Here is Part II of my exploration of the world of Twitter. I have been tweeting now for about two weeks, and have about 120 people actually following what I am saying on this incredible social media. It amazes me how fast this has grown for me from a peek at a new marketing channel to a full blown way to spread the word about what we do at Quantum Hospitality. More important, I have found so many really interesting people in the Twitterverse to follow. They are writing short notes (140 characters only) about anything and everything of interest to them. Here are my continuing observations about this exploding device.

In last weeks blog article, I described in general how Twitter works, but the simplicity of sending out very short messages belies the fact that a tremendous amount of information is being spiraled around the Internet in this fashion. By using one of many free services to shorten URLs, Tweeters are including references to blog articles and other websites within their Tweets. Once received, each person, if the information is deemed worthy, can then “Retweet” this information to his or her list of followers with a comment. It is this Retweet phenomenon which is the essence of viral marketing. It keeps the message circulating, growing and growing the number of people who ultimately see it. Just think of the possibilities. Imagine your Special Package description gets Tweeted to your friends (presumably your guests) who then spread the word to all their friends, who then send it to all of their friends, and so on. . . . This is the essence of the concept of Repeats and Referral, the two most important kinds of guests and prospective guests a Bed and Breakfast can have. In essence, the marketing potential of Twitter is endless.

Now, does it work? First, there is an etiquette happening as well. If all that you talk about on Twitter is your business, your Twitter followers (i.e. your “friends”) will likely stop listening to what you say. This is a social media after all! They want to know you as a person as well as a business. Here is where all your Innkeeper hospitality comes into play. You can spend a good deal of time on Twitter talking about what is going on at the Inn. It can be as simple as a description of that fabulous breakfast that you just fed to your guests, a description of one of your best guest rooms, or a short note about what is happening in your neck of the woods this weekend. Pictures work great on Twitter, with a Flicr account and a shortened URL, you can include great photos in your Tweets. Again the marketing potential is limitless. The key is to convey the wonderful ambiance of your Inn in 140 characters. That is the Zen of it all.

So the overall answer to the question “does it work?” is a resounding yes! What amazes me is that there are so many bed and breakfasts out there, but only a relative few have caught on to Twitter. This is a missed opportunity. Right now, it appears that the overwhelming number of people on the Twitter channel are people who are into social media as a business. The bloggers and web developers are all there. Also, you will find every form of self help and technical gurus there, as well as some really smart people who just want to learn about the anything and everything of it all. These people are basically your guests or prospective guests.

So what is the first step after signing up for Twitter? You need to get a following that wants to hear your messages. What better way than to put out the word to your guest list that you are now on Twitter. Put the Twitter link on your website, and send an email notice to your guest list with your Twitter ID. Ask them to follow you. Make sure you have the link in all your marketing pieces and newsletters. Set a goal to get a good number of your guest list into following you on Twitter.

Once you have guests following you on Twitter, you can then have a look at who they are following and who is following them. You can elect to follow anyone who is interesting to you (i.e. a potential guest). If you follow someone, they get an email from Twitter advising them that you are now following them. Usually, they will look you up on Twitter, and if it interests them, they can elect to follow you back. This is the social networking feature of Twitter, and it allows you to expand your friends and make new ones. Many, many Tweople have thousands and thousands of followers on Twitter. It is word of mouth at its highest level.

So my advice is “what are you waiting for?” Get going and Twitter on. . . .

We spent some time over the Holidays with our family outside of Boston.  Rather than displace some of my nephews, we tried the closest hotel.  This was a large chain hotel on a major route west of Boston with a huge shopping center across the street.  While there were several small (3 room) bed and breakfasts nearby, we thought we should see what the hotel industry was up to.  What a mistake!

First of all, we should say that the room itself was newly redecorated, fairly large and well furnished.  The bed was a new pillow-top king-size, and the furnishings were standard up-scale hotel furniture.  There was a very large, new flat-screen TV with Hi-Def capabilities.  There was also free wi-fi and good desk space with plenty of lights and a.c. outlets.  It contained the typical business set up with desk and swivel office chair in addition to two other upholstered seats.  The heat was the ubiquitous through the wall air conditioning/heat unit, but with a more modern temperature control on one of the walls.  The bathroom was standard size, but upgraded with a stone countertop, tile floor, and bowed shower curtain rod, giving the appearance and feel of a larger bathtub.  In short, this was a fairly up-scale hotel room, the same to be found in most cities of the Country.   What it lacked in charm, it made up with functionality; or so we thought. 

