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https://www.innspiring.com/blogposts?page=1 The Missing Ingredient
Innkeeping Blog - Jay Karen - Wed, 10/27/2010 - 9:25pm
In the shadows for too long
http://www.innkeepingblog.com/2010/08/in-the-shadows-for-too-long/
Have you ever tried to get someone to try something you just knew they would like, but found it hard to convince them? That’s what I feel our industry has been up against for decades – trying to get travelers to try B&Bs. There is no question with the sharp growth of the industry in the 80s and 90s and the marketing power of the internet since the mid-90s, millions of travelers have experienced our great product. We have loyal customers who understand the value of a fantastic B&B stay. But there are many more travelers out there who have never stayed at a B&B – either because of one of the many “myths” or negative perceptions they might already have, or (according to our own research) staying at a B&B doesn’t even cross their minds as an option when booking travel. Whatever the reason, we all know in our industry what a fantastic product we have. With the rise of alternative lodging options and the sincere efforts of hotels to deliver an experience more like ours, we need to press forward and start getting more people to book stays at B&Bs. Our industry has to start doing something different and fresh to enter the consciousness of the traveler. We want people spreading the word about B&Bs in ways now possible that were impossible before. Enter – Better Way to Stay.
PAII wants to get more people talking, Tweeting, Re-Tweeting, status updating, sharing, linking, forwarding and emailing about B&Bs. We don’t want to build another directory. We want to get more travelers checking out what the industry already has – some great assets that have been around for years. I’m talking about the B&B directories, travel sites, state and local association web sites, your web sites, and ultimately clicking the “Book Now” button more and more. As your industry’s trade association, it’s part of our DNA to want to do this. We want to create buzz and attention for the great businesses in our marketplace.
For years innkeepers have wanted PAII to build an effective directory of our members. They figured it would be the silver bullet for membership growth and ultimate stability and success for PAII. The fact is that the horse is out of the barn on that one – several directories have been around since the mid-90s and are leagues ahead of what we could do from a search engine optimization standpoint. We don’t want to compete with them – or you, the innkeeper! Building our own directory – if we were to be effective in the search engines – would mean having us compete with you for premium placement on search result pages. There are some great B&B directories and association web sites that have been delivering value for years to innkeepers. We don’t want to compete with them – we want to bring more traffic to them!
But, we’ve been up against many elements for years. As we fight for PAII’s sustainability and success, it’s time we get on the offense rather than the defense. With the help of volunteers within the PAII ranks (our Board of Directors, Advisory Council, Campaign Committee and many others) as well as some folks who had some early blind faith in our ideas and vision (see list at bottom of this post), we are moving forward with the industry’s first ever campaign to get more people understanding that B&Bs are the “Better Way to Stay.” We have enlisted professional assistance from some fantastic resources and are currently building the basic elements of a successful campaign.
What we do with this campaign will have a lot to do with the level of support we get from all four corners of our industry – from everyone who has a stake in the game. Sure, we’re not going to get everyone to chip in, even though the intent of this campaign is to be non-discriminatory with regard to whom we want to get more business. We want all innkeepers to benefit from our efforts, but naturally we plan to promote those who support the campaign. And I hesitate to use the word “campaign,” because it can imply something temporary. The intent is for PAII to coordinate and support permanent, ongoing efforts to raise awareness and influence people to give us a look. We should only ever back off such efforts when most innkeepers are turning away business on account of being full throughout the year. With a national average occupancy somewhere near 40%, we know there’s a lot of work to be done.
So, today I’m writing this just to keep you informed about what is happening. We’ve been talking about the prospect of this campaign for at least two years. We are not ready to launch it, but we’re ready for you to start knowing about it. Visit www.betterwaytostay.com for a few more details and to get a flavor of what we’re working on.
Stay tuned for more! We hope you are as excited as we are.
 
