week follows last week’s Innkeeping NOW magazine – lots of great reading, and we wouldn’t be surprised if you’re still looking it over.  If, for some reason the Fall Innkeeping NOW issue didn’t make it to your email inbox, send us a note and we’ll forward it to you right away. This week’s “News” has some welcome and long awaited news:  (excerpt) Google is stepping up to take on robocallers that claim affiliation with the company in order to prey on small businesses. In addition to launching a new page for users to report call scams, Google filed suit on Wednesday against a search engine optimization firm for making robocalls.  We thought the graphic of an “Illegal robo call” path was quite interesting; it brought to mind a mid-west corn maze or a labyrinth! When you click the link to read the Google article, there likely will be a pop-up for a Social Media Marketing Conference. ‘Looks like a valuable conference … at a $1495 per person registration, and $2395 if you want to hear the keynote speakers.  We’ll can’t restrain ourselves from commenting  that the industry experts who are presenting at the PAII Innkeeping Conference  - in the Hospitality Marketing Summit sessions and breakout sessions – are second to none AND have years (decades!) of experience in our specialized hospitality niche. And by the way, our FULL CONFERENCE  REGISTRATION is $349 … and $199 for additional staff from your inn! (PAII member pricing / early bird rate) A few words about Innkeeping Conference Registration – we previously mentioned that we have placed the registration on a separate website.  Here are your specific steps: Go to the paii.org website (or Innkeeping.org) Click the “about” tab Click “2016 Innkeeping Conference” Click “Attendee Registration”  then “click here to register” … you are brought to the PAII Conference Registration Website … Click “2016 Innkeeping conference & Trade Show…) and you are now in the registration field! All you need is your email – you don’t need your PAII member password.Follow the prompts … and we’ll see you in Austin! ‘til next week! KRIS Airbnb Part 11 - "Buyer Beware"   http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/2015/10/04/safety-airbnb-rental-steven-petrow/73334322/ News You Can Use: Same-sex wedding offerings are a growth area for hoteliers. http://www.hotelfandb.com/biol/nov-dec2014-same-sex-weddings.asp October 14, 2015 @ 2 pm ET - EMV 101 What Small Businesses Need to Know About the Switch to Chip Card Technology: SBA and Square have teamed up to offer a free webinar to help small businesses across the country navigate the upcoming transition to EMV chip card technology.  Topics covered include what the transition to EMV chip card technology means for small businesses; what EMV chip card technology is and why it’s more secure; and how to prepare for new fraud liability rules impacting merchants beginning October 1, 2015. Registration is free but required. http://ems.intellor.com/index.cgi?p=205463&t=71&do=register&s=&rID=436&edID=293 Or you can view a past taped version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqlI3E0yzH0&feature=youtu.be Industry News: A Hotelier’s Perspective on the Sharing Economy: Welcome, Airbnb. Seriously http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4071429.html  Social Media & SEO Changes Innkeepers Should be aware of: Google Files Suit Against SEO Firm Accused Of Robocalling, Launches Complaint Center For Users http://searchengineland.com/google-files-suit-against-seo-firm-accused-of-robocalling-launches-complaint-center-for-users-230796 Featured Past PAII Webinar from our Archives: Today's Trends in Bed Linens https://vimeo.com/user17593333/review/91227265/763340d6c2 Innkeeping Recipes: From the The Country Inns of the Dartmouth - Lake Sunapee Region http://www.nhcountryinns.com/ Breakfast Tarts from the kitchen of Sunapee View Bed and Breakfast http://nhcountryinns.blogspot.com/2012/06/breakfast-tarts-from-sunapee-view-bed.html Conference Vendor Spotlight: Berkshire Amenities http://paiiinnkeepers.blogspot.com/2015/10/conference-partner-spotlight-berkshire.html Upcoming Webinars(free for members) Please register at http://www.innkeeping.org/?page=webinars (you will need to login to your PAII account) Wednesday, October 7, 2015, 2:00 PM EST Email + Social Media: Strategies & Tools Let's be frank. It's tough being disciplined enough to send regular emails to your former guests and chat with them on social media. But studies consistently show that innkeepers who do enjoy more new guests and more repeat guests. This webinar will share with you some tools, strategies, and organizational tips you can use to hone your email and social marketing strategies. -Cloudbeds Wednesday, October 14, 2015, 2:00 PM EST Top 3 Challenges for Bed &Breakfast's and Strategies to Increase Business   In a recent poll we asked B&B's their greatest business challenges and what strategies they used to overcome them. Hear real life strategies and pain points from LivingSocial's featured Travel Customer (TBA) and the Director of Travel, Dustin Warr. Learn how to maximize your marketing programs and generate more business. Don't miss out on this engaging webinar. -Living Social Wednesday, October 21, 2015, 2:00 PM EST  10 tax tips for B&Bs We will discuss the tax treatment of Bed & Breakfasts and give 10 tax tips every B&B owner should know.  We will discuss entity selection, maximizing deductions, tax minimization strategies, and long-term planning for the B&B owner. -Legare, Bailey and Hinske, LLC Wednesday, October 28, 2015, 2:00 PM EST Mobile Armageddon Has Come and Gone - Were You Left Behind? In the wake of the recent Google Mobile Update, some innkeepers may be wondering what happened to their sites in the Google results. Come to this webinar to have Lisa Kolb test your site to rate its mobile effectiveness, and learn more about the necessity of a mobile display in the new Mobile Age!  -Acorn Internet For additional webinars scheduled into next year please visit http://paiiinnkeepers.blogspot.com/p/upcoming-webinars.html 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. Professional Association of Innkeepers International 295 Seven Farms Drive, Suite 236-C Charleston, SC 29492 Phone: (856) 310-1102 http://www.innkeeping.org