PAII Innfo Newsletter December 2015

16.12.2015 Views

Executive Director‘s Welcome December 2015 B2B – Business to Business – and seeing I2I – Innkeeper to Innkeeper is the PAII approach to membership and to conference planning. In this issue of Members Monthly, you’ll see the complete list (well, almost!) of educational sessions to be presented over our days together in Austin, January 10-14. As the committee and I conversed with the industry partners representing the businesses essential to your B&B Inns, we’ve come away with real appreciation for their commitment to both PAII and to the success of your innkeeping business. And, what goes around comes around. Although the term ‘share economy’ has taken on a new meaning of late, you – as innkeepers of properties operating ‘by the rules’ - can rightly claim to be the original ‘share economy’ – we’re fond of noting that we don’t compete with each other, rather we share and cooperate. That is certainly evident by the innkeepers who will be sharing their experiences and nuggets for success when we meet in Austin. Here’s a special shout-out to those of you who are in positions of B&B association leadership: you are invited and heartily encouraged to forward this Members Monthly to your association members. Together – again, through sharing & cooperation – we can provide a package (tied with a bow!) to our member innkeepers to enhance and strengthen their businesses. And, isn’t that what we all want? Safe travels to you – during the upcoming holiday season, and as you make your way to Austin! ‘See you there! ~Kris Ullmer, PAII Executive Director Happy Holidays From PAII, the PAII Staff and Board of Directors Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII) 295 Seven Farms Drive, Suite 236-C Charleston, SC 29492 Phone: (856) 310-1102 http://www.innkeeping.org

Executive Director‘s Welcome<br />

<strong>December</strong> <strong>2015</strong><br />

B2B – Business to Business – and seeing I2I – Innkeeper to Innkeeper is the <strong>PAII</strong><br />

approach to membership and to conference planning.<br />

In this issue of Members Monthly, you’ll see the complete list (well, almost!) of<br />

educational sessions to be presented over our days together in Austin, January 10-14.<br />

As the committee and I conversed with the industry partners representing the businesses<br />

essential to your B&B Inns, we’ve come away with real appreciation for their<br />

commitment to both <strong>PAII</strong> and to the success of your innkeeping business. And, what<br />

goes around comes around.<br />

Although the term ‘share economy’ has taken on a new meaning of late, you – as<br />

innkeepers of properties operating ‘by the rules’ - can rightly claim to be the original<br />

‘share economy’ – we’re fond of noting that we don’t compete with each other, rather<br />

we share and cooperate. That is certainly evident by the innkeepers who will be<br />

sharing their experiences and nuggets for success when we meet in Austin.<br />

Here’s a special shout-out to those of you who are in positions of B&B association leadership: you are invited and heartily<br />

encouraged to forward this Members Monthly to your association members. Together – again, through sharing &<br />

cooperation – we can provide a package (tied with a bow!) to our member innkeepers to enhance and strengthen their<br />

businesses. And, isn’t that what we all want?<br />

Safe travels to you – during the upcoming holiday season, and as you make your way to Austin! ‘See you there!<br />

~Kris Ullmer, <strong>PAII</strong> Executive Director<br />

Happy Holidays<br />

From <strong>PAII</strong>,<br />

the <strong>PAII</strong> Staff and<br />

Board of Directors<br />

Professional Association of Innkeepers International (<strong>PAII</strong>)<br />

295 Seven Farms Drive, Suite 236-C<br />

Charleston, SC 29492 Phone: (856) 310-1102<br />

http://www.innkeeping.org


2016 <strong>PAII</strong> Innkeeping Show<br />

Sunday January 10 thru Thursday January 14, 2016<br />

All sessions and events are at the Palmer Events Center in Austin, Texas<br />

Reward yourself with a break from your innkeeping routine.<br />

Refresh your hospitality outlook.<br />

Renew your innkeeper friendships … mingle with your peers.<br />

Re-tool your management methods.<br />

We welcome you!<br />

January 10, SUNDAY:<br />

9:00-5:00 Future Innkeeper Seminar<br />

Developing a Business Plan, Navigating Regulations, Website Essentials to Promote your new<br />

Business, Evaluating Property Management Systems, Characteristics of a Successful Innkeeper, B&B Insurance Basics ... presented by experienced<br />

innkeepers and industry experts!<br />

9:00-5:00 Taking WordPress to the next level (add’l fee) Trent & Kristen Blizzard<br />

