The Innkeeper's Resource

Amenities to Zoning: B is for Branding

Greetings from icy New England and one plug for the locals.....Go Pats! 

Speaking of the Patriots, what a great example of branding and the excellence that the brand represents.  The first time ever that an NFL team has gone 18-0 with the possibility of 19-0!

Trying to draw parallels between the small lodging industry and a professional football team is difficult, were it not for the one characteristic that leaders in both categories share...a passion to be the best and to set the standards for the rest of the crowd to emulate.

Having just returned from the Conference of the Mid-Atlantic, where I spoke about "Inn Branding, Market Positioning and the i.guest" let me share a couple of thoughts with you about the importance of branding.

Great brands/inns are about five key ingredients.  Authenticity: what is the experience your inn stands for?  Great brands/inns are about You: you are the face of your inn.  Great brands/inns are about Signature Items: recipes, touches, services that are yours and yours alone.  Great brands/inns are about a Legacy: a place where memories are made and emotional connections are forged.  Great brands/inns are about a Promise: your promise that what you consistently deliver is ensuring the best possible guest experience.

These five ingredients help create your inn's brand and identity and allow you to connect with your guests while creating a strong business.  Why? Because your inn becomes the place to stay when visiting your town or area. You become the sought after destination.

Remember others can deliver a great experience too.  It's important to understand that delivering isn't enough and that someone may be able do it just as well as you.  The difference is that great innkeepers/branders are the leaders and set the tone for their respective marketplaces...and that's you!  Take the lead and let the others follow.

With the exception of the real estate, your inn's brand identity is likely your single largest and most important asset.  Nurture it, cultivate it, care for it...it will take care of you.

More to come in this Innkeeping A to Z series...and more about branding and the importance of the i.guest at the PAII Conference too!

Rick

Innkeeping Education

We have just returned from the Mid-Atlantic Innkeeper's Conference in Natural Bridge, Virginia. A privately organized conference that included innkeepers from several state associations including Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, and a robust group of aspiring innkeepers who were lead by David Caples of Lodging Resources Workshops, there was great representation from a cross section of hospitality industry leaders from around the country. As always, there was one overriding value of the conference: education.

Education comes from two sources at these meetings, the vendors who have an opportunity to demonstrate and explain their products and services, and speakers (who often come from the vendor pool) who provide insights into varying aspects of the unique lodging industry. Key speakers including Bill Oates of Inn Consulting Partners, Eric Goldreyer of Bed and Breakfast.com, and Rick Wolf and Peter Scherman of The B&B Team, all focused their sessions on the current trend of social media, consumer generated media, reviews sites, blogs, and the contemporary traveler, whom we call the i.guest.

The guest is the reason for hospitality to exist, and the i.guest is a modern animal with new and unique habits and preferences. All of us who talked about this guest pointed out that innkeepers today must pay attention to the fact that today's travelers are getting their information, making their plans, and booking their trips using varying degrees of technology and media outlets that didn't even exist ten years ago. And all emphasized that innkeepers ignore these trends at their own peril.

For our part, we find the trends exciting! And, as people like Bebe Woody of the White Doe Inn in Manteo, NC, who is president of the North Carolina Bed & Breakfasts and Inns get enthused and commit to creating a blog on their site this year, we know that it's catching on. And, knowing that successful innkeepers, like all business people, always look for ways to improve their business model and practices, we see it happening more and more. If you are already leading the pack, be an industry leader and share your experience with others.

Peter

Amenities to Zoning: A is for Amenties

Amenities:  Attractive extras.  The features that, when taken together, make a B&B attractive to guests or customers.

Above and beyond "attractive extras", the amenities you make available in your bed and breakfast should exceed your guests' expectations and create that ever desirable WOW factor.  Inn amenities transcend soaps and shampoos and include everything from beach chairs to fresh flowers.  Your amenities should be equal to and consistent with your property's level of luxury and should be promoted on your website.  One inn's website I visited recently described their inn as romantic, elegant and tranquil.  The amenities they listed on their room page mentioned irons, ironing boards and hairdryers.  While these items are important and worth mentioning, where is the mention of plush terry robes or over sized soaking tubs complete with bubble bath which are consistent with their romantic, elegant and tranquil message?

Upgrade and refresh your amenities regularly.  A good example is an inn we are familiar with that has recently added a new state of the art coffee machine where guests can brew a freshly made cup of coffee, cappuccino or espresso at any hour.  I believe a guest's impression would be WOW the innkeepers are always thinking of me.  As an aside, the innkeepers are also thinking of themselves because this machine saves them time, something all innkeepers need more of!

Trends are constantly evolving and it pays to keep up with them.  In a recent article from portfolio.com titled "A Watery Grave for Hotel Tub's", whirlpool tubs for two are still high on most guests list of wants when they are planning a romantic getaway but there is a growing trend towards more elaborate and spacious showers. Families understandably still want tubs for the kiddies.  If possible and appropriate, having a good mix of both will definitely cover all your guest's needs and desires.

Quality amenities are important to your property's image and should not be overlooked or skimped upon.  Quality does not necessarily mean expensive.  Many innkeepers who are concerned about the expense and waste of bar soaps and shampoo and lotion bottles are changing to liquid dispensers.  There are high end and attractive dispensers available in the market today and guests will respect your desire to provide them with quality amenities and your concern for the environment.

It would be great to hear about any wonderful new amenity or service you have added to your property and what your guest's reactions were.  Hopefully it was WOW!

Janet