PAII News You Can Use for 11-24-2015

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 B&B looks so much better than the pictures" ... while no innkeeper wants create expectations or make promises they can't deliver, how many potential guests decided NOT to book because of less than appealing photos? Just a few?  Not according to our first articleTravellers Apparently Put Off Booking Accommodation if Photos are Bad which states  "Ove  r three quarters of those who were later shown a web page with spruced up image included said they would consider booking a stay, compared to 13% for the poorer quality photograph." And, the difference in what a guest would pay was less than half for the poorly portrayed room ($64 vs $136 after converting the British pound to the U.S dollar!) Hospitality consultant and blogger Chef Forfeng aka Heather Turner, who is also PAII's marketing & communications guru, chatted with TripAdvisor and posed your questions ... read about how Business Listings have gone from flat pricing to now where each property has an individually calculated price based on specific criteria and how these can be further refined or negotiated.  Meet Heather at the PAII Innkeeping Show in Austin this January! And with that segue, we'll note more breakout session topics have been finalized - soon to be added to the program posted on the innkeepingshow.com site. For innkeepers who just can't getaway for the entire conference, we've also posted the 1-day registration options.  'til next time! Kris Ullmer, PAII Executive Director Happy Thanksgiving from the Staff and Board of Directors at PAII! News You Can Use: Travelers apparently put off booking accommodation if photos are bad Read More..... Industry News: Q&A with Tripadvisor's Head of Industry Relations, Brian Payea Read More..... Social Media & SEO Changes Innkeepers Should be aware of: Introducing Twitter Polls Read More..... Featured Past PAII Webinar from our Archives: Hands On PR Check it out..... Innkeeping Recipes: From the Indiana Bed & Breakfast Association  Persimmon Bread from the Kitchen of the Lanning House and 1920 Annex Read More..... Upcoming Webinars (free for members) Please register at http://www.innkeeping.org/?page=webinars  (you will need to login to your PAII account) Wednesday, November 25, 2015, 2:00 PM EST B&B Photography DIY Tips & Tricks Part One Additional discussion to help finesse your food photography, again using what you have available. Emphasis will be on styling, arranging, props, accessories, and looking at the results with a ruthless eye! Also we'll talk about the factors under your control that either make or break a good food shot. -Peter Billard Photography   Wednesday, December 2, 2015, 2:00 PM EST How to sharpen your online pricing strategy? To run a successful business, innkeepers must maximise their profit opportunities while ensuring they don't frighten their guests by being perceived as expensive. How do you work out a well-founded pricing strategy and policy. How do you set the 'right' price?  During this webinar, you will gain insights in the components that influence price, and get to know the different steps of an optimal pricing process and innovative price determination. ... If your pricing policy is not as strategic as it might be, you may want to use some tools to help you both design it and implement it.  -Xotelia    Wednesday, December 9, 2015 (rescheduled from October 14) 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, December 16, 2015 Bring in more guests and increase RevPar with Off Season Booking Promotions  Many inns are fully booked during the high season but have trouble filling openings in mid- week and off-season. Extending your season by several weeks or getting a few more mid-week bookings  can dramatically increase your RevPar.  This webinar will show you how to use the power of unusual holidays and special events to create booking promotions that will attract and delight your guests. It will include live examples of successful promotions implemented by innkeepers. -Fully Booked Inn 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