Do you want to learn more about how to use WordPress? Maybe you already have a WordPress website already and want to learn how to update<br />

it? Or, how to help it rank better in search engines? Do you want to learn more about WordPress so you can build your own site? In this class,<br />

innkeepers will learn how to manage their WordPress site. Topics include: plugins, widgets, blogging, media, SEO, security, backup and<br />

more. Special attention will be given towards making your website more usable by your guests and optimizing it to rank higher in Google. Trent<br />

and Kristen Blizzard will be teaching the class and providing lots of one-on-one personalized attention. Make sure you bring a laptop!<br />

4:00-7:00 Association Leaders’ Seminar<br />

January 11, MONDAY<br />

8am-11:30am, hosted by<br />

Palmer Events Center, Austin Texas (Breakfast will be served from 8-10am)<br />

We - bedandbreakfast.com - are very excited to have <strong>PAII</strong> back in our hometown of Austin, Texas! Join us for a morning of learning, networking<br />

and great local food! The location of the conference this year is just 10 minutes from the airport and in downtown Austin. If you remember the<br />

<strong>PAII</strong> Party from 2010 then you’ll remember the amazing view from the venue. The Palmer Events Center, home to the 2016 <strong>PAII</strong> Conference is<br />

right next door to the 2010 party location. Attending this conference puts you in the center of all things Austin. To learn, to grow, to reconnect<br />

with your Innkeeping Family. We look forward to seeing you in January!<br />

8:00am-8:30am: Meet and Greet Breakfast Begins!<br />

8:30am-9:15am: What's new at BedandBreakfast.com?<br />

9:30am-10:15am: Five Greatest Marketing Challenges - Practical Solutions<br />

10:30am-11:30am: Top trends in technology and travel and what's new at RezOvation Software<br />

‘Brunch and Learn’ is free for BB.com members and is included in conference registration for conference attendees!


11:45 Opening Keynote : Katherine Lugar, President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Hotel<br />

We’ve invited Ms Lugar to open your Innkeeping conference, and we realize you may be asking: what issues do B&B<br />

Inns – small, independently owned properties – have in common with hotel properties? Both <strong>PAII</strong> and AH&LA have<br />

the shared mission of education, advocacy, and communication. AH&LA currently represents nearly 2.5 million<br />

rooms, and serves as the sole national association representing all segments of the U.S. lodging industry.<br />

1:15-4:00 Hospitality Marketing Summit (HMS)<br />

Acorn Internet Services and White Stone Marketing have joined forces to create the Hospitality Marketing<br />

Summit. Their faculty is focused on improving your bottom line – through technological innovation, marketing trends,<br />

and all the tips and tricks you need to stay one step ahead of the competition.<br />

During the 3 HMS blocks of time Monday afternoon, Tuesday morning, and Tuesday afternoon, the inn-marketing<br />

topics listed below will be explored using two educational tracks: the Executive Track and the Technology Track.<br />

Executive Track<br />

Looking to Make More Revenue in 2016? We’ll Show You How…<br />

Everything You Need to Know About the OTA’s and More….<br />

Increase Your Inn’s Sex Appeal and Sell More than Before<br />

Increase Your Profits Through Aggressive Revenue Management<br />

Technical Tracks<br />

Social Media Marketing Trilogy<br />

Getting On The Map<br />

Protect Your Reputation<br />

What Google Wants<br />

1:15 – 2:30 Break Out Sessions<br />

Healthy Habits for Successful Innkeeping<br />

Exiting Innkeeping: Mapping Your Strategy<br />

2:45 - 4:00 Break Out Sessions<br />

Enhance Your Profit with Partners: 1 + 1 = 3<br />

Effective Advocacy: Partnering With AH&LA in Your State<br />

4:00 TRADE SHOW GRAND OPENING!<br />

AH&LA President & CEO Katherine Lugar<br />

5:30 – 7:00 TRADE SHOW Reception<br />

Welcome to the <strong>PAII</strong> Innkeeping Show, Welcome to the Trade Show, Welcome to Austin!<br />

7:00 - ? The evening is yours to explore Austin and sample the Texas dining and music scene


January 12, TUESDAY<br />

8:00 – 8:30 General Session: <strong>PAII</strong> and Hospitality Marketing Summit<br />

8:30 – 9:30 General Session: Hospitality Marketing Summit (HMS)<br />

Bed And Breakfasts - The Battle for Hospitality, Distribution and Profits, Vikram Singh, CEO Evision Worldwide,<br />

writer of the popular hotel and travel marketing strategy blog www.wordsofvikram.com.<br />

9:45 – 11:30 Hospitality Marketing Summit (HMS)<br />

LIVE Website and Web Presence Reviews: the Visual & the Technical<br />

10:00 – 11:15 Break Out Sessions<br />

BATTER UP: Come Take a Swing at Creating the Perfect PR Pitch, Maria Coder & Jay Hassler, BedAndBrunch<br />

