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17
Unique, Distinctive Bed & Break-fasts Located Throughout the Heart of Texas -- at Belton, China Spring,
Cranfills Gap, Crawford, Groesbeck, Hillsboro, Lake Whitney, McGregor, Mexia, Waco and West. |
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CHECK AVAILABILITY ONLINE
Most of our B&Bs maintain an
ALMOST "up-to-the-minute" in-ventory on
AVAILABILITY page:
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"Come on INN." Welcome to our website. |
Our business is
hospitality. |
Guests
are special to us! |
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"Hospitality Is Made of a
Warm Welcome, a Fond Good-bye, and Memory-Making Moments in
Between." |
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MARKETING
HELP
Avoid "The 7
worst B&B website mistakes" by reading the one
page article at:
www.InnView.com/webadvice.
At least 85% of B&B websites contain at least 2
of these mistakes!
InnView.com
10 Dewey Circle
Haydenville, MA 01039
800-338-1145
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The 7 major mistakes
of a B&B website
We all like to think
that we have the
perfect website.
Some of us do, but
perfection is a rare
commodity. Really
good websites are
“created” with the
idea in mind that
the viewer should
never me made to
think. The rule is:
“Never, ever make
the viewer have to
think.” Why? The
moment they do is
the short countdown
for them go
elsewhere. Viewers
are not stupid -
remember that. But,
with all the
websites that exist
and the myriad
number of ways that
they are organized,
confusion, instant
meltdown and a quick
departure will occur
if one, some or all
of the following
characteristics are
found on your
website. Remember
that about 85% of
all B&B/Inn websites
have one or more of
the following
problems. Be honest
with yourself, do
you have any or all
of these problems?
1. Color. Most
websites have a
background color of
blue, pink or some
other hue.
Surprisingly, some
major B&B
directories also
have this problem.
Don’t do it! Pages
should have a white
base or background.
It makes for easier
viewing and less
strain. For easiest
viewing, web pages
should never be more
than 30% saturated.
Some say even less
than that. Lower
saturation (i.e.
page content as
opposed to white
space) is easier on
the viewer and makes
staying on a given
web page all the
more likely. Busy
pages (ones with too
many different
concepts or messages
to absorb) are
irritating and are a
bad sell. Get rid of
them and make the
vist to your website
relaxing and
inviting. Think of
it, your potential
client is trying to
escape busyness and
clutter!
2. Contact
information.
Unfortunately, most
websites effectively
“hide” their contact
information. Have it
right there for the
viewer to see. It
invites them to call
you immediately.
Never, never, never
make them look for
it. Have it placed
so that they see it
immediately when
your website
HomePage comes up
and have it
accessable from
every other page as
well. Be absolutely
sure, however, that
it is not written
out in “text,” but
is placed on the
page as a graphic
(either .gif or
.jpg). Why? Bulk
spammers collect
such information
with spiders that
can see only the
"text" but can not
see the "graphic."
By using a graphic
you will be visible
to only your
potential customer
and invisible to the
spammer's spiders.
This is a wonderful
trick against the
spammers!
3. Food. Food sells!
Always have food
displayed in a least
one spot on your
website. It is
better that there be
about 3 pictures but
no more. Don’t
overdo it. You are
not a bakery - at
least not most
B&B/Inns. Let their
mouth's water over
what you can give
them. It’s a
powerful sales tool!
Another important
graphic is flowers.
The floral or garden
image sends a
message that you
care about your
property, suggests
that you maintain
your property well
and are of a mind
that appreciates a
tasteful atmosphere.
4. Brochure. A
brochure is not
really necessary
these days to mail
out to prospective
clients but a
downloadable
brochure that can be
printed out on their
personal printer is
far more important
than you think. When
a potential client
sees that your
website provides
something tangible
to take away from
their website visit,
it is a tremendous
value. Usually they
will show that
“downloaded”
brochure to friends
and others and will
tend to reinforce
their decision to
visit you, to say
nothing of the free
advertizinig that
you will get. The
brochure should be
in color. Don’t
worry about the
cost, the client is
using their ink not
yours.
5. Links to area
attractions. So many
fail to do this and
it’s a big mistake.
Having this is a
huge time saver for
your potential
guests. Having area
links says to them
that in choosing you
that they will be in
the center of what
they want to do and
that you do want
them to have a good
experience. Just as
important, you have
helped them resolve
an unconscious
problem of what to
do. They like this
very much and it
makes it all the
more likely that
they will book with
you!
6. Communications.
In this day of
cellphones we can
overlook a very
subtle necessity
that will help
strengthen repeat
business - web
access. For the most
part your guests are
business people.
They may not say it
outright -
especially if they
are on vacation -
but they crave
access to the
internet. These
“Road Warriors”
usually are itchy
just for a few
minutes peek at what
is happening to
their business etc.
- even on the
weekends. Having
access, and making
it very, very clear
that you have it,
will sway many
potential guests.
This writer craves
peace and quiet but
avoids
accommodations that
do not have good
internet access. The
best access is WiFi.
7. Availability.
This is one of the
biggest mistakes of
a B&B website. Once
the visitor is at
your site, tell them
that you are
available for the
dates they want. You
don’t have to have a
formal reservations
system to do this.
All you have to do
is have a calendar
that is color coded
that shows when you
are lightly,
moderately or fully
booked. Work with
your webmaster to
provide you with
this ability. It is
not hard to do.
Seeing the
availability, it
will take just
moments to look at
the readily
available contact
information, give
you a quick call and
wrap things up. The
potential visitor
just wants to get
things done and out
of the way. Help
them do it and the
business is yours!
If they can see that
you are full -
great. You would not
have gotten the
business anyway and
they'll know better
to look at your
website sooner next
time.
nytime d
The above article
was submitted by
Susan Mazanec, Rope
the Wind Ranch &
Retreat.uring
the 3
year period.
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