Changing names.

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Joey Camb

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We are thinking of changing the name of our place but worry its going to be too much faff. It is currently the Camberley which we like but we are up the street from a Large hotel called the Kimberley and when you say the names out loud they can be confused especially as we are 500 yards apart and even share a area code. It also does not help that my name is Kimberley as well. We quite fancy Oak Wood Lodge and then we could use an oak tree as our logo. What do people think? and what advice do you have. (we have been trading as Camberley for 5 years now). thanks
 
In my mind, if you have been doing business for 5 years under this name, I would stick with it. It is not like you just bought the place and opened. Changing now might even cause you more problems.
I see your website is not the same name. Have you checked to see if you can get www.thecamberley.com.co.uk ( or whatever it should be) The URL now could be part of the problem.
ANother big issue I see is that you have no photos and descriptions of your rooms on your site other than YouTUbe videos. Sorry but looking at your sink and toilet first thing does not appeal to me at all. And the video is not very professional not easy to watch:-(
I think you need to upscale your website a bit and make it stand out to attract guests. The map is VERY small and hard to read. Why not create a large .pdf file that people can open and print off with directions and map which will show clearly.
Just a few ideas for you. Best wishes.
 
I would not like to change it midstream myself, but if there is something you could add to it to differentiate it from the other in sound an elegance as in "The Historic Camberley" or "Camberley on Kings"
I would definitely get the URL for your place - this is very important (since you are asking about names etc).
wink_smile.gif
 
I would not like to change it midstream myself, but if there is something you could add to it to differentiate it from the other in sound an elegance as in "The Historic Camberley" or "Camberley on Kings"
I would definitely get the URL for your place - this is very important (since you are asking about names etc).
wink_smile.gif
.
Ditto.
 
I would not like to change it midstream myself, but if there is something you could add to it to differentiate it from the other in sound an elegance as in "The Historic Camberley" or "Camberley on Kings"
I would definitely get the URL for your place - this is very important (since you are asking about names etc).
wink_smile.gif
.
Yeah I was going to mention...maybe something like The 1895 ( or whatever...year...)Camberly Inn ...to differentiate from the other somewhat without changing the entire name.
 
I just looked at your web site. Not being from the UK, I have to ask, is what the loo looks like a really important thing there? Here we need pictures of the rooms and if it is a video, it cannot look as it we went through with a camcorder or our potential guests wil hit - NEXT! They wan lots of pictures here. They do want a picture of the loo, but a small one, just to show that Jacuzzi, or claw-foot, and shower and elegant surroundings.... They do not want to be reminded of anything other that that wonderful shower or soak.
Here, before people arrive they want to see what they are getting and photos of breakfast too. They want rates and amenities listed and online reservations are also expected on the web site. I have been open 13, almost 14 years and am on my third web site. The original had no photos and even in 1996 I was asked about photos - since I did not have any excellent photos (good is not good enough) I did not post any. Then a wonderful friend who was a professional photographer took some photos for me - and $500 later I had a refreshed with photos site. I got a totally new redone web site last year with better photos, better navigation, online reservations, blog, etc.
 
In my mind, if you have been doing business for 5 years under this name, I would stick with it. It is not like you just bought the place and opened. Changing now might even cause you more problems.
I see your website is not the same name. Have you checked to see if you can get www.thecamberley.com.co.uk ( or whatever it should be) The URL now could be part of the problem.
ANother big issue I see is that you have no photos and descriptions of your rooms on your site other than YouTUbe videos. Sorry but looking at your sink and toilet first thing does not appeal to me at all. And the video is not very professional not easy to watch:-(
I think you need to upscale your website a bit and make it stand out to attract guests. The map is VERY small and hard to read. Why not create a large .pdf file that people can open and print off with directions and map which will show clearly.
Just a few ideas for you. Best wishes..
I appreciate your advice I hadn't thought about add ons (ie Camberley on Kings) I am just currently constructing the new web site thats why its is a bit jerky. We do own the Camberleyhotel url but it was from when we used to be classed as a small hotel the law has now changed so we are classed as guest accomodation/B&B however we could get in trouble for using that url in case it was classed as against trade descriptions. The other web site is www.camberleyhotel.co.uk but the company that maintains it for us has been ripping my elderly and not internet savy parents off as well as getting them to change anything is a nightmare so I wanted something I can maintain and update myself. I do completely agree with you about professional pictures and it is top of my wish list! Wish me luck! If we had any sense we would have changed it when we bought it as it was the previous owners choice and at that time I don't think we would have lost any business as they weren't doing much. thanks again for all the advice everyone.
 
The best investment you could ever make is to have a professional website created with photos. "One photo is worth a thousand words" as the saying goes.
Online reservation system would be extremely important as well. Like the USA, the UK is wired, they have been, this is how they operate, online, from phones, wifi.
We have many threads on this subject here on the forum, as some innkeepers find the web presence to be one of the last things they worry about and in this day and age it should be the first priority. It should be just as important as the inn itself.
Your website to your business is like an oxygen tank to a diver. That is how important it is for any lodging business.
 