PR<br />

Should You Say I Do To Weddings?, Cheryl Bailey, Wedding Industry Rescue (WEDDINGS TRACK)<br />

11:30 – 3:30 TRADE SHOW & LUNCH<br />

3:30 – 5:45 Hospitality Marketing Summit (HMS) Executive & Technology track presentations continues<br />

3:30 – 4:30 Break Out Sessions<br />

It's all in the FOLD - Towel and Napkin folding., Twyla Sickmiller – Turkish Towel Company<br />

SEO for your Wedding Business - What Google Wants, Shea Bailey, Wedding Industry Rescue (WEDDINGS<br />

TRACK)<br />

4:45 - 5:45 Break Out Sessions<br />

Setting Expectations to Avoid the ‘Zilla!, Cheryl Bailey, Wedding Industry Rescue (WEDDINGS TRACK)<br />

6:30 – ? Kick up your heels - whether in cowboy boots or birkenstocks - and we'll PARTY Texas Barbecue<br />

style! Music? Most likely! And remember,<br />

Austin proudly proclaims "keep it weird"!<br />

January 13, WEDNESDAY<br />

8:00-9:00 Vendor Intensive – join us for wakeup<br />

coffee & muffins<br />

THINK RESERVATIONS<br />

9:00-10:00 Vendor Intensive – join us for<br />

wake-up coffee & muffins<br />

CLOUDBEDS<br />

9:00-10:00 More Guests, More Bookings,<br />

More Sunrises: Automate & Integrate<br />

Brandon Dennis, Cloudbeds


10:15 – 11:30 Break Out Sessions<br />

Elevate your Game and Get Rave Reviews!, Ruth Ann Hattori, Educator & Consultant<br />

The Power of Asking the Right Questions: Your Web Presence, Lisa Kolb-Acorn Internet Marketing<br />

THE PEOPLE’S COURT: 3 Ways to Avoid Litigation, Rob Schenk, Wedding Lawyer & Editor of WeddingIndustryLaw.com (WEDDINGS<br />

TRACK)<br />

Payments Intelligence – The confusing world of credit card processing explained…at last!, Wynn J. Salisch, CCM, CHS, MBKS, Founder and<br />

CEO of Casablanca Ventures LLC<br />

Online Marketing Playbook: Attract the Guests YOU Want, Thereasa Roy , VP Marketing, InnRoad<br />

11:30 – 3:30 TRADE SHOW & LUNCH (Trade Show closes at 3:30)<br />

3:30 – 4:30 Break Out Sessions<br />

Work Smarter & Grow Your Business Using Your Whole Brain! Ruth Ann Hattori, Educator & Consultant<br />

SKIN IN THE GAME: Innkeeper and Venue Liability for the 21st Century Event, Rob Schenk, Wedding Lawyer & Editor of WeddingIndustry-<br />

Law.com (WEDDINGS TRACK)<br />

Universal Analtyics Workshop - R U Ready?, Lisa Kolb-Acorn Internet Marketing, Staff & Consultants<br />

How to Prepare for an Interim Innkeeper, Rebecca Whisnant, Interim Innkeepers, Hospitality and Tea<br />

4:45 – 5:45 Break Out Sessions<br />

Food Costing 101: Make or Break Profits, Heather Turner, Chef Forfeng<br />

Cost Effective Nuggets to Increase Your Revenue Today, Rachelle Jamerson-Holmes, Thee Matriarch Bed & Breakfast, Meeting and Special<br />

Events Venue<br />

Before B&Bs: From Cottage Rooms + Food to Gourmet Breakfast at the Inn, Old Rittenhouse Inn<br />

Look like a billion dollar resort on a ramen noodle budget: Lessons from<br />

Mavericks, Mavens and Madison Avenue<br />

Leighton Collis, Bespoke.house<br />

6:00 – ? The evening is yours to explore Austin and sample the<br />

Texas dining and music scene<br />

January 14, THURSDAY<br />

8:00 – 10:00 TBA<br />

10:15 – 11:30 Break Out Sessions - - more sessions to be announced<br />

soon!<br />

How to make more money with a channel manager<br />

12:00 ADJOURN … Explore Austin!


