Keep this in mind when preparing your website, make sure that it is suited to your properties look and feel but has all the “expected” amenities.

Key items in a good Bed and Breakfast website:

• Easy to navigate
• Reservations booking online
• Adequate room descriptions with professional photos
• Menu available online
• Driving directions
• Seasonal events information posted
• Fast Loading Pages

Keeping your website fresh with the most current up to date information is easy to achieve with at little know how.  Research the community events and make sure that if tourists are coming in for any event they know you are available and where to find you.

Discuss with your web designer what would be the best ways to represent your property and make it stand out from the other designs in your area. What does your property have that makes it extra special?

Here are a few quick tips to put you on the right track to an up to date website and most of all help drive new bookings.

Easy Navigation:

Keep the content useful and relevant to your guests.  Describe the property and it amenities. Put you best foot forward with prominent content on the home page but do not overload pages with too much text, photos or graphics.

Describe what sets you apart and makes you the place to spend lodging dollars. Knowing where and how to display your content becomes an essential part of your website.  Don’t burry your best features three pages in.

Make sure the site has an easy link menu that lets the users find information quickly from any page. Simple tab navigation might include: Home, About, Rooms, Gallery, Map Directions, Sight seeing and Contact Us

Take your time when coming up with content. Be simple, creative and list everything that makes you unique.

Reservation Links:

Having automated reservation will save you time and money and create more bookings for your Bed and Breakfast Inn.

Professional Photography:

Great photos on your website not only show off the unique qualities of your property, they validate your property to perspective guest.

Menus and or List of Local Eateries:

Let your guests know what their dinning options are up front. What is included and what options are offsite to round out their full B&B experience.

Driving Direction and Maps:

Guests often travel to a B&B for its location and proximity to sightseeing destinations, so let them see where you are located.

Seasonal Events:

Travelers often work B&B visits in with certain seasons.  For example fall, for all its color, winter for snow sports or spring and summer for the perfect beach or lake getaways.  Let them know what your property has to offer seasonally and you might find a boom in new travelers.

Fast Loading Pages:

Keeping your image files to web compliant sizes will speed up the page loading time so better enhance your B&B shopper’s experience.

A large budget is not required and you do not even need website design knowledge.  A simple, five page website design catering to the look and feel of your establishment gives a professional face to your Bed and Breakfast hotel.

Aesthetics Are Important

The easier the website is to view and navigate the more people you’ll attract. With the added capability to book a reservation through an online booking engine system your customers will have the instant ability to make online reservations without ever leaving your site. Reservations can be confirmed automatically via emails branded to your business theme continuing the professional image to your Bed and Breakfast hotel.

Once you have an internet presence you can utilize many more ways to promote your Bed and Breakfast hotel including the use of “Pay-Per-Click” advertising on such search sites as Google, Yahoo, and MSN. Additionally, producing a regular email newsletter or guest comment blog will increase visibility and customer loyalty.

This all might sound like “Greek” today but with a few simple tips you can have your B&B website on the top of the search engines and be ready to greet your Bed and Breakfast guests in no time.

Subscribe to our bi-weekly tips and discussion groups related specifically to Bed and Breakfast Inns by filling in your contact to the right in the “Get Email Updates” box.

More to Come

Look for more great Bed and Breakfast Software and Web Technology tips coming in the weeks:

• Reservations Desk (PMS Systems) - Do I need one?
• Online Booking Engine (Web booking Systems) - How they make you money.
• “Pay-Per-Click” advertisements - When is PPC needed and do I need it?
• Website Keyword Management -  Why are they important to my website?
• Guest Comment Blogs - Do-it-yourself setup and maintenance.

• Does your business accommodate credit card information in any form?
• Does your business house credit card information on servers, whether lease through third party providers or fully owned?

If you answered yes to either of these questions then your business is responsible for complying with PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard).