PAII News You Can Use for 11-10-2015

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. Hello from the Holiday Inn (sorry about that) in Eau Claire WI – the host property of the joint WI and MN B&B associations annual conference. As many of you and your B&B associations have discovered, partnering distributes the work among more volunteers / staff and the increased innkeeper attendance makes the event very attractive to speakers and exhibitors. That, of course, is the principle driving the PAII conference! And just to respond here to input that you have provided to me via calls & emails: there is not a “PAII rate” for our January conference at Austin Hotels. No one is authorized to contact you offering to book your lodging on behalf of PAII. I found the best rates at booking.com – that’s where I did the research. By calling the hotel directly you’ll be quoted a much higher rate … go figure. Some of your fellow B&B innkeepers have offered very attractive rates too! We’re ‘this close’ to finalizing a partnership that will bring presenters to our conference from an industry that many of you participate in …but has not been previously represented in a ‘track’ at the conference. Change in our industry is constant … We’ve just seen the acquisition of Orbitz by Expedia … who has now purchased HomeAway, the parent company of bedandbreakfast.com. There’s more on that 3.9 billion dollar acquisition in our Industry News link. Check out the infographic from Cloudbeds (they’ll be at the PAII conference) which shows the # of monthly users for each (some surprises there), the fee range, and which OTA is typically the best fit for a type of lodging property (hotel, B&B, etc.) The link to the in-depth analysis is a good read too. Airbnb has scored a major victory in San Francisco (their headquarters) in which the legislation to limit the # of nights rented to 75/annually by an Airbnb host was defeated. Airbnb spent 8.4 million dollars on the effort. And yet, a recently completed report focusing on New York City concluded over 2,800 jobs are directly lost by diverting room nights from hotels to airbnb properties, and the study estimates more than $226 million annually in lost tax revenues for local, state and federal governments. This despite a 2010 state law prohibits the short-term rental (less than 30 days) of apartments in New York City when the host is not present. (read more at the ‘New Study…’ article). Again, go figure… I’ll end on a more upbeat note … we’ll be educating about 2 dozen aspiring innkeepers at our (MN & WI) seminar. And as we say “some of you will become innkeepers BECAUSE of what we say today … or IN SPITE of what we say today”! ‘Til next week! Kris Ullmer, PAII Executive Director News You Can Use: Which OTA Should Your Lodging Property Use? – Infographic  https://www.cloudbeds.com/articles/which-ota-should-your-hotel-use/ Industry News: Expedia Acquires HomeAway for $3.9 Billion http://skift.com/2015/11/04/expedia-acquires-homeaway-for-3-9-billion/    New study confirms Airbnb’s negative impact on hotel industry http://hotelmarketing.com/index.php/content/article/new_study_confirms_airbnbs_negative_impact_on_hotel_industry Social Media & SEO Changes Innkeepers Should be aware of: Yahoo Says It Has Its Own Algorithm For Mobile Search Results http://searchengineland.com/yahoo-says-it-has-its-own-algorithm-for-mobile-search-results-234059 Featured Past PAII Webinar from our Archives: Understanding Accounting II https://vimeo.com/user17593333/review/92172591/01c7a50054 Innkeeping Recipes: From the Michigan Lake to Lake Bed and Breakfast Association http://www.laketolake.com Grandma's Famous Apple Torte from the Kitchen of Torch Lake B&B LLC http://www.laketolake.com/recipes.php?r=253 Conference Vendor Spotlight: Inn Consulting Partners http://paiiinnkeepers.blogspot.com/2015/11/conference-partner-spotlight-inn.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, 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 Wednesday, November 18, 2015, 2:00 PM EST B&B Photography DIY Tips & Tricks Part One How you can get good looking food shots with what you already have to work with. We’ll cover things to consider before and during your food shooting session, primarily using your smart phone and available lighting. With the right planning and a sharp eye, there’s no reason you can’t get some nice photos to help entice those new visitors.  -Peter Billard Photography Wednesday, November 25, 2015, 2:00 PM ESTB&B Photography DIY Tips & Tricks Part Two Additional discussion to help finesse your food photography, again using what you have available. Emphasis will be on styling, arranging, props, accessories, and looking at the results with a ruthless eye! Also we’ll talk about the factors under your control that either make or break a good food shot. -Peter Billard Photography 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.

Conference Partner Spotlight Inn Consulting Partners

While Inn Consulting Partners has gone through several name iterations in its 35 years of serving the Innkeeping community, a constant theme has been its efforts to provide quality, ethical service to all.  A primary function of Inn partners is to bring together buyers and sellers in successful transfers.

Another constant has been the roles of longtime partners, Bill Oates, and his spouse, Heide Bredfeldt.  Bill is the numbers guy, while Heide, a trained psychologist, focuses on the personal side of Innkeeping.  Tim Piper has joined us after 11 years as a partner of a Select Registry Bed and Breakfast in Vermont and a lifetime of hospitality management.  He is the current president of the Vermont Inn and Bed and Breakfast Association (VIBBA).   

Inn Partners has consulted in the sale of over 300 Bed and Breakfasts and Inns in the United States (and two in Europe!).  Their ultimate goal is to facilitate successful transfers for both buyers and sellers.  Believing knowledge is critical, Inn Partners offers regular seminars for aspiring Innkeepers.  Whether you are looking to purchase an Inn or are thinking of selling your Inn, Inn Partners has the experience and the tools to make the transition a success.

They believe the biggest challenges are created by the division in the industry.  Education is critical for prospective Innkeepers and current Innkeepers and staying ahead of the curve is necessary to maintain quality in service, attention to details and to anticipate guests' needs.  They are longtime members of PAII and are proud of this association, as the organization has proven itself to be more vital than ever as a source of education and inspiration in the hospitality industry. 

Some significant trends are the rise of millennial consumers and the need this creates for Innkeepers to engage with social media and staying up-to-date with the desires of this segment of travelers.  (Marketing is key!)  Another is the obvious effect that the sharing economy, specifically Airbnb, has had and will continue to have on the segment of the hospitality industry.  Come find them to discuss these trends and others!

Our favorite thing about the B&B industry is the people.  We always look forward to visiting with longstanding friends and making new ones.