Waste Lists and Why Bed and Breakfasts Should be<br />

Using Them<br />

What is a waste list? A waste list is generally a clipboard of paper, or a log book stored in the<br />

kitchen that tracks what food products are thrown away on a daily and weekly basis.<br />

This list should include any food that is returned from a guest’s plate. not just food product overages<br />

and expired products, it should include anything noted at all that’s extra on a plate when it’s<br />

returned to the kitchen, extra sauce, extra butter, etc. I know some Bed and Breakfasts who utilize<br />

waste lists, but not many that actually carry it one step further and analyse them on a monthly and<br />

yearly basis.<br />

Why keep track of what comes back on a guest’s plate? $$$$$$ Yes it’s time consuming, but<br />

the time it takes it to track, more than makes back what you save on costs.<br />

A real life example from a B&B:<br />

A five-room B&B has 40% occupancy or (39.45% if you want to nitpick) with 720 out of the<br />

1,825 available room nights they have available booked for the year. 8 single travelers and 52 couples<br />

(104) = 112 people on average per month as guests.<br />

A pineapple throughout the year ranges in price seasonally from $2.00-$5.00, so on a yearly average we will call it $3.50 per pineapple. Each pineapple<br />

yields an average of 10 slices, coming to .35 per slice<br />

Each plate has a garnish of a slice of pineapple, two strawberries and another piece of assorted fruit in season.<br />

112 people a month<br />

40 of them don’t eat the pineapple<br />

40 X .35 = $14.00 per month = $168 per year<br />

Because we are costing by the slice and not by utilized product we are not going to take into account unusable product (the peel and stem).<br />

$168.00 per year could have been spent on a couple of sets of sheets for guest rooms.<br />

Another real life example from a B&B:<br />

A 10 room Bed and Breakfast has 55% percent occupancy, So 2081 room nights sold out of the 3650 available a year. This B&B is primarily a romantic<br />

destination, so 99% of their guests are couples, so 2060 of the rooms have couples (4120 people) and 21 single travelers, primarily male.<br />

4141 guests, appropriately 2100 are males.<br />

The B&B placed on every two top (table for two) a 6 oz. small pitcher of high-grade maple syrup. (As of this past June, the National average price<br />

of maple syrup was $37.40 per gallon. In the case of this B&B in CT, maple syrup was about double that. We will take the national average in this<br />

case for the example. http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/New_England_includes/Publications/0605mpl.pdf) 6 oz of maple syrup at .29<br />

cents an ounce = $1.74 per table.<br />

Statistically, women used 2 oz of the maple syrup and the men used the rest of the 4 oz of maple syrup, overpouring on their plates more syrup than<br />

needed or used. The B&B started using a waste list and started noting that the vast majority of the men’s plates would be returned to the kitchen<br />

with an excess of syrup on them. They switched over from one 6 oz. pitcher per table to 2, 2 oz. pitchers per table, in the course of a year, they only<br />

had 2 people ask for additional syrup.<br />

2100 people wasting 2 oz of syrup each previously. 4200 oz at .29 = $1218.00 a year.<br />

These are only a couple of examples, but if you have 15 small things like this that are small amounts and small costs on average, they add up.<br />

Once you start keeping a waste list you’ll start to pay attention to the small things that don’t pop out at you on a daily basis. Pay attention to the<br />

plates! And write it down.<br />

The average restaurant has on average over 250 small things they can do to reduce food costs, I’ll put B&Bs on an average of 15. But even that 15<br />

adds up.<br />

To use the pineapple as a low-end of the spectrum example, $168.00 per year X 15 small things= $2520.00.<br />

To use the high (and I’m going to half the 10 room B&B to a 5 room) Maple syrup, $609 per year X 15 small things = $9135.00<br />

That’s a lot of bed sheets that could have been bought……………...


THANK YOU!!!<br />

Thank you so much to the vendors who<br />

have taken time to do webinars with<br />

<strong>PAII</strong>, we very much appreciate the time<br />

spent this year so far, both speaking at<br />

the webinars and answering questions as<br />

well as the time it takes to put together<br />

such informational presentations!!<br />

Acorn Internet http://acorn-is.com<br />

Cloudbeds https://www.cloudbeds.com<br />

BedandBreakfast.com<br />

http://www.bedandbreakfast.com<br />

Little Hotelier<br />

http://www.littlehotelier.com<br />

LivingSocial<br />

https://www.livingsocial.com<br />

Legare, Bailey and Hinske, LLC<br />

http://lbhcpas.com<br />

Peter Billard Photography<br />

http://www.peterbillardphoto.com<br />

Q4Launch http://q4launch.com<br />

Rez Stream http://www.rezstream.com<br />

WebDirexion http://webdirexion.com<br />

Xotelia http://www.xotelia.com


Association Corner<br />

Recommended Reading:<br />

The Decision to Join: How Individuals Determine Value and Why<br />

They Choose to Belong<br />

by James Dalton and Monica Dignam<br />

A person’s decision to join an individual membership organization is not<br />

a cost-benefit analysis a conclusion of this study that does not fit the<br />

conventional wisdom. After all, the membership appeal should be what s<br />

in it for them, or so many think. Turns out, it isn’t that simple. The reality<br />

