THE MARKETING MIX

Before the marketing mix decision is made, determine what purpose these marketing efforts are going to serve. Are they to:

• deepen the customer base;
• increase market share;
• increase revenue;
• reach new geographic markets; or
• to increase occupancy?

After these objectives are established, determine a date for accomplishing these objectives. The marketing mix allows the Bed & Breakfast to combine different marketing decision areas such as services, promotion and advertising, pricing and place, to construct an overall marketing programme.

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Use the product or service itself as a marketing resource. Having something unique provides motivation behind advertising. While the ideas mentioned under market strategy apply here, another option is to change or modify the service. Additional attention may be given to a product if it has changed colour, size or style, while a service may draw similar attention by modifying the services provided. Remember sales and promotional opportunities are generated by product differentiation.

PROMOTION AND ADVERTISING

With a marketing strategy and clear objectives outlined, use advertising to get the message out to the customers. Advertising can be through:

• the Yellow or Golden Pages
• a press release
• the newspaper
• billboards and posters
• B&B guide books
• local tourism publications
• direct mail.

The Internet is a relatively cheap way to promote your B&B both domestically and overseas and should now be considered the centrepiece of your overall marketing strategy.

One reason to advertise is to highlight promotional activities. This will serve to both highlight your property and offer added incentive for customer patronage. For example you may wish to promote:

• midweek, two nights for the price of one offers
• coupons or gift vouchers
• special activities, e.g., mystery-solving evenings.

The aim is to try to reach the largest number of people with the money allocated to advertising and promotion. This may be accomplished by using several different methods of advertising. Be creative and implement ideas.

Advertising material

The following are some ideas that could help increase the response from your advertising material. Good quality advertising can be costly, but very rewarding. Again, the emphasis is on ‘good’. It’s also worth considering full-page advertisements (particularly if you are targeting the luxury market), but after your first year of profitable trade. It is not always appropriate to spend large sums of money in your first year, especially in expensive, national travel magazines, as people don’t tend to keep them, and you will have other priorities for your marketing budget.

Always write the headline from your guests’ point of view not your own

People tend to not look at their products and services from the perspective of the people buying them. The sooner your prospective guests recognise themselves and their own wants and needs in the words you use in your headline, the faster they will respond.

Use the words ‘You’, ‘New’ and/or ‘How to’ in your headline

These are proven words that capture attention. Connect them to a benefit your prospective guests may want or need, and the response will increase.

Make your opening sentence continue what you were talking about in the headline

If in your headline you promised your prospective guest a relaxing stay in your Bed & Breakfast, then say something in your opening sentence about this to get them even more excited about staying with you.

Tell your whole story, in miniature by the time the first paragraph is over.

People have a very short attention span. Try to telescope your entire story down to a sound bite in writing. Think of how they do this on the TV news, where they give you the key points of an item and then say ‘more at 11’. Far more people will read your copy, and the results should produce bookings. Use the rest of your copy to retell your story, in more detail.

Use specific, powerful and true testimonials

No matter how honest or persuasive you are, people usually won’t believe everything or take everything in as being possible when they first read your copy.

They need to get to know and trust you. That can take some time, but unfortunately you don’t want to wait. You have to persuade them right now. They will be much more likely to believe what you say when other people are singing your praises. Include testimonials to enhance your credibility.

Edit your copy ruthlessly

If a word doesn’t keep the reader’s attention by making your copy more interesting, or what you are selling seem more appealing, cut it out. Copywriting is the art of doing more with fewer words. Every word has to work really hard, and your copy has to be easy to read.

MARKETING PERFORMANCE

After the marketing mix decision is implemented, the next step is to evaluate performance. With a detailed list of your objectives, monitor how well the decisions are developing.

• Evaluate objectives such as:
  • Market share. Has the increased share been reached?
  • Revenue volume. Was the increase achieved?
  • Strategy. Did the combinations of target markets and strategy work effectively? Which ones didn’t?

• You should also evaluate the following decisions:
  • Did the advertising efforts reach target groups?
  • Were promotions timely?
  • Did customers respond to specials, coupons or other incentives?

• Additionally, consider the following:
  • Is your Bed & Breakfast doing all it can to satisfy the guest?
  • Is it easy for customers to find what they want at a competitive price?
  • If these objectives were not reached, what were the reasons?
  • If they worked well, what elements were most effective?

By evaluating performance after decisions have been made, there is reference for future decision-making, based on past results. In addition, periodically assess customer feelings and opinions toward your Bed & Breakfast and how well your guests’ needs are being satisfied. This can be done through surveys, customer comments cards, or simply by asking them, ‘How did you enjoy your stay?’

Assessing performance and asking for customer input brings around market research again. Your marketing plan is a continuous effort to identify and adapt to changes in markets, customer taste, and the economy for the success of your Bed & Breakfast.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

All B&Bs have certain things in common: if nothing else you are all dealing with people who are away from their home. Understanding what Bed & Breakfasts have to offer, and the people who patronise them, will play an important part in your marketing approach.