We were using reward points left over from the corporate world for one of the two nights of our stay.  This is where the trouble started.  We had paid for our second night as a deposit, with the first to be paid for by the reward.  The cost of the room was quoted as $99 plus tax.  When we checked in, however, the desk clerk advised us that we would need to check-out and then check-in again on the next day.  They said that they could not guarantee that we would be able to stay in the room, as room assignments for check-ins are made each morning.  We advised them that they needed to figure it out, but we were not moving rooms.  The next day we did, in fact have to check-out and then check-in again, but somehow they managed to keep us in the room.   We then went to breakfast in the dining room.  This was a holiday, so they were not serving a buffet.   We were seated, and then waited about a half-hour for a server to bring the menus and coffee.  Overall, the breakfast was sub-par and the service very poor.   When we finally checked out, the desk clerk told us that since we stayed in the same room, which apparently was a higher level than the rate quoted us, we had to pay an additional $50, despite the fact that our written confirmation was clear.  We, of course, refused to pay, and the desk clerk said she would discuss it with the manager.  After we left, they just charged the difference to our card anyway.  We are still waiting for the credit that they promised, but the credit card company will reverse the charge if the hotel does not do so.

The long and short is that in the battle between hotels and bed and breakfast inns, we win, hands down!  It is not about luxury rooms, amenities, or discounted rates.  It remains true that personal service, quaintness, and charm will win out every time.  It is not just about the room.  While our room was perfectly adequate, and in fact, in some respects a clear upgrade, it was sterile, lacking any “charm” or individuality.  This room could have been found anywhere in the United States.  Close your eyes, and you may not know where you are for a minute.  One of the things about old house syndrome at bed and breakfast inns, particularly those in older, historical buildings, is that the sounds of the Inn at night, the groans of the boiler or creaks and pops of the radiators, can impact your sleep, at least on the first night.  Well try those hotel thru-wall heaters which make a huge noise as they cycle on and off all night.  I’ll take charm every time. 

The most important thing that we have to offer in our small part of the Hospitality Industry is the personal service that our innkeepers give to their guests on a daily basis.  This is what clearly sets us apart from the much larger hotel business, and the one thing that will help us survive the tough times to come.   The more the economy gets worse, the more respite, peace and good old fashioned hospitality will be needed to provide our guests with a retreat to recharge their batteries.   Do not ever underestimate what we have to offer the traveling public.  It is something that hotels can never supply, no matter how many concierges they have.  The hotels of the world will compete by price to stay alive.  The bed and breakfast industry has a magic wand and can better compete with hospitality, charm, and personal service.  For all times, this is what differentiates us from the hotel business, and what will continue to make us successful in the years to come.  What we need now is to spread the world that we are open for business as usual, and that means “Hospitality” with a capital “H.”

Timing is everything.  The following questions are meant to make you think about the realities of becoming an Innkeeper and the implications of this lifestyle change for you and your family.  Innkeeping is a rewarding profession when it is done at the right time.  Here are some things to consider:

·     Does your partner share the same interest in Innkeeping?

·     How will th is affect your family?

·     Social life with friends and family is usually on weekends and holidays.  These are the busiest times for an Innkeeper.  Will this be an issue for you?

·     Are you ready for a lifestyle change?

·     Do you have the financial resources to purchase an Inn?

·     Are you aware of the time commitment it takes to be an Innkeeper?

·     Are you ready to leave the safety net of a weekly pay check?

These questions make for a good conversation with you partner.  Keep an open mind and hear what your partner is really saying.  If you are both in agreement, go forward and have fun!

We are frequently asked, “What are the characteristics of a successful Innkeeper?” This is an important question to ask. It takes the right kind of person to be a successful Innkeeper. The following are six personal traits a successful Innkeeper should possess.  

1. Ability to Serve Others
2. Multi-tasking as everything always happens at once
3. Ability to make it all look easy!  
4. A Sense of Humor because if you can’t laugh, you will cry!
5. Commitment to being an Innkeeper, not just a whim
6. Organized, organized, organized…

So do you have what it takes to be a successful Innkeeper?  If not, just sit back and enjoy visiting Inns instead!  We would rather that you find this out BEFORE you purchase a Bed and Breakfast.  Remember, it is much easier to “buy a Bed & Breakfast” versus “selling a Bed & Breakfast”.

Many people decide to become an Innkeeper before they really understand what innkeeping is really about.  Innkeeping is a satisfying career.  However, if this major decision is not approached honestly, your dream of becoming an Innkeeper can easily become a nightmare!  We consider the following the basic five questions a Future Innkeeper should be asking themselves BEFORE they make the commitment to purchase an Inn.  These questions cover the who, what, when, where, and how of Innkeeping.  We will explore the following questions during the next four week period.  Be sure not to miss out!

• Who makes the best Innkeeper?
• What is the typical day at an Inn?
• When is the best time to purchase an Inn?
• Where is the best location?
• How do you go forward with an Inn once it is identified?

Stay tuned to get all of the great information.  Since it is the Holidays and you may not be able to wait, e-mail me at office@inns-for-sale.com and I’ll sent it to you right away!