of this finding opens the door to insight, refined strategies, and a new<br />

look at what s valuable to association members.<br />

The Decision to Join compiles data gathered from 18 individual membership<br />

organizations and nearly 17,000 survey responses to paint a<br />

clearer picture of what people value about membership in an association.<br />

The strategic implications of the study include abilities to<br />

• Improve an association’s value proposition<br />

• Create and execute more effective strategies<br />

• Target member and prospect segments and tailor offerings to appeal to those segments.<br />

Comprehensive data and analysis paint a clear picture of topics such as affiliation and involvement, generations and career<br />

level, gender, employer type and level of support, and world location, offering insights that can lead associations to<br />

focus on the programs and initiatives that matter to members and thus improve their overall value proposition. Bonus features<br />

of this report are practical guides to discussing and adopting the findings of the report and conducting similar studies<br />

to identify specific topics of importance within individual organizations.<br />

Recommended Blogs to Check Out:<br />

Yes, I’ll Handle It<br />

http://www.associationnews.com/<br />

yes-ill-handle-it/<br />

Tell Your Member’s Stories<br />

http://associationsnow.com/<strong>2015</strong><br />

/12/monday-buzz-tell-yourmember-stories/<br />

7 Association Blogs You Need to<br />

Be Reading<br />

http://blog.memberclicks.com/7-<br />

association-blogs-you-need-to-bereading


Are you a member with news,<br />

helpful information,<br />

ideas and recipes to share?<br />

Please send your articles to<br />

marketing@paii.org<br />

Deadline is the 10th of every<br />

month. Photos welcomed!*<br />

*Please make sure photos are yours or<br />

you have permission to use.<br />

2016 Innkeeping Conference & Trade Show<br />

Austin, Texas January 10 – 14, 2016<br />

Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Road, Austin, Texas<br />

http://www.palmereventscenter.com<br />

<strong>PAII</strong> has put together a list of area lodging options at<br />

http://www.innkeepingshow.com/lodging-information<br />

We look forward to seeing you in Austin!


Interested in<br />

advertising in<br />

the monthly<br />

newsletter?<br />

Please send<br />

inquiries to<br />

Marketing<br />

@paii.org


<strong>PAII</strong> Photo Contests<br />

Gwenn Eyer, Innkeeper<br />

Blessings on State<br />

Bed & Breakfast<br />

www.BlessingsOnState.com<br />

Joyce & Frank Stewart, Innkeepers<br />

The Richmond Victorian Inn<br />

www.richmondvictorianinn.com<br />

Inn photo credit to goes to Paul O. Boisvert


B&B’s Going Blue<br />

Summer Fogle is the owner of Clear Creek Bed & Breakfast in Nevada, Missouri, and she is calling on innkeepers nationwide to join<br />

her in supporting our nation's law enforcement by participating in the program she started, B&Bs Going Blue. She is also the wife of<br />

a Missouri law enforcement officer, so showing appreciation to law enforcement is not only important to her, but it is a part of her<br />

daily life. B&Bs Going Blue was started as a way to give back to those that give so much for our communities and our country. She<br />

is asking that innkeepers join in the program by offering a free night to law enforcement on National Law Enforcement Appreciation<br />

Day on January 9, 2016.<br />

To find out more information about B&Bs Going Blue, you can visit<br />

their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bandbsgoingblue.<br />

A current list of participating inns can be found on B&Bs Going Blue<br />

website at: http://www.clearcreekbedandbreakfast.com/#!blank/j7cgj<br />

Innkeepers that are interested in joining in the program can send a message<br />

on either the Facebook page or website with any questions. Free<br />

night listings can also be added directly to the B&Bs Going<br />

Blue Facebook page at anytime.<br />

Look for more information about the program in the upcoming Winter<br />

issue of <strong>PAII</strong>’s Innkeeping Quarterly magazine!