Over the last year, Inn Partners has refined its buyer consulting program, recognizing the importance of education and guidance in the transfer process.  They continue to consult with many fine Inns throughout the country and offer consulting on every level, from marketing and operational consulting to our transfer consulting program.  For prospective buyers, their Seminar for Future Innkeepers is the perfect entree into the world of Innkeeping.   

http://www.innpartners.com   

PAII News You Can Use for 11-3-2015

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.   Greetings! I had the pleasure of traveling to Michigan last week, to attend and keynote at the Michigan Lake to Lake B&B Association Conference.  The ‘lake to lake’ moniker is a ready reference: when I asked an innkeeper about their location, the response was “I’m on the Lake Huron side” or “I’m on the Lake Michigan side” of the state! We all enjoyed sessions on getting beyond burnout, building guest loyalty, social media marketing tools and more, plus a robust trade show. In my presentation, we took a look at the innkeeping industry (past, present, future) and examined a few of the challenges that you as innkeepers face daily – specifically, trying to keep up with marketing / social media, and unfair competition by unregulated lodging properties listed on a number of websites. This slide illustrates this unfair competition using the cost of doing business:   We had a lively discussion on whether / how B&Bs can differentiate their lodging from the unregulated lodging … and there is no easy formula that will appeal to all audiences – just as marketing must be differentiated. I’ll be attending another state B&B conference this coming week – the joint Wisconsin & Minnesota B&B Association Conference – and we say “East or West, B&Bs are Best!”  This will be my final event as Executive Director of WBBA.  Many of the presenters I first saw at a PAII Conference – which I’ve always looked to as the go-to-source for the speakers that I would want to bring to the state B&B conference.  And now as the Executive Director of PAII, that’s a tradition well worth continuing – the upcoming PAII Innkeeping Show will feature the best & brightest & most experienced in our industry.  As we’re just over 2 months away from the trip to Austin, we’re turning our focus to the program details – and we’ll share them with you as soon as finalized.  BTW, early registration discounts are on! On-going education is vital, and on that note, this week’s News You Can Use has plenty of food-for thought, including:  The continuing shift in online bookings from the ‘brand’ (directly with the property) to the OTA’s … while lodging properties have focused on the guest experience, OTA’s have invested in digital booking technology. TripAdvisor now provides analytics to its registered businesses, with the insights sourced from Tripadvisor itself: its reviews, rankings, and competitor analysis.  And, check out the LINK on this article to the “Naked Truth…” ‘til next week – Kris Ullmer PAII Executive Director kris@paii.org News You Can Use: Hotelier’s Action Plan to Win Back Market Share from the OTAs http://blog.hebsdigital.com/hoteliers-action-plan-to-win-back-market-share-from-the-otas/ Industry News: Tripadvisor-registered businesses get access to new analytics http://www.tnooz.com/article/tripadvisor-analytics-review-performance/ 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: Cooking Classes B&B Style https://vimeo.com/user17593333/review/91339464/c05d303a39 Innkeeping Recipes: From the Nebraska Association of Bed and Breakfasts  http://www.nebraskabb.com/ Pineapple Zucchini Bread from the kitchen of My Blue Heaven B&B http://www.nebraskabb.com/recipes.php?r=38 Conference Partner Spotlight Gilchrist & Soames http://paiiinnkeepers.blogspot.com/2015/11/conference-partner-spotlight-gilchrist.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, 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 Wednesday, November 18, 2015, 2:00 PM EST B&B Photography DIY Tips & Tricks Part One How you can get good looking food shots with what you already have to work with. We’ll cover things to consider before and during your food shooting session, primarily using your smart phone and available lighting. With the right planning and a sharp eye, there’s no reason you can’t get some nice photos to help entice those new visitors.  -Peter Billard Photography Wednesday, November 25, 2015, 2:00 PM EST B&B Photography DIY Tips & Tricks Part Two Additional discussion to help finesse your food photography, again using what you have available. Emphasis will be on styling, arranging, props, accessories, and looking at the results with a ruthless eye! Also we’ll talk about the factors under your control that either make or break a good food shot. -Peter Billard Photography 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 Gilchrist & Soames

Gilchrist & Soames is committed to delivering a premium hospitality experience through a comprehensive range of bathroom amenity solutions.   Their specialty brands, distinctively creative products, and signature service are best in class, making us a favorite in the hospitality industry for over thirty years.

They believe that technology is one of the biggest challenges right now.  It is a double-edged sword.  If you know how to use it, tech can really be a great tool that you can leverage to your advantage.  However, if one doesn’t stay on top of it, it is easy to be run-over by it or left in the dust.

The biggest trend right now for bathroom amenities is dispensers.  This is a great way to reduce cost and waste, but still be able to provide luxury products with the items you want.

Their favorite thing about the B&B industry is The Innkeepers! It’s always the innkeepers.  Not only is the hospitality industry the best because, by nature, it’s hospitable, They love learning about all of the different properties and how they got started.  Each innkeeper infuses their personality into their property, and usually has some great stories to tell!

They are launching three new collections this November (2015).  Those three collections are: Royal, Stem and Guild+Pepper.

Their website is: http://hoteliers.gilchristsoames.com/en/