The best investment you could ever make is to have a professional website created with photos. "One photo is worth a thousand words" as the saying goes.
Online reservation system would be extremely important as well. Like the USA, the UK is wired, they have been, this is how they operate, online, from phones, wifi.
We have many threads on this subject here on the forum, as some innkeepers find the web presence to be one of the last things they worry about and in this day and age it should be the first priority. It should be just as important as the inn itself.
Your website to your business is like an oxygen tank to a diver. That is how important it is for any lodging business..
I completely agree and have just inputted the code for the online reservation service today. You may have heared of Booking.com? Don't know how big it is in Americal but they sell your rooms for you but as part of the service they provide you with a book now button for your web site and anyone who books through there gets a tiny commission rate (2 or 3%) which saves me yet another thing to update. I also completely agree about web prescence but I think one of the problems is people see the web site almost as a sign you put it up and then its done they don't realise to do well on the search engines it has to be kept updated. I know people who alter just one small thing every day! So every time I have five mins to rub together I do a bit so wish me luck!
 
The best investment you could ever make is to have a professional website created with photos. "One photo is worth a thousand words" as the saying goes.
Online reservation system would be extremely important as well. Like the USA, the UK is wired, they have been, this is how they operate, online, from phones, wifi.
We have many threads on this subject here on the forum, as some innkeepers find the web presence to be one of the last things they worry about and in this day and age it should be the first priority. It should be just as important as the inn itself.
Your website to your business is like an oxygen tank to a diver. That is how important it is for any lodging business..
I completely agree and have just inputted the code for the online reservation service today. You may have heared of Booking.com? Don't know how big it is in Americal but they sell your rooms for you but as part of the service they provide you with a book now button for your web site and anyone who books through there gets a tiny commission rate (2 or 3%) which saves me yet another thing to update. I also completely agree about web prescence but I think one of the problems is people see the web site almost as a sign you put it up and then its done they don't realise to do well on the search engines it has to be kept updated. I know people who alter just one small thing every day! So every time I have five mins to rub together I do a bit so wish me luck!
.
Updating your site is critical. But adding "just one small thing" really depends on what that is. You need to read SWIRT's info. You 'll learn lots here.
We have lots of on line reservation services here that DO NOT charge booking fees. You may a monthly service fee or some a yearly fee.
Webervations, Rezovations, Super Inns, Reservation Nexus to name a few. Just GOOGLE them and take a look. You may be pleasantly surprised.
other web site is www.camberleyhotel.co.uk but the company that maintains it for us
DO you OWN the domain? IF so leave that company and find another. You don't have to put up with such poor service. THis URL would be better in identifying your place than the one you have now.
I also just looked at your blog. Do you think this will get you business? I don't :-( Your blog should provide helpful information and links for potential guests not a daily diary of your life...sorry :-( If you can't maintain your web site as you would like, your blog is KEY to Internet Marketing..providing it is done properly.
There is a link here to some of the forum member's blogs...take a look at some of them and see how you can improve yours.
 
In my mind, if you have been doing business for 5 years under this name, I would stick with it. It is not like you just bought the place and opened. Changing now might even cause you more problems.
I see your website is not the same name. Have you checked to see if you can get www.thecamberley.com.co.uk ( or whatever it should be) The URL now could be part of the problem.
ANother big issue I see is that you have no photos and descriptions of your rooms on your site other than YouTUbe videos. Sorry but looking at your sink and toilet first thing does not appeal to me at all. And the video is not very professional not easy to watch:-(
I think you need to upscale your website a bit and make it stand out to attract guests. The map is VERY small and hard to read. Why not create a large .pdf file that people can open and print off with directions and map which will show clearly.
Just a few ideas for you. Best wishes..
I appreciate your advice I hadn't thought about add ons (ie Camberley on Kings) I am just currently constructing the new web site thats why its is a bit jerky. We do own the Camberleyhotel url but it was from when we used to be classed as a small hotel the law has now changed so we are classed as guest accomodation/B&B however we could get in trouble for using that url in case it was classed as against trade descriptions. The other web site is www.camberleyhotel.co.uk but the company that maintains it for us has been ripping my elderly and not internet savy parents off as well as getting them to change anything is a nightmare so I wanted something I can maintain and update myself. I do completely agree with you about professional pictures and it is top of my wish list! Wish me luck! If we had any sense we would have changed it when we bought it as it was the previous owners choice and at that time I don't think we would have lost any business as they weren't doing much. thanks again for all the advice everyone.
.
Get a GOOD digital camera and a tripod. I am not a professional but I did take the photos on my site. I posted them here and got feedback and went back and took them again. Repeat first step. Repeat second step. repeat...
I need to take a new photo for one room I rearranged. I will once again post, feedback, post ntil i have it right. I will be doing that in the next day or so because I am having a rack card designed.
 
I would not like to change it midstream myself, but if there is something you could add to it to differentiate it from the other in sound an elegance as in "The Historic Camberley" or "Camberley on Kings"
I would definitely get the URL for your place - this is very important (since you are asking about names etc).
wink_smile.gif
.
Yeah I was going to mention...maybe something like The 1895 ( or whatever...year...)Camberly Inn ...to differentiate from the other somewhat without changing the entire name.
.
Also, a lot of times if you start with a date, you will be listed first in phone books.
 
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