Google Analytics Explained in Plain Language<br />

by Brandon Dennis, VP of Marketing, Cloudbeds<br />

Google Analytics is a free tool that tells you all sorts of things about your website traffic. It is important that innkeepers learn how to use it because it tells<br />

you where your guests come from. Use it to learn if your marketing strategy is working, and to help diagnose problems with your business.<br />

This guide is basic. It is for innkeepers who have heard a lot about Google Analytics, but who have never used it and don’t understand it. I will briefly explain<br />

how Google Analytics should be used, and then I’ll show you how to perform some basic, vital functions. Once you finish reading, you’ll know everything<br />

you need to get Google Analytics installed on your website, and to start producing reports (and, most importantly, understanding them).<br />

Create an Account<br />

If you have never created a Google Analytics account before, you need to. Go to analytics.google.com and create your free account. Google will ask you to<br />

create a “property”. A property is just another word for your website. Your account can have many properties, which means that you can manage the analytics<br />

for many websites using your one account.<br />

Tracking Code<br />

Google Analytics works by tracking your website visitors. It does this using a special code that you install into your website. WIthout it, Google Analytics<br />

does not function.<br />

Google Analytics gave you this code when you first created your property. To find this code again, log into Google Analytics. In the top right-hand corner<br />

of your screen, click “Admin”. Then, navigate to your property, and click “Tracking Code”. Then, copy the script you find there.<br />

You’ll need to give this code to your website manager to install for you. If you know how to do it yourself, then make sure that you install it before the<br />

closing on every page of your website.<br />

Sit Back & Relax<br />

Once the tracking code is installed, then you’re all done! Google Analytics works tirelessly behind the scenes collecting data about your website visitors.<br />

All you have to do now is wait a few days or weeks until Google Analytics has collected enough data for you to work with. Then, you can start producing<br />

reports.<br />

Look Around<br />

When you open up Google Analytics for the first time after having installed it, the tool automatically sends you to the Audience > Overview page. This is a<br />

great place to start, because it tells you a lot about your visitors in one quick snapshot. Your best bet is to look around and see what you find there. Don’t<br />

worry, it’s hard to break anything, so feel free to click around, exploring.<br />

It’s impossible for me to explain everything you will find in this short space. Instead, learn about the tool by using it. Google Analytics comes with lots of<br />

hover-over tooltips which will explain the object you are examining when you hover your mouse over it. Use these frequently to learn how to use the tool.<br />

I’ll just show you a few things you need to know to understand what you’re seeing.<br />

Date Range<br />

The data you see depends on a date range. If you have the wrong range of dates selected, then you will be looking at the wrong data. This can get confusing.<br />

Before each session, make sure that you are examining data collected over the exact days, weeks or months you are interested in.<br />

In the top right-hand corner, you will see a range of dates. Click on it to open up the interactive calendar. The first date you select will start the beginning of<br />

the range. The second date you select will set the end of the range, and you will see all dates that fall within that range highlighted blue on the calendar.<br />

Click apply, and everything in Google Analytics will change to reflect the data from only the dates within the range you selected.


Sources<br />

I want to point out one section of Google Analytics that I think will be helpful for innkeepers to understand. In the left-hand navigation, click on Acquisition<br />

> Overview. Here you will see a breakdown of your website traffic by source. This tells you where your guests come from. Google Analytics divides<br />

your traffic up into channels:<br />

Direct: These are guests who went directly to your website by typing in your address manually, or visiting a bookmark. Google sometimes labels traffic<br />

they can’t source as “direct”.<br />

Referral: These are guests who visited your website from browsing other websites. If you click on the “Referral” link, you can see a nice list of all the<br />

different websites that sent you traffic.<br />

Organic Search: These are guests who found your website on search engines like Google.<br />

Paid Search: These are guests who clicked on one of your search engine ads to arrive on your website.<br />

Email: These are guests who clicked on a link in an email to arrive on your website.<br />

Display: These are guests who clicked on one of your image ads around the internet and arrived on your website.<br />

Social: These are guests who found a link to your website on social media like Facebook, and then visited it.<br />

Goal Tracking<br />

One final thing I want to hit on is goal tracking. Use goal tracking to learn whenever a guest books a room directly from your website. To start, you need<br />

to create a goal.<br />

In the top right-hand part of the screen, click Admin. Then navigate to View > Goals and click the red button that says +New Goal.<br />

In the goal set-up, choose the “Reservations” template and click continue. Under Goal Type, click “destination” and click continue. Finally, in the Destination<br />

section, make sure it is set to “equals to”, and then type in the URL that guests visit when they have successfully completed a reservation. This is<br />

typically a “Thank you for booking!” page.<br />

Note that this will only work if your booking engine exists under your website’s domain. If it doesn’t, then you need to reach out to your booking engine<br />

developer to learn how to enable goal tracking with it.<br />

Once done, click save. Wait a few days to see your goals start to accrue. Now that you have goal tracking enabled, you can filter all the wonderful metrics<br />

within Google Analytics by your goals. This will give you valuable insights, including which referring websites lead to more direct reservations,<br />

whether or not your organic search strategy is leading to reservations, and so on.<br />

