In April 2006 my parents sold the house they had lived in for the past twelve years and purchased an historic mansion in Moose Jaw, Canada.
Originally built in 1908 by one of the wealthiest men in the city, the 3-story mansion has been a bed and breakfast since 2001.
Seeing that Moose Jaw had become a tourist hot spot over the past decade my parents intended to keep running it as a bed and breakfast.
I volunteered to help them with their marketing efforts and this case study outlines the things we did to improve the profitability of the business.
Increasing revenue for a bed and breakfast
There are three ways for bed and breakfasts to make more money:
- Increase the occupancy rate - Less empty rooms mean more money.
- Increase the amount paid per occupant or per room - When my parents bought the bed and breakfast the rooms were under priced for the market, so they have gradually increased the rates. My dad is a journeyman carpenter and has been making improvements to the property which will allow them to increase the rates further.
- Add more products / services - Since the property has a huge front yard with a large fountain and sits at the top of a hill overlooking the Moose Jaw river, my parents started offering Wedding services. They also sell gift certificates which are very popular during the holidays.
The Marketing Plan
The previous owners had created a website themselves and submitted it to a few bed and breakfast directories which worked surprisingly well. However, taking the bed and breakfast to the next level would require a marketing plan that included branding, professional web site, SEO, PPC, and off line marketing materials.
Branding
A logo or identity that is both professional and visually appealing can go along way in promoting a company. Often times a logo is the first impression that a potential customer has of a company. My talented grandmother did an amazing pencil-crayon drawing that we used for an icon in the logo and on all marketing materials including the website, business card and brochures.
Website
Since most people find and book a bed and breakfast through the Internet, our marketing strategy had to focus on creating an informative, functional and professional-looking website that converts traffic into sales. In November 2006 we created a web site that reflects the warmth, charm and history of the property. The Wakamow heights Bed & Breakfast web site includes:
- detailed information with multiple photos of each room/suite
- ability to check availability and make reservations online
- information and photos about the history of the house
- useful information about things to do in Moose Jaw
- a press section
- map and directions to the bed and breakfast
- comments from satisfied guests
- information on having weddings on the property
SEO
To build high-quality inbound links into the site, we submitted it to some Canadian bed and breakfast directories and a few local directories. We also traded links with a few bed and breakfasts. Our keyword research led us to optimize the site for ‘Moose Jaw Bed and Breakfast’ and similar terms. Currently the site ranks #1 in Yahoo! and MSN for ‘Moose Jaw Bed and Breakfast’ and is second in Google to the largest Canadian bed and breakfast directory which Wakamow Heights is listed in.
PPC
We implemented a Google Adwords Pay Per Click campaign that costs about 20 cents per click and puts us in the top spot for terms related to Moose Jaw Bed and Breakfast. Pay Per Click can be a very effective tool for local businesses considering how inexpensive it can be.
Off line Marketing Materials
The off line marketing materials consist of a two-sided business card with map and directions, and a rack card. The business card is given to guests to pass out to friends and family, and the rack card is put in brochure racks at many of the local business around Moose Jaw.
PR
There was never a public relations plan in place, but my parents have been very fortunate in that their bed and breakfast was featured in a few publications over the past couple months. Chatelaine Magazine included Wakamow Heights Bed & Breakfast in it’s Coast-To-Coast Travel Guide for the July 2007 issue, and the local newspaper did a story on area bed and breakfasts that featured their property first with two large photos including one on the cover. If you have a great product, people will talk about it.
Results
Wakamowheights.com had over 1500 unique visitors in July 2007 compared to 450 in July 2006, and the rate of occupancy is up atleast 150% from what it was a year ago. Implementing the Webervations software which allows users to check availability and make reservations online has been a huge time saver for my mom because she spends a lot less time on the phone taking reservations. This is an example of a simple marketing plan focused primarily on Internet marketing that has had excellent results.
Conclusion
I see a direct relationship between the rise in popularity of bed and breakfasts to the rise in popularity and use of the Internet. Without the Internet most bed and breakfasts would fail miserably, which is why there weren’t many of them 20 years ago. Effective Internet marketing can also allow small businesses like Wakamow Heights Bed & Breakfast to grow very quickly.
Next time you’re passing through Moose Jaw, Canada stop in at Wakamow Heights Bed & Breakfast for a good nights sleep, delicious breakfast and one of a kind experience.