Joey Bloggs said:
suellen222 said:
JB, this is the 1st I've heard of "better way to stay" - maybe it bears repeating.
Are you a member of Paii? It is in newsletters and website and emails. http://www.innkeeping.org/
I am not/was not a PAII member, and although I have heard the name of the campaign, I'm not familiar with the particulars, and so I know many many other innkeepers are not either.
That's how change happens, not as the result of one organization and it's members alone. It's certainly not going to happen by saying "aren't you a member of PAII?" or "read about it on the website".
Achieving wholesale change requires a grass-roots effort that spreads outward from the source of the idea with each member or participant taking the reins, running with it and doing what is necessary to get it in front of the public as much as possible. I have not really seen that happening, and thus my earlier statement...while it would be nice if we could count on PAII to get 'er done, even Jay can't do it all alone.
If this campaign got the kind of long-term press exposure that the bnb4vets thing got in it's short run, we'd all be farther ahead. How many Inns blogged, emailed or did press releases about their participation in that (from which no revenue was forthcoming)? More than have extolled and broadcasted the ideals of the "Better Way to Stay" campaign, I'm pretty sure. I see nothing about it on our State's B&B Association site, although they certainly have an interest in helping things along.
I'm going to do my part and post a blog article tomorrow about it! I may also email my MIG member list to encourage them to support the effort, either through PAII or on an individual basis. I may even 'like' it through facebook if I have the option.
Hell, I might even write a press release myself representing MIG members..
wendydk said:
If this campaign got the kind of long-term press exposure that the bnb4vets thing got in it's short run, we'd all be farther ahead. How many Inns blogged, emailed or did press releases about their participation in that (from which no revenue was forthcoming)? More than have extolled and broadcasted the ideals of the "Better Way to Stay" campaign, I'm pretty sure.
I don't think you can really compare the potential pr interest in a program that gets a free stay for thousands of guests on a holiday made to honor the designated group of guests to a campaign that convinces potential guests to pay for staying in an unknown element (a B&B) instead of a hotel. It's apples and oranges. The PR guy did a good job and should be commended but it was an easy product to sell. Free stuff perks up the interest.
That said, the PAII campaign is designed as a grass-roots initiative, with little money behind it, so anything that individual innkeepers or associations can do to promote it is going to be extremely helpful. Some possible ideas like the ones you mentioned - blogs, press releases, etc. - are all mentioned in the latest Innkeeping Quarterly. If you don't get it - you don't have to be a member of PAII, just an innkeeper - call them and get on the mailing list. If you do get it, read it. Jay can't do it all alone, that's for sure, but it doesn't help if he puts info out there and we don't read it. Don't we complain when our guests don't read our stuff?
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muirford said:
I don't think you can really compare the potential pr interest in a program that gets a free stay for thousands of guests on a holiday made to honor the designated group of guests to a campaign that convinces potential guests to pay for staying in an unknown element (a B&B) instead of a hotel. It's apples and oranges. The PR guy did a good job and should be commended but it was an easy product to sell. Free stuff perks up the interest.
That said, the PAII campaign is designed as a grass-roots initiative, with little money behind it, so anything that individual innkeepers or associations can do to promote it is going to be extremely helpful.
My point exactly...would the bnb4vets thing been as big as it was without innkeepers blogging and giving interviews, sending press releases about it na encouraging each other to join in? Maybe, but maybe not. THIS program is something that can benefit EVERYONE in the industry, all the better reason for us all to put at least some effort into it.
Sue, perhaps you should contact Linda at L2L, I'm not exactly their favorite person these days.
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wendydk said:
My point exactly...would the bnb4vets thing been as big as it was without innkeepers blogging and giving interviews, sending press releases about it na encouraging each other to join in? Maybe, but maybe not.
Your point, maybe, but not mine. Mine is they are not really comparable promotions. So, would the bnb4vets thing have been as big without all the innkeeper input? Yes. What made the most difference in that promotion was the addition of the website devoted to it, more B&Bs joining the promotion (not just WV), the pickup of the story by the AP, and the distribution of the AP story by military organizations all across the country.
This program has a bigger fish to fry, and no free fish to give away for the grand opening of the restuarant. Also, a less identifiable target demographic - no one carries an id card that says they've never been to a B&B before. It will be a tougher sell. That's not a reason to not blog or facebook or twitter about it, but it is a reason to not expect a quick fix to the problem of potential guests not considering B&Bs.
Also, PAII is not really a marketing organization - they are an advocacy and education group. This is a grassroots promotion for a reason. So I don't think it is fair to think of this as a PAII program - it really needs to be owned by the innkeeping community.
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muirford said:
This is a grassroots promotion for a reason. So I don't think it is fair to think of this as a PAII program - it really needs to be owned by the innkeeping community.
(sigh) That's what I've been trying to say. The comparisons between this and the bnb4vets program pertained to the grassroots aspects of each.
 
I have given the link twice in this thread, and will provide the others. Have a look, YES it has been posted here, YES it is posted on the Paii website, newsletters, emails, etc etc and if you go to the Paii conference you will learn more about it.
No, people don't read. That is correct, apparently.
 
I have given the link twice in this thread, and will provide the others. Have a look, YES it has been posted here, YES it is posted on the Paii website, newsletters, emails, etc etc and if you go to the Paii conference you will learn more about it.
No, people don't read. That is correct, apparently..
Joey Bloggs said:
I have given the link twice in this thread, and will provide the others. Have a look, YES it has been posted here, YES it is posted on the Paii website, newsletters, emails, etc etc and if you go to the Paii conference you will learn more about it.
No, people don't read. That is correct, apparently.
Goodbye all, and good luck.
 
I have given the link twice in this thread, and will provide the others. Have a look, YES it has been posted here, YES it is posted on the Paii website, newsletters, emails, etc etc and if you go to the Paii conference you will learn more about it.
No, people don't read. That is correct, apparently..
Joey Bloggs said:
I have given the link twice in this thread, and will provide the others. Have a look, YES it has been posted here, YES it is posted on the Paii website, newsletters, emails, etc etc and if you go to the Paii conference you will learn more about it.
No, people don't read. That is correct, apparently.
Goodbye all, and good luck.
.
wendydk said:
Joey Bloggs said:
I have given the link twice in this thread, and will provide the others. Have a look, YES it has been posted here, YES it is posted on the Paii website, newsletters, emails, etc etc and if you go to the Paii conference you will learn more about it.
No, people don't read. That is correct, apparently.
Goodbye all, and good luck.
Please don't g o away Wendy! You have a lot to contribute here. I know how frustrating it can be at times and I enjoy hearing your take on different topics. You add a lot of value here.
 
I figure it is all about us all doing the best we can to promot our industry, be it tweeting, a press release, an offer or work on local publicity. every time we work for our selves or make a conversion it helps us all. It is one brick at a time and if we all do our best or try to go a bit further (and I know it is bonkers and time simply vanishes) ie write one more blog post than we thought we would it aides the cause. So maybe that should be our new years resolution should be to each write a really good press release!
 
Holiday stress much, people?? Everyone please take a deep breath and stop splitting hairs.
 
I finally got around to reading this and U also posred a comment. To be happy with a cup of coffee ($3 NYC retail but about 50 cents of cost) a carton of yogurt (about 69 cents) or a serving of cereal (50 cents), an old banana (maybe 10 cents), and 25 cents of milk for $10 and be happy with it? I am sorry, as a traveler I want more.
 
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