Keep Learning<br />

This was a basic primer on Google Analytics, sharing just enough information to help you get started. Once you’re all set-up, I encourage you to learn<br />

more about Google Analytics, either by reading or exploring. You’ll be amazed at the kind of things you can learn about your guests using this free tool--<br />

things that will help you make your bed and breakfast more profitable.<br />

Contributed by: Webdirexion, LLC<br />

4400 NE 77th Ave. – Suite 275<br />

Vancouver, WA<br />

http://webdirexion.com


Happy Holidays from<br />

Chadsworth & Haig.<br />

Offering luxury robes that make the others<br />

feel….. well just ordinary.


An Interim Innkeeper is a person or couple who has developed<br />

the knowledge, skills and experiences necessary to successfully<br />

operate a Bed & Breakfast, Country Inn, Boutique Hotel, or<br />

Family Resort during the absence of the owner-operator or<br />

resident innkeeper. An Interim Innkeeper keeps abreast of new<br />

trends and practices through involvement in industry associations,<br />

training programs and seminars.<br />

What services do Interim Innkeepers perform<br />

Interim Innkeepers perform similar duties that are part of the<br />

daily routine for owner-innkeepers themselves. They may include<br />

full or continental breakfast menu planning, shopping,<br />

preparation, service and clean-up; guest hosting; afternoon tea,<br />

snacks or evening wine & desert service; answering of telephones,<br />

fax transmissions, regular and email response; checkin<br />

and check-out procedures; daily inquiries and reservations;<br />

bookkeeping, banking and other financial responsibilities; supervising<br />

room attendants or optional housekeeping; pet, plant<br />

and garden care; building security and maintenance. Interim<br />

Innkeepers provide full surrogate innkeeper service while you<br />

are away.<br />

Who needs an Interim Innkeeper<br />

Unless you operate very large inn and have capable and<br />

trusted employees who are trained to function as the innkeeper<br />

or owner, virtually every hospitality business has few effective<br />

options to assure their business can continue operating uninterrupted<br />

during their absence.<br />

How can I justify the cost of an Interim Innkeeper<br />

Simply put........uninterrupted business flow. Interim<br />

Innkeepers are trained and experienced to operate<br />

your inn as if you were there yourself. You can be<br />

assured of an uninterrupted flow of guests while<br />

maintaining the continuity of your style of guest services,<br />

comfort and enjoyment as established by your<br />

inn. Interim Innkeepers are also trained to handle all<br />

prospective guest contacts with promptness and<br />

professionalism, converting inquiries into reservations<br />

and immediate cash flow. While you are away,<br />

your business is operated smoothly, efficiently, and<br />

profitably as if you were there yourself.<br />

Interim Innkeeping Network<br />

www.interiminnkeepers.net<br />

facebook.com/Interim.Innkeepers.Network<br />

When to use an Interim Innkeeper<br />

Just as with any business or employment, every innkeeper<br />

needs to take personal time away from their operation. It may<br />

be for family outings or gatherings, emergency medical leave,<br />

meetings or conferences, and more importantly, regularly<br />

scheduled vacations or sabbaticals. When the day arrives to<br />

take that needed time off, the options are clear.......temporarily<br />

closing your inn and halting "business as usual" or retaining an<br />

Interim Innkeeper who will operate your business as if you<br />

were there yourself.<br />

"and there is not a<br />

better feeling than<br />

returning from a<br />

vacation and finding<br />

the Guest Diaries full<br />

of 'praises' and a<br />

stack of bank deposit<br />

slips from advanced<br />

reservations secure<br />

while we were away!"