You can quite safely say people frequent Bed & Breakfasts for:

• the personal, pampered feeling they offer;
• the safety and security offered by smaller establishments;
• the opportunity for closer interaction with local surroundings; and
• their suitability for short holiday breaks.

Taking these factors into account you could very well find that public relations could offer your Bed & Breakfast your cheapest and most effective form of promotion.

Media relations, where you try to influence journalists and producers of newspapers, magazines, radio shows and TV programmes to do a story on your Bed & Breakfast, at little or no cost, is likely to be the most relevant sector of the PR market. Editorial, as we call this coverage, has more credibility than paid advertising and gives an opportunity to cover more facts.

A media kit is the introduction, story, photographs and any other appropriate materials, such as brochures, which you send to the media. The most important component of the kit is the story, or the press release. Used well, a series of press releases can keep your establishment ‘in the news’.

Look not only at promoting yourself, but also the attractions of your area, offering your Bed & Breakfast as the most convenient place to stay.

Media releases

Following are some rules to observe when preparing a press release.

Write your story considering the questions, ‘Who?, What?, Why? When?, Where? and How? This will help you to include all relevant information.

You must remain focused on what your story is and ensure it appears different from all the other media kits that appear on journalists’ desks daily. If it isn’t clear to you, it won’t be to them.

Restrict your story to one A4-size page. Use your letterhead, as it contains your address and other contact details. Also include your contact name and phone number at the end of your story.

Your media release must be typed with, at least 1½ line spacing. Publisher, a Microsoft program, comes with a format specifically for media releases.

• Make your story clear and concise, using simple language. Have a short and punchy title.
• Do not exaggerate, tell it like it is. Remember this may appear in print and you have to be able to deliver.
• Pay attention to details such as dates and times.
• Double-check your spelling. This attention to detail is seen as basic courtesy by journalists.

Targeting your story

If your emphasis is on food, naturally food sections of newspapers or gourmet magazines are where your story is best suited. If you offer unique scenery, try the travel section of a weekend paper. If you have gardens that have won awards, then the home or gardening section could be an opportunity.

Prior to writing your release, read the sections you are targeting carefully to understand what it is in each story that captured the imagination of the editor and made it topical.

Get to know your local papers, their deadlines and the names of staff who you will be targeting. Being an active member of your community will enhance your chance of getting a media profile.

A week after posting your media kit follow it up with a phone call. Ask if the media kit has been received. If not, explain briefly what it is about and offer to send another copy. If they have seen it, ask them if they need more information and if they think the story is suitable.

Instead of a traditional media kit you may consider offering journalists and their partners a first-hand experience of your Bed & Breakfast. A free night’s accommodation is a cheap price to pay for a glowing report in a popular magazine or travel section of a metropolitan newspaper. A journalist’s visit will not necessarily provide you with fantastic copy or even an article, but ‘freebies’ or ‘familiarisations’ for journalists are part of the system, and word of mouth reports would always be to your advantage. For best effect, limit the period of the offer so journalists are less likely to put it away and forget about you. Good editorial coverage may not make your business, but can provide icing on the cake of your marketing plan. Well done, it is economical and effective.

Public relations are also about relations with your local community. Build up positive relationships with local clubs and business organisations, so you and your business become known and trusted by the locals. Public relations may also include sponsoring a fundraising event, horse race or local sports team for example.

There are a number of books available on how to make public relations work for you. The media unit of your state tourism association can also provide information and support. You may wish to consider using a public relations consultancy for your initial promotion.

You advise the consultant of what you have in mind and your approximate budget, they will come back to you with a proposal. The advantage of a good PR consultancy is that they already have the writing skills and media contacts to make the exercise effective, so your budget can be money well spent.

HOW MUCH MARKETING DO I NEED?

Any expenses incurred in promoting your business can be set against any tax you might pay on your profits, however this can be complicated when you are first embarking upon your venture.

Consult your accountant before spending any money. What you should not do is decide that you need a certain type of advertisement just because that’s what everyone else does. You must decide what is appropriate to your B&B at any given time. You should, however, have some idea about who it is you are trying to attract and how best to reach them.

A marketing plan and budget needs to be developed in conjunction with your business plan.

BED & BREAKFAST GUIDES

You need to be included in a few Bed & Breakfast guides – that is a reality. When you are making your choice you should look at the following:

• How many years has the guide been in existence?
• How many copies does the publisher print?
• How many copies do they actually sell or give away?
• Where is it for sale or distributed?
• How much is it sold for, or is it free?
• How often and when does the guide come out?
• Do you like the method of presentation?
• Do they have a related web site?

How much does it cost?

There are several published Bed & Breakfast and guest house guides you could consider. The following is a list of the more popular guides and contact details and price indications.