PCI DSS applies to every hotel property that processes credit or debit card information. Credit card companies have the ability to levy stiff fines and remove a property’s ability to process credit card transactions until they meet PCI compliance guidelines. PCI Standards High Points as defined by the PCI Security Standards Council

The core of the PCI DSS is a group of principles and accompanying requirements, around which the specific elements of the DSS are organized:

Build and Maintain a Secure Network

1. Install and maintain a firewall configuration to protect cardholder data
2. Do not use vendor-supplied defaults for system passwords and other security parameters Protect Cardholder Data
3. Protect stored cardholder data
4. Encrypt transmission of cardholder data across open, public networks Maintain a Vulnerability Management Program
5. Use and regularly update anti-virus software
6. Develop and maintain secure systems and applications Implement Strong Access Control Measures
7. Restrict access to cardholder data by business need-to-know
8. Assign a unique ID to each person with computer access
9. Restrict physical access to cardholder data Regularly Monitor and Test Networks
10. Track and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data
11. Regularly test security systems and processes Maintain an Information Security Policy
12. Maintain a policy that addresses information security

Suggested Links
https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/
http://www.forrester.com/rb/

Online technology is challenging business to evolve their marketing practices to engage their customers in all new areas online. And right now, one of the fastest growing segments of online traffic has been seen in the social networking websites like Facebook, MySpace, Hi5 and YouTube. Social media is hot; representing a new low-cost avenue for engaging with consumers at a much deeper level than is typically achieved with traditional advertising.

Harnessing this connectivity with so many potential customers for little or no cost would seem to be a no brainer. But simply having a free MySpace or Facebook account doesn’t guarantee that the business will be pouring in. Moreover, if you attempt to join or create a social network solely to promote your company to other member, you might find little or no success or even worse you’ll be marked as a spammer.

You will need a carefully planned s-marketing campaign. Try to focus on a mix of marketing and customer service. Learn how to interact with other members of the network.

Much like email marketing, it is crucial to have a strong qualified list of social networking customers in that you can segment their interests, demographic, etc.
Another hurtle to overcome is the sensitivity to anti-commercialism. The consumer is constantly being bombarded with meaningless ads online, which can send users running away. These social websites know this, and have strict rules on spammers. A successful social networking campaign will be the careful mix of content your customer finds valuable and marketing at a frequency that doesn’t overwhelm them.

One of the strengths of this media is building brand presence. You will have a chance to become more interactive with your customer giving them a tangible relationship to your business. So it is important that you devote more effort than just sending out offers and promotions. Connect your customers with photos and stories of your property that can then virally spread get customers interested. Below you’ll find a couple social networking standouts you’ll want to take a look at.

Facebook: Is a popular free-access social networking website with more than 150 million active users. More than half of the users are outside of college and the fastest growing demographic is those 30 years old and older.* Users can join networks organized by geographical region, workplace, school and even businesses.  Facebook has created a niche among the college crowd and has seen a huge boom in user sign ups.

MySpace: Much like Facebook, MySpace is an online community that connects friends and others who share similar interests. MySpace has a reputation for being more for a younger crowd however MySpace has been experiencing a older demographic shift with more than half of MySpace visitors 35 years or older**

Twitter: Started just a couple of years ago but has rapidly become one of the most talked about social networking services. Twitter is a very simple service compared to its other social brothers but can be an effective tool to organize impromptu gatherings, create a quick buzz or send quick updates to your customers.

There is no exact science to Social Marketing but if you are looking to gain exposure among the next generation of customers its time you get acquitted to the burgeoning medium.

http://fuseio.com/products-and-services/products/fuseio-send-email-solutions/

• Twitter - http://twitter.com/fuseio
• Plaxo - http://fuseio.myplaxo.com
• LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/in/fuseio
• Identi.ca - http://identi.ca/fuseio

• Website Design and Development
• Search Engine Optimization and Marketing
• Internet Distribution System Management
• Email Marketing, Design and Management

Please contact Fuseio if you’d like to discuss professional services options.

1. Take Advantage of Email Marketing - The cheapest and most effective method of marketing and advertising on the Internet is email marketing. We’ve found that customers using Fuseio Send discover more about their audience and gain marketing insight than any other medium available. The advantage of email marketing is that your audience has opted to receive your marketing messages. Many other online marketing methods are a shot in the dark.
2. Promote Using Internet Distribution - Internet Distribution Systems (IDS) are a great way to get on the radar of vacationers and stay-cationers, via popular travel websites such as Travelocity, Orbitz, Hotels.com. Even if your property can’t afford to aggressively compete in the online marketspace, IDS is still a good option to consider gaining visibility to interested parties. Fuseio Competition Watch and Fuseio Rate Manager have proven to expose customer’s branding and online visibility through the simple act of being present!
3. Offer Loyalty Rewards to Customers - Take advantage of small rewards that your property can offer for free or cheap to loyal or repeat customers. Not only is this your best audience to market to, but they will appreciate the rewards and remember them next time they consider vacation plans. Free room upgrades on off-peaks times, comped meals, or comped amenities are items that will dazzle your loyal guests.
4. Analyze and Duplicate Past Trends - Avoid re-inventing the marketing wheel if strategies worked in years past. Instead, reflect on all your successful campaigns and re-launch them. This will save time and efforts with your staff. Additionally, repeat customers will be familiar and comfortable with the marketing campaign.
5. Keep a Pulse on Your Competition - A common mistake of competing business is to become reactionary with one another. Instead of copying your competition, compete with a different offer or special that give a customer a completely different value. Customers are not loyal if they see a great deal. Any chance to reel in a competitor’s audience and dazzle them is a great opportunity.