<strong>Newsletter</strong> Ad Rates<br />

Monthly Rates<br />

Quarter Page Ad**<br />

(4 1/4 W X 5 1/2 H) inches<br />

Full Page Ad<br />

(8 1/2 W X 11 H) inches<br />

Member Non-Member<br />

1/2 Page Ad Vertical**<br />

(4 1/4 W X 11 H) inches<br />

Or<br />

1/2 Page Ad Horizontal**<br />

(8 1/2 W X 5.5 H) inches<br />

Full Page Ad**<br />

(8 1/2 W X 11 H) inches<br />

Yearly Rates (12 issues)<br />

Quarter Page Ad<br />

(4 1/4 W X 5 1/2 H) inches<br />

1/2 Page Ad Vertical<br />

(5 1/2 W X 11 H) inches<br />

Or<br />

1/2 Page Ad Horizontal<br />

(8 1/2 W X 5.5 H) inches<br />

$300 $500<br />

$600 $800<br />

$1200 $1400<br />

$3000 $3200<br />

$6000 $6200<br />

Ads can be submitted in JPEG or PDF format,<br />

at least 300 DPI.<br />

Please email ads to marketing@paii.org.<br />

The deadline for ads is the 10th of every month for<br />

publication on the 3rd Tuesday of each month.<br />

Find <strong>PAII</strong> online at:<br />

https://www.facebook.com/Innkeeping<br />

Have questions about <strong>PAII</strong>?<br />

Email questions@paii.org<br />

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+InnkeepingOrg<br />

https://twitter.com/innkeeping<br />

https://www.pinterest.com/Innkeeping/


Upcoming Webinars (more dates and topics coming soon!) Free for Members!<br />

Register at http://www.innkeeping.org/?page=webinars (you must login to your account to register)<br />

Wednesday, <strong>December</strong> 16, <strong>2015</strong><br />

Bring in more guests and increase RevPar with Off Season<br />

Booking Promotions<br />

Many inns are fully booked during the high season but have<br />

trouble filling openings in mid- week and off-season. Extending<br />

your season by several weeks or getting a few more mid-week<br />

bookings can dramatically increase your RevPar. This webinar<br />

will show you how to use the power of unusual holidays and<br />

special events to create booking promotions that will attract and<br />

delight your guests. It will include live examples of successful<br />

promotions implemented by innkeepers.<br />

-Fully Booked Inn<br />

Wednesday, <strong>December</strong> 20 & 30, <strong>2015</strong><br />

(Happy Holidays Webinar Break)<br />

Check http://paiiinnkeepers.blogspot.com/p/upcoming-webinars.html<br />

for more webinars already scheduled!<br />

Already Lined up for next year!<br />

BATTER UP: Come take a swing at creating the perfect PR pitch<br />

Google Universal Analytics<br />

Reputation Management, Responding to Reviews Best Practices<br />

How to convert your visitors into bookers?<br />

Association Webinar: The Future of Member Involvement in the Electronic Age<br />

B&B Photography DIY Tips & Tricks Part Two<br />

Social Media Crisis Management<br />

Association Webinar: Turning Millennials Into Members: How to Engage A New Generation


Innkeeping Word Search<br />

GREEN<br />

BLACK<br />

WHITE<br />

OOLONG<br />

LAPSANG SOUCHONG<br />

DARJEELING<br />

SENCHA<br />

HOUJICHA<br />

GYOKURO<br />

MATCHA<br />

TAI GUAN YIN<br />

SILVER NEEDLE<br />

KEEMUN<br />

YUNNAN


CALLING ALL GOOGLE ANALYTICS GEEKS!<br />

BlizzardMetrics is a new product in pre-beta. It’s a powerful<br />

analytics benchmarking platform that grows in relevance as<br />

users join the network.<br />

Have you ever wondered:<br />

• How your WordPress site compares to other WordPress<br />

sites – is it faster, does it get more traffic?<br />

• How your website’s analytics data compares to other companies<br />

in your same industry, of the same size?<br />

• Agencies – how your client website analytics compare to<br />

one another?<br />

• Consultants – how your work is launching your client<br />

over their competition – or – where you need to focus<br />

more energy in the online marketing mix?<br />

Check it out at:<br />

http://www.blizzardmetrics.com/data/register


Technology Corner Focus On<br />

Social Media Design<br />

Tool Canva!<br />

Need a new Facebook or Twitter Header,<br />

Youtube Channel art and more?<br />

Check out one of the easiest to use (and free)<br />

tools out there that Innkeepers can use to beef<br />

up their social media appearance!<br />

Easily create beautiful<br />

designs +<br />

documents<br />

Use Canva's<br />

drag-and-drop<br />

feature and<br />

Professional<br />

layouts to design<br />

consistently<br />

stunning graphics.<br />

Millions of Images, Photo Filters<br />

Free Icons & Shapes, Hundreds of Fonts<br />

http://www.canva.com<br />

Stay Tuned:<br />

Maria Coder of Bed & Brunch pr has<br />

launched a free monthly resource newsletter<br />

for B&Bs called the The Innthusiast: PR tips<br />

for innkeepers! The Innthusiast is loaded with<br />

tips with tips on how to get your property into<br />

the news.<br />

Maria realized there wasn't a dedicated publicity<br />

resource just for innkeepers So, they<br />

thought they would change that.<br />

They would love to hear how they can better<br />

tailor each issue to best fit your publicity<br />

needs.<br />

Maria Coder and Jay Hassler<br />

(646) 559-8530<br />

http://www.BedAndBrunchPR.com

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