At WebReserv we have been working with the B&B industry for several years trying to provide the best service to our clients. We know that a good booking system is a valuable tool for the B&B owner, but we are also aware that there are many other aspects (marketing, communication, sales, accounting, etc.) that the business needs to refine and improve in order to be successful.
Yvonne Halling is a B&B owner and a WebReserv client. She runs a successful B&B, and wants to share her experience and knowledge with other B&B’s. She writes about the 5 most common mistakes that B&B owners often make. Each week, we will discuss one mistake and give tips on how to avoid them. Here is the 3rd mistake.
“Who do you want to serve?
When helping B&B owners who want to make more money and have more fun, the first thing we look at is who they really want to welcome to their homes, and this is often a sticky subject.
Question: Who is your ideal guest?
Answer: Everyone
The problem when we try to be all things to all people is that we then become no-one to everyone. We scatter our energy and focus and end up not really making anyone happy, including ourselves. We become another ordinary, forgettable B&B experience and that doesn’t build our businesses, nor does it serve our guests.
“But if I focus on one type of guest, I’ll lose business, won’t i?”
Well, no actually. In fact the opposite will happen, and here’s why:
- When you get really clear on the expertise, knowledge and skill set you have, then you can really begin to shine
- When you go and find the people who would most appreciate that expertise, knowledge and skill set, then you can really add value to them
- With these first two steps firmly in place, you can then develop products and services that those ideal guests would want to buy or use
- This increases your bottom line while you do less work
Here’s an example of how this works in my own case:
- We welcome champagne lovers worldwide who want to discover the hidden gems of Champagne. So now anyone who loves champagne and is looking for the “off the beaten track” experiences that only we can offer, we become the “go to” people, or the obvious choice.
- Those champagne lovers want what we have – 17 years of experience and knowledge of living and working in this region. They want the inside scoop, the hidden gems, the personal introductions, the things that ordinary B&Bs do not provide.
- We produce products and services, both digital and physical to help those guests get their needs met. They enjoy a memorable experience and write a glowing review for us on Trip Advisor. We’re happy because we helped them, and there’s no better feeling in the world.
And the icing on the cake is that we make more money, and that’s a great feeling too.”
Yvonne turned her Bed and Breakfast « hobby » business, making 10k a year into a 6 figure professional B&B in less than 3 years. Trained in NLP, Presentation Skills and Leadership with Chris Howard, Yvonne is a professional coach and consultant helping B&B owners worldwide to make more money. Get the full report “5 BIG Mistakes B&B Owners Unwittingly Make And How To Avoid Them” at http://bedandbreakfastcoach.com
More information about WebReserv on www.webreserv.com
Leave a Comment