Official Guide to Bed & Breakfast Guest Accommodation (Where to Stay), which is published by:

Alastair Sawday Publishing – Special Places to Stay

The Old Farmyard
Yanley Lane
Long Ashton
Bristol BS41 9LR

This publishing house looks for people and places that they like and that will please a range of guests. They search for special personalities, architecture, furniture, decoration, history, food, general surroundings and gardens. Each B&B (or hotel, or self-catering property) in their guidebooks is a fascinating cocktail of those things, and each Alastair Sawday write-up is a reflection of them. At the heart of their choice of B&Bs is the owner. The finest and most comfortable houses have been turned down because the owner is grumpy or aloof, or the atmosphere cold. Equally, less-than-text-book-perfect houses have been chosen – some may be slightly dusty or chaotic or crumbling – but the owners are so charming they make the place irresistible.

All applicants are subject to inspection and approval by Alastair Sawday Publishing. It is not possible to simply buy a place in these guides. We suggest you click onto www.specialplacestostay.com

The entry fee depends on the number of rooms, starting at £434 for one room to £694 for six rooms all including VAT.

Ireland (NB this includes hotels and self-catering properties)

Bed and Breakfast Nationwide

PO Box 2100
Clacton on Sea
Essex C016 9BW

Their brochure is distributed worldwide and features over 700 B&Bs around Britain and Ireland. The majority are family homes with a few guest houses included in town centres. All the B&Bs are included at no extra charge on their web site www.bedandbreakfastnationwide.com which is exclusively for properties in the brochure. They have a policy whereby the listings are limited per location. For example B&Bs are usually not less than ten miles apart. They only consider extra properties if the number of prospective visitors will satisfy everybody, or hosts are offering accommodation which fits into a different category.

The publishers visit all listed properties before they are accepted for the brochure. To give you some idea of the cost of advertising, the fee for 2006 is £300 for B&Bs with three bedrooms or less (£325 for those with four or more bedrooms). This includes a £30 registration fee, which goes towards the cost of visiting you. This fee is only charged in the first year.

AA Bed & Breakfast Guide

AA Hotel Services
Fanum House (15)
Basing View
Basingstoke
Hants RG21 4EA

The AA Bed & Breakfast Guide is an established market leader, with an estimated 40,000 copies printed every year. This publication is also sold by the American Automobile Association in the USA and available in Australia – a great global presence. Entries also appear on the AA website at www.theAA.com.

Shown below is an indication of the current registration and annual fees for inspection and rating, including a listing in the AA Bed & Breakfast Guide:

Registration type	Room count	2006 fee
		£ (ex VAT)	£ (inc VAT)
Full membership	1 to 4	205.00	240.88
All Star ratings	5 to10	250.00	293.75
	11 plus	290.00	340.00
Associate recognition		110.00	129.25

Note: Select the fee based on the number of letting rooms in your establishment.

In the first year of being listed in a B&B guide, you will get some bookings, but remember bookshops and newsagencies are going to take all year to sell copies. In the succeeding years, your bookings from this source will increase because you will be continually placed in more homes and vehicle glove compartments. The average holidaymaker does not update their accommodation guide every year, tending to hold onto their copy for a while.

MARKETING PLAN

A marketing plan should outline your marketing goals for a 12-month period and how you expect to achieve them through advertising, promotion, marketing and public relations. You should include the following elements:

• tourist information centres
• direct mail campaigns (including newsletters)
• public relations (community and media activities)
• advertising
• brochure stationery
• business stationery
• group promotions
• web sites
• trade and tourism shows
• any other activity that will get your Bed & Breakfast noticed by the public.

Carefully consider any promotional or marketing schemes and opportunities offered to you by your local or regional tourism organisations. The benefits here can be considerable.

Your marketing plan will identify your target market and how you plan to reach it.

Do not forget your local community. Word of mouth is the best advertising for any business. Locals will continually be asked for their accommodation recommendations.

Join your local Chamber of Commerce, Rotary or Lions Clubs. Include membership fees, donations and sponsorships in your marketing plan budget.

Also allow for hidden costs such as photography, artwork design and production. A contingency of 12% will allow for incidentals and price rises for the year.

BROCHURES

Your top marketing priorities will be to ensure that you become involved with your tourist information centre, become part of any local tourist authority initiatives, and create an effective brochure.

To enable you to ascertain what will attract your target market, look at your competitors’ brochures.

Consider what you like, the cost involved, and make it happen.

Remember that you can make a onecolour brochure be as effective as a fourcolour brochure if you use the medium carefully. You must ensure your brochure is well written, easy to read, attractive and informative.

NEWSLETTERS

Newsletters are a great way to communicate with your community and with past guests. Microsoft Publisher has a number of templates you can adapt for your Bed & Breakfast. These are a great way to create a positive presence in your community and reinforce all the elements of your marketing plan. These newsletters need not be expensive. You can design them on your computer, photocopy them, or email them to your mailing list.

If you include interesting topics and amusing text, they may be passed on to friends. You might want to have the occasional special offer to ascertain effectiveness.

BUSINESS STATIONERY

Your business stationery should reflect the design of your brochures and the style of your B&B itself. You need to ensure all of the aspects of promotion are part of one cohesive package.

Get a professional photographer to photograph your B&B. They may cost what is considered a lot of money, but it will be worth it and you’ll have the transparencies forever. The photos of your property can be used on your web site, in brochures and your advertisements.