OZ-b&b News

Issue 9

THE FACTS:

• OZb&b now has over 980 registered members and growing fast!

• OZb&b handled over 130 bookings and enquires online for the months of July and August

• We now have a mailing list over over 850 travellers who receive regular updates and promotions from our site

• We now have a mailing list over over 850 travellers who receive regular updates and promotions from our site

Selling?

• Thinking of selling?  Try our B&B's For Sale section

Media Coverage:

A great little article featuring some of OZb&b.com's unique styles of accommodation.

Check out the Press Room for more details

Fantastic Links:

Have you had a chance to check out all the fantastic links to other wonderful B&B sites around the world?  If not, visit our International Links page and find a fantastic B&B getaway overseas.

If something a little closer to home is in order, visit our Domestic Links page for some great travel related websites throughout Australia.

Welcome to the ninth edition of OZ-b&b News!  The past two months have been a busy time.  OZbedandbreakfast.com has seen some major changes in the design and layout of the site.  We have also seen a major surge in new memberships with over 105 Bed and Breakfast style properties joining our site in the last 60 days.  Congratulations and welcome to you all!  We thank you for making us the most comprehensive B&B directory in the country!  We are confident you will see the benefits of member in the next few weeks. 

In this issue:

• Bookings are on the rise - bookings via OZb&b

• Not impressed - the importance of e-mail contact and conduct

• OZb&b promotes your property - Information on how we promote you (and us!)

• Friends of OZbedandbreakfast.com - our sister sites overseas

• Future services

As usual, we want to hear from you about anything you think we should hear about.

Enjoy...

Providing you with bookings and enquiries is what we are all about.  We put you in touch with potential guest.  Bookings and enquiries can be made via our site on individual B&B profile pages.  A potential guest can read your profile, and make a booking/enquiry online. 

Many of you may have already received e-mails from us entitled 'You have guests!  OZbedandbreakfast.com'.  These are bookings that we pass on to you via our automated e-mail system from people wishing to stay at your B&B.  All you need to do is reply to this e-mail to contact the potential guest.

In the month of July and August, OZbedandbreakfast.com passed on 130+ bookings and enquiries to our members!  A great increase from the month prior of 76 requests.

You will also receive phone calls and e-mails direct to you as many travellers prefer to speak with you on the phone.  Ask them how they found out about your property.  If you are receiving phone calls from people browsing our site, we would love to hear from you.  Simply send an e-mail to info@ozbedandbreakfast.com.  We will use your responses in future articles to our 800+ strong list of travellers who receive our other newsletter...OZ-Escapes.

We generally like to share good information with our readers.  In this case however, we would like to share some negative feedback we received from one of our regular website users.  The reason I am sharing this is in hopes to prevent it from happening again in the future.  The user had a bad experience trying to book accommodation via OZbedandbreakfast.com.  The requests for information and details were generally ignored by one of our members, or replied to in a fashion that is unacceptable (or shoud be) in the hospitality industry. 

OZbedandbreakfast.com takes this feedback very seriously, and the B&B's in question have been contacted.  Not only does this make your business look bad, it reflects poorly on the B&B industry in general as well as OZbedandbreakfast.com.  Please read the following e-mail:

There are some very simple things that can be done to keep travellers and potential guest happy when replying to reservations requests and enquires:

• Check e-mail daily - Always check your e-mail on a daily basis, and reply to a request for information as soon as possible. If you are very busy, just a quick e-mail to say you will provide more detailed information at a later date will suffice.

• Be polite - Remember, the person on the other end of the e-mail is a REAL person, and should be treated and communicated with in a manner that is appropriate.  Slang, incomplete sentences and incorrect punctuation and spelling can come across very differently via e-mail than in normal conversation.

• Be helpful - if you are fully booked, be helpful and re-direct them to another B&B in the area.  Be an ambassador for the industry and it will return the favour in the future.

E-mail is a wonderful means to communicate and conduct business.  However, the above is a prime example of how things can go wrong. 

In next month's newsletter, we will discuss some great tips & tricks for getting the most out of your e-mail.  We will also provide some valuable resources for helping you run your business more smoothly with the use of technology.  Things such as templates, auto-responders and signatures can help promote your business and create an image of professionalism.

We have mentioned the fantastic rise in bookings over the past two months.  There are many things that influence the number of bookings we receive through OZbedandbreakfast.com. 

Firstly, our media coverage.  When we receive coverage from a media article such as Country Style Magazine or the Sun Herald Sun, bookings increase almost 10 fold.  We work hard on sending Press Releases to the media to ensure we promote ourselves and your B&B at every opportunity.  You can view our latest releases in our Press Room and our latest media coverage in our section titled In the News.

Secondly, newsletters present a great avenue for us to market your B&B.  We have a second newsletter publication entitled OZ-Escapes.  OZ-Escapes is published every 4 weeks and is sent out to a list over over 800 travellers who use our website.  We include articles about specific regions and events that are occurring in the near future.  This publication generates a large number of online bookings and enquires, especially for those members mentioned in the newsletter.

You can take a look at the latest edition of OZ-Escapes by clicking here.  You will notice a great article on Tyalgum Annual Festival of Classical Music in the Tweed.  If you have any great info on events or your region, please submit them to our editor, and we will be sure to include a great word and link to your profile page.  So, send us your info...you'll be glad you did.

If you would like to receive the monthly edition of OZ-Escapes in addition to this newsletter (OZb&bNews), simply visit our homepage and enter you e-mail address in the field provided under GETAWAY ALERT>>>.  Again, this newsletter differs from this one in that it is geared towards travellers and potential guests.

Due to the ease of use and popularity of our site, OZbedandbreakfast.com has been able to expand and develop in other countries.  If you are looking for a vacation overseas, why not check out our two sister sites in the USA and Britain.

OZbedandbreakfast.com is currently working on a broad range of services that will be of use to promoting, running and branding your bed and breakfast.  From website design, advertising, and corporate branding to photography and graphic design, we look forward to sharing our new service line with you in the near future.  Stay tuned!  Until next time, happy days...

OZbedandbreakfast.com Team