Establishing a bed and breakfast inn is one way to become part of the hospitality industry. Nevertheless, it is a lucrative business idea, especially if your locality is a known tourist spot or an emerging must-visit destination. But just like running other business types, managing a bed and breakfast inn can be quite demanding. It would be best if you remembered a lot of things, starting with your facilities to the way you should deal with your guests.
While there are no cookie-cutter approaches to success, you can try some techniques and methods that others have used to gain new customers and turn existing ones into loyal ones. If you are looking for some ideas, you are reading the right article:
Know your market
Printing flyers, brochures, and posters seems to be a pretty straightforward idea. But you need to make sure that the message and aesthetics in these materials actually appeal to your target audience. To attract your target audience, you need to show that you understand their desires, tastes, and leanings. And that can be shown through your choice of words, colors, and even angle of the message. For you to come up with a solid ad campaign and story, try to find out what makes your audience tick: follow their conversations online.
Also, focus on promoting the destination
Just because you’re selling temporary stays does not mean that you will solely focus on your amenities. You also need to give the spotlight to the destination. You are selling an experience, so you might as well show them what kinds of experience they will have when they stay in your place. Highlight how close to the destinations your inn is. Better yet, you may come up with bundles that have something to do with experience. For example, a family staying for three nights may avail of a free tour package.
Go online
If you want to tap into a new market and reach out to foreign clients, it is a must that you go online. That may mean setting up a website, but there is more to this than that. After setting up a website, you may need to implement a search engine optimization (SEO) campaign. Coinciding with this is a social media campaign, which is designed to engage your followers and build a strong relationship with them. Content marketing should also be part of the mix.
Implement upgrades from time to time
Your business is all about providing comfort, shelter, and experience. And you can easily fulfill it when your facilities actually allow you to do so. As such, renovations and routine maintenance are recommended. You can add new features, such as a bar, a coffee shop, or even an Instagrammable yet functional water well in your garden.
Focus on your guests
Your guests should always be your priority. After all, they are your business’ lifeline. This may seem challenging at the start, but when you genuinely get to know your guests, you will be able to serve them much better.
