InsideOut Solutions

Choosing a print format: rack card, bifold or trifold brochure

October 21st, 2009 by

New business cards and postcards set the tone for a brochure redesign.

New business cards and postcards set the tone for a brochure redesign.

Lookout Point Lakeside Inn was down to their last box of brochures. Co-owner Kristie Rosset decided this was the perfect time to update the design of the piece. InsideOut had recently established a new look for her postcards and business cards. Now we had the opportunity to brand the brochure.

Kristie was happy with the current format–an 8″ x 9″ piece which folded in half to 4″ x 9″–but she was also open to other options. Staying with a finished size of 4″ x 9″ made the most sense since it would fit both standard display racks and business envelopes. But which format would work for Lookout Point? Rack card, trifold or bifold?

Rack cards: small but mighty

A 2-sided 4″ x 9″ rack card was the most economical option. Although on the small side, a rack card still has enough room for good photos, a map and short-but-sweet text. For most small inns, a rack card is the best choice.

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Discount Up to 35% Off!

October 16th, 2009 by

Make some all-purpose greeting cards to tell your guests ‘You’re Invited’, ‘Thank You’, or ‘Happy Holidays’. Leave postcards or notepads in your rooms or create your own series of postcards to sell in your gift shop. Or place a bookmark in all your living room or library books — it’s a wonderful way for guests to take a bit of the inn home with them!

InsideOut has great print deals on the following items for a limited time only:

20% OFF! ~ Greeting Cards (4″ x 5″ and 4.25″ x 6″)
20% OFF! ~ Postcards (3″ x 4″ and 4″x 4″)
15% OFF! ~ Bookmarks (1.5″ x 7″, 2″ x 8″and 2.75″ x 8.5″)
35% OFF! ~ Personalized Notepads (4.25″ x 5.5″, 4″ x 6″, 5.5″ x 8.5″and 8.5″ x 11″)

For discount to apply, final client approval must be received by 4 pm PST 10/30/09. Contact Jim McCauley for details: Email • 360-683-5774 x 304

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What to do when you get a negative review

October 7th, 2009 by

At some point it might happen to you. A past guest is being critical about an experience they had at your property. The issue might be small or large but they feel they need to leave a negative review on sites like Trip Advisor, Yelp.com or Bedandbreakfast.com.

If this has happened to you, we have developed a White Paper on what you can do when you do receive a negative review. Please download our White Paper titled “What to do with you get a negative review“.

We hope you find this information helpful and if so please drop us some feedback in the comments section below.

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Quick Tips for Marketing your Bed and Breakfast Web Site

September 2nd, 2009 by

Something easy you can do to increase your market share is explore other top sites on Google for your search terms.

For example, say you own a bed and breakfast in Tennessee. The first thing that you want to do is explore what kind of sites are showing up in the top 10 on Google for your state and city name. For example, if your state association web site and a B&B directory web site are some of the top listings when you search for “Tennessee Bed and Breakfast”, you may want to consider joining these web sites. Not only will this enable you to get visitors to your site via these memberships, but it is also good for your web site’s Search Engine Placement.

You don’t have to limit your exploration into “link-building” with lodging and location terms. If you also hold weddings at your B&B, you will want to explore the terms that potential brides are using to plan their wedding in your area. Often times you can join a wedding web site not only as a ceremony location but as a lodging option for a honeymoon or for the bride & grooms’ family.

Use relationships with other Websites to promote your business

Not all links are the same

Other sites to explore for a listing or a link might include theme parks or seasonal attractions, like ski parks or water sports companies like rafting outfitters or other outdoor activity outfitters that attract people for overnight stays, such as hunting trips.

Remember when you are trying to build links to not get involved with “link circles” or paying a base price for a group of links. Google frown on this and can penalize your site for these activities. After all, building links with other businesses in your area or in your industry is just like networking face to face or business to business. You wouldn’t buy paper plates to serve your breakfast on just because it is cheap and fast. It doesn’t give you the reputation you want, nor does it last. The same can be said for link circles.

Building reputable links for your web site is something that we preform here at InsideOut for our promotion clients. Feel free to contact us about marketing your bed and breakfast web site.

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Not all testimonials are created equal

June 10th, 2009 by

A recent article from Marketing Prof reminded me that all testimonials are not equal.

Holly Buchanan opens a post at the FutureNow blog with a pair of seemingly contradictory ideas: that testimonials work very well and that they don’t work at all. Both are true, she argues, because customer praise can be a two-edged sword: If it appears inauthentic or doesn’t offer true insight, it can actually have a negative impact.

According to Buchanan, effective testimonials:

  1. Are specific in their commendation. A generic testimonial like “I enjoyed my time at your hotel” won’t grab the attention of a business traveler in the same way as, “I was impressed by the 24-hour concierge service, especially when they found an all-night printer at 3 am.”
  2. Address possible objections. You gain credibility when a happy customer explains how her initial skepticism was unfounded. “By addressing and voicing what many perspective customers may be feeling,” says Buchanan, “these testimonials are powerful persuaders.”
  3. Are shown in a proper context. The testimonials on your website’s landing page, for instance, will be different from those on product pages or order forms; each should be appropriate for where a customer might be in the sales process.

The Po!nt: Not all testimonials are created equal. “Testimonials hurt you when people don’t think they’re real,” says Buchanan. “Anything that sounds vague or cliché can smack of insincerity.”

Again, this gives greater importance to the authentic reviews that are so important to all the hospitlaity industry. Encourge your guest and customers to write reviews on inn or product because their review will carry more crediability weight than an out of context testimonial.

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New Website Technician Joins InsideOut Team

June 3rd, 2009 by

Corey Edwards has recently joined InsideOut as a Website Technician. He will be working in our updates department and with member support for our B&B Association clients.

Corey has worked in computer aided graphic design since the mid 1990s. He has been involved in web design since 2001, creating sites for a variety of artists and craftsmen, among other subjects. Initially self-taught, in 2006 he went to Peninsula College to obtain an AAS degree in multimedia and graphic design; this netted him the position of Creative Director for Northwest magazine, where he stayed until late 2008.

In his spare time Corey enjoys writing, reading, music – both collecting and playing – creating perplexing and humorous graphics on his computer, and, best of all, spending time with his 14 year old daughter. They have lived on the Olympic Peninsula since 1999.

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Print and online promotion of the Olympic Peninsula

May 13th, 2009 by

Online promotion and print marketing for Olympic Peninsula, WA

Online promotion and print marketing for Olympic Peninsula, WA

Local tourism group takes action during bridge closure

Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula is a major tourist destination in the Pacific Northwest. Many visitors arrive from Seattle and other eastern locations via the Hood Canal bridge. This year, the bridge is undergoing a much needed retrofit to improve safety and reduce traffic congestion. The five- to six-week closure from May to June occurs during the start of the Peninsula’s tourist season.

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Updating Sequim's Travel Planner

August 11th, 2008 by

Overview

Sequim, Washington (“Lavender capitol of North America”) is a tourist destination known for its farms, sunshine and proximity to other major Olympic Peninsula attractions. Sequim’s tourism marketing is coordinated by the Sequim Marketing Action Committee (SMAC) and funded by local lodging taxes. For over a decade, InsideOut has worked with the committee to develop marketing plans and to design and update a Web site, rack card and travel planner.

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