Here’s another article from Manta on “The Top Ten Marketing Mistakes Small Business Make” and how to avoid them.

Take advantage of your property’s, and surrounding property’s, amenities and activities. Guests will be amazed by the freedom of choice they are offered with Fuseio Web Booking Engine. Gone are the days of pre-built packages. We are proud to introduce to you, Fuseio Web Booking Engine.

Would you like a web booking engine demo? Contact our sales team for an exclusive look at Fuseio Web Booking Engine.

In order to build your email blast, the Fuseio team will need information in a specific format. Think of the format as a “template” of which you need to format TOPICS in a consistent manner. It is recommended to use 1-3 TOPICS at the maximum for an email blast. Keep the email titles and descriptions short and sweet, directing them back to your website when and if possible. This will allow for an “easy inbox read” and will produce the best results for readership.

Email Topics Explained

To further explain, TOPICS are merely the subjects for the email blast. An example of three topics might be: Golf Specials, Upcoming Events, and Vacation Give-away. Each TOPIC can contain the following information:

1. TITLE (make it catchy to draw in the reader)
2. IMAGE NAME (please specify what image name you are referring to such as “golfer_teeing_off.jpg”)
3. DESCRIPTION (keep descriptions short and sweet - we recommend 1 to 2 paragraphs at the most)
4. LINKS (if the subject matter needs a strong call-to-action, please list the link or links. An example is “Book a Room Now” or “View Our Event Calendar”)

Below, you will see an example of how you should send the email information to the Fuseio team. This example represents 3 topics. Please always use this format when sending email blast details to the Fuseio team.

Email Blast Format Example:

—– TOPIC #1 —–

[TITLE]
Golf specials are back

[IMAGE NAME]
golfer_swinging.jpg

[DESCRIPTION]
Curabitur massa sapien, tincidunt eget, accumsan et, suscipit sed, mauris. Sed eget lacus. Curabitur consectetur, diam et ultricies pellentesque, ligula orci porta est, et pulvinar magna leo iaculis tortor.

Fusce iaculis pulvinar tellus. Curabitur lobortis aliquam lacus. Nam laoreet neque eget est ullamcorper laoreet. Curabitur in lacus. Donec ultricies nibh suscipit metus. Aliquam non erat ut odio commodo venenatis.

[LINKS]
View All Specials - http://www.yourwebsite.com/specials
Book a Room - http://www.yourwebsite.com/booknow

—– TOPIC #2 —–

[TITLE]
Upcoming Events

[IMAGE NAME]
jet_skier.jpg

[DESCRIPTION]
Nullam ultricies molestie pede. Aenean mollis. Nunc ipsum nibh, ullamcorper non, aliquam sit amet, congue ac, sem. Aliquam erat volutpat:

* Event #1
* Event #2
* Event #3

Phasellus a eros. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Nam adipiscing lacus at lorem accumsan faucibus.

[LINKS]
View All Events - http://www.yourwebsite.com/specials
Book a Room - http://www.yourwebsite.com/booknow

—– TOPIC #3 —–

[TITLE]
Enter to win in our vacation give-away

[IMAGE NAME]
resort_panorama.jpg

[DESCRIPTION]
Nulla facilisi. Duis quis turpis ut eros laoreet faucibus. Nam consectetur. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.

Donec eget magna. Fusce sit amet nunc eu nisi dictum mollis. Nunc nulla. Integer fermentum viverra sapien. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; In hac habitasse platea dictumst.

[LINKS]
Enter to Win Now! - http://www.yourwebsite.com/win