Promoting the Industry
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Marti Mayne |
Our goal is to
generate great publicity for BedandBreakfast.com members
specifically, and for the B&B industry as a whole. In this issue we
cover:
Ask the Pros: Responding to Publicity Leads
Let’s Hear It From
Innkeepers
Recent Media Coverage
The recent coverage of BedandBreakfast.com’s gas special has created quite a
buzz in the media, from
USA TODAY to
CNN. When we get a call from interested media, we send them to
BedandBreakfast.com’s Free Gas Specials, where more than 200 members
from 33 states have posted specials. Be sure to post your Free Gas Special,
and be a part of BedandBreakfast.com’s Tanks a Lot Program.
Silver-level members and above may post specials; simply
log in with your Property ID and password. Select Specials from
the table in your Home Base. Enter your offer for free gas via discounted
stays, gas cards, or other creative offers under Free Gas Promotion.
Some innkeepers have taken it a step further by creating specials to reward
those driving hybrids, carpooling, or traveling in environmentally friendly
ways. If your offer expired in June, extend it for the fall months or
through the holidays to be most effective in attracting new business.
Ask the Pros:
Responding to Publicity Leads
Question: “What’s the best way to respond to a
publicity lead so we are included in the story?”
Response: Good question! A publicity lead informs you when a travel
journalist is researching a story, offering you the chance to respond with
timely and pertinent information. You can strike while the iron is hot,
informing the media about your unique B&B rather than sending blind emails
and hoping your news will be of interest.
Publicity leads are regularly posted on BedandBreakfast.com. To find the
most recent ones posted, simply
log in with your Property ID and password, then click on Publicity
Leads in the grid on your Home Base.
While there are no guarantees, here are some ways to improve your chances
that a journalist will read and include your response.
Rules of the Road to Answer Publicity Leads
Rule #1: Respond to publicity leads immediately; the writer is
usually on deadline. The early bird gets the white space.
Rule #2: Be concise, and stick to the information requested. Your
answer should completely answer the question and pique the writer's interest
in no more than 150 words.
Rule #3: Do NOT send the journalist to your website for more
information; list your website as a resource.
Rule #4: Your response should contain your unique selling points.
Weave what makes you different from other B&Bs into your answer.
Rule #5: Your response should contain a complete signature, including
your:
Rule #6: Check spelling and grammar.
Rule #7: Go back and re-read your response – does it set you apart?
Does it answer the question? Does it include all relevant information for
inclusion in the article?
Rule # 8: Send the response to the right person!
Rule # 9: If you’re an expert on something, offer your advice. Don’t
underestimate your expertise. As innkeepers, you’re experts on small
business management, culinary adventure, housekeeping, gardening,
entertaining, financial planning, and much, much more.
Rule #10: Save the information from publicity leads, and use the
addresses to grow your media list.
Let’s Hear It From Innkeepers
We always appreciate hearing from innkeepers and are grateful for your
support. Here’s a wonderful comment we heard after the innkeeper read a
feature story in Westchester Magazine by Rose Ciccone, Associate
Editor of BedandBreakfast.com:
“BedandBreakfast.com and Rose Ciccone really did us proud…WOW…see the
lead article in this month's Westchester Magazine!” - The Inn
at Bowman’s Hill, New Hope, PA
Recent
BedandBreakfast.com Media Coverage
The coverage of BedandBreakfast.com’s gas offers has continued, attracting
media attention from all corners of the country. In fact, recently,
USA TODAY included BedandBreakfast.com in a story about how savvy
marketers are attracting customers with gas offers.
BedandBreakfast.com’s gas offers with links to BedandBreakfast.com’s
specials have been included in stories from the
Indianapolis Star and
The Republican in Springfield, MA, with quotes such as: “Nationwide,
it appears that bed and breakfasts continue to lead the lodging industry in
perks for drivers financially wounded by gasoline costs. Now B&Bs in 32
states have joined a ‘Tanks a Lot’ promotion with various offerings…For a
complete list of all B&Bs participating in the BedandBreakfast.com Tanks a
Lot promotion, go to
www.BedandBreakfast.com and click on the link to Free Gas Promotion
under Specials on the left side of the page…”
The Orlando Sentinel claimed, “B&Bs want to give you gas” in their
headline, and continued on to say, “The price of gasoline will be a major
factor in planning road-trip budgets for summer. So a group of
bed-and-breakfasts around the country is offering a promotion to help put a
few bucks back in their guests' wallets. The 'Tanks a Lot' gas-rebate
program, available from New Hampshire to California, offers a variety of
incentives to hit the road, including gas cards and rate discounts…”
Travel Weekly claimed, “Nearly 200 inns and B&Bs, members of
BedandBreakfast.com, are participating in the network’s Tanks a Lot
promotion by providing gas cards, credits or other schemes for subsidizing
fuel costs. As of this month, the typical subsidy ranged from $25 to $50,
though a few were as high as $80. Promotions are offered for varying time
periods. Some offers end as early as June 30; others run through the year,
but those generally require weekday stays and black out holidays…” The
article then went on to mention a number of members’ specials.
BedandBreakfast.com’s Tanks a Lot coverage has garnered more than 64.2
million impressions since April. If purchased as advertising, the value of
this coverage would be more than $50,000.
The media knows that travelers do not live by gas specials alone, and
BedandBreakfast.com garnered additional media coverage, promoting the site
as the best source for B&B travel information.
Readers looking for unusual lodging properties were sent to
BedandBreakfast.com by Budget Travel Online. The magazine also posted their
recommendation on CNN.com.
A Montreal Gazette story about B&B escapes on the web told readers
that BedandBreakfast.com should be the first stop and includes nice
description of the site. The Washington Post included
BedandBreakfast.com in a story about finding a room at the right price.
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This Month's Sponsor
Gift Certificates
Click here to read recent comments from gift certificate purchasers.
One purchaser says:
"Love it! It was very helpful to see exactly where participating
B&Bs are located. I read reviews from other sites that recommended your
service highly. This makes the perfect gift to thank my in-laws for
paying for our wedding!"
Wedding season is upon us!
Are you missing out? To join the participating inns, just
log in to your Home Base, or
click here
for more information.
Internet Intensives
BedandBreakfast.com, RezOvation and Expedia, Inc. are
hitting the road to bring you comprehensive information about Internet
marketing, online reservations, yield management, and property management
software. Please join us for these workshops and for an Innkeepers'
Appreciation Luncheon. Read more...
Online Trade Show
Click here to view our Online Trade Show. Are you a vendor?
Click here to get featured!
Advertising Auctions
Featured Property and
Inn of the Month auctions are easy, affordable and effective ways to drive
traffic to your website.
Member Information
To update your entry, check your traffic statistics, and renew your membership,
please log in with your property ID and password.
Forgot your password?
Click here, then enter your
property ID and we'll email it to you. Don't like your password? Once you're
logged in, click "Membership," select "Change Password," and choose another that's easier to remember.
More information
Inns for Sale
Innkeepers' Info Center
Need more
info? You’ll find lots of educational
articles on our site for your convenience.
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