Internet Marketing: Facts and Fallacies

by Sandy Soule, BedandBreakfast.com

First, the fallacies:

Fallacy #1 My inn will reflect the graciousness of an earlier time; why bother with computers and the Internet?

Fallacy #2 I’ll learn about computers and Internet marketing after we build/buy our inn.

Fallacy #3 Websites aren’t that important; we want our guests to be pleasantly surprised when they arrive.

Fallacy #4 Open and they shall come” syndrome: I’ll be such a great innkeeper that we’ll fill up by word of mouth.

Fallacy #5 It won’t matter if we don’t have much money for marketing; we’ll be able to get a lot of publicity for free.

Now, the facts: Fallacy #1 My inn will reflect the graciousness of an earlier time; why bother with computers and the Internet?

Successful innkeepers balance hi-tech with high-touch for best results. Depending on theinn, the Internet will provide anywhere from 50-90% of your reservations. According to a recent Pew Research Center study: “The report found that 73 percent of American adults use a computer either at work, at school or at home. About 128 million of those use the Internet.” Another Pew Study (February 2004) broke down Internet usage by age: 22% of Americans age 65 or older reported having access to the Internet; 58% of Americans age 50-64, 75% of 30-49 year-olds, and 77% of 18-29 year-olds currently go online. Computers affect nearly every stage of innkeeping, particularly marketing and operations. Bottom line: If you’re not online, you’ll be left behind.

Fallacy #2 I’ll learn about computers and Internet marketing later on.

Innkeepers are lucky to find time to go to the bathroom. You’ll need a reasonable comfort level with the software you’ll need to handle email, word processing, spreadsheets, accounting software, property management software, and online reservations or availability.

In addition, you need to be fairly savvy about Internet marketing when assessing the value of a B&B. Although not definitive, a B&B’s presence (or lack thereof) on Internet inn directories and on Internet search engines will give you an indication of how well the current owners marketed their inn online. If you’re considering the AbcdeB&B Inn in Providence, RI, do several searches on the major search engines, and see how well it comes up, either under its own URL or through a directory. Search both by the name of the property, as well as more general searches, like “Providence, bed breakfast.”

Lastly, as an informed buyer, you’ll know if the computer and/or software you may be offered with the inn has any value. We spoke to an innkeeper who paid $500 for property management software that was completely obsolete—he could have bought a brand-new equivalent for less.

Fallacy #3 Websites aren’t that important; we want our guests to be pleasantly surprised when they arrive.

We hear this all the time. Guests arrive at the inn, exclaiming, “Oh, it looks so much nicer than on your website!” Of course, many more potential guests may have clicked through, seen the drab photos and amateurish website and moved on to greener pastures. Do your research now. If you are building an inn from scratch, your website can be creating reservations long before you open. If you are still shopping for a property, research the different web designers and photographers, so you’ll know about costs and quality and will be ready to make a decision quickly when the time comes.

Fallacy #4 “Open and they shall come” syndrome: I’ll be such a great innkeeper that we’ll fill up by word of mouth.

Daydream, yes; reality, no. Whether you are building from scratch or buying an on-going operation, remember that marketing is a 24/7 opportunity. Innkeepers at two newly built inns, the Inn at Riverbend and Lookout Point understood this perfectly. Before they had even started construction, they had websites up, rack cards printed, and logo polo shirts embroidered. They started networking with local B&B groups, and delivered hospitality baskets to nearby corporations.

Fallacy #5 It won’t matter if we don’t have much money for marketing; we’ll be able to get a lot of publicity for free.

Marketing does matter. A lot. And the days of free listings in guidebooks, in Internet directories, and on search engines are gone. You’ll want to budget a minimum 5% of expenses on marketing, much more if you’re involved with a start-up or turnaround situation, where you may have to do a whole new website, new photography, new brochures, etc. etc. etc.! While you can get lots of great free publicity in the form of articles in newspapers, magazines, and books, you’ll have to invest time and possibly money in creating, distributing, and following up on press releases and other media contact. Seeds planted for free media coverage typically take a year or even two to be harvested; paid Internet marketing can put heads in your beds in literally minutes.

Sandy Soule published America’s first B&B guidebooks in 1982. She’s gone on to write her own guidebook series, inaugurate the Internet’s fist inn directory, and establish her own website. At BedandBreakfast.com, Sandy writes the BedandBreakfast.com Report, a free e-zine for inngoers, and the Innkeeper News, a monthly email newsletter for member innkeepers.