How to Start a
Bed & Breakfast Home Business
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Bed & Breakfast Business Start-Up Guide Marketing Advice to Get Your Phone Ringing Off the Hook Learn the Secrets of Other At-Home Entrepreneurs How to Open a Bed and Breakfast Opening a bed and breakfast is a challenging task and not for everyone. If you’ve always dreamed of having your own B&B, make sure you know what’s involved so your dream doesn’t turn to a nightmare. Follow these steps: Assess whether or not you have the personality to be a good B&B host. You need to be outgoing and friendly at all times. You need to be on call 24/7. Talk to some bed and breakfast owners. Ask about their day-to-day activities. Is this the kind of life you’re prepared to lead? Find a location that is not only a place you’d like to live and work, but is also a place visitors would come to. This might be in or near a popular tourist spot, or it might be an out-of-the-way corner where passers-through can stop for rest and good food. Make sure there is something distinctive and alluring about the surroundings. Check the zoning laws in the area. Be aware that not all cities allow bed and breakfasts. You must also check if there are any food service restrictions. If you’re remodeling or restoring an older building, make sure you comply with all local building codes. Your contractor should be handling this for you, but it’s your responsibility, so check on him. Create a business plan. You need to know as closely as possible, what your costs will be in order to set your prices. Talk to other bed and breakfast owners, who may be willing to share their numbers with you. You can also contact the American Bed and Breakfast Association (ABBA, or a similar organization in your country) for any guidelines they may have. Determine the number of guests you’ll have at any one time. If you have more than five guest rooms in the U.S., you’ll have to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. This may entail installing wheelchair ramps and other handicap conveniences and providing handicap parking. Check the competition in your chosen area. You’ll need to set your prices to stay competitive and you may find a way to get an edge by offering services they don’t. Be realistic about your marketing costs when creating your marketing plan. They can be expensive. Find ways to get free press – press releases, articles in travel magazines, editorial coverage of your special events, etc. Put up a website and get your B&B listed in all the guides and directories. Keep an eye on the competition’s advertising. What’s working for them could work for you. Hire staff as needed. At first you’ll need a housekeeper for sure. As your bed and breakfast grows more popular, you may need to add a cook, a bartender, a waiter and a gardener. It’s a good idea to hire a reservation service, like B&B Midwest Reservations. This will not only reduce your workload, but it will eliminate the need to get and pay for a credit card merchant account and it will expose your B&B to a wider audience of potential future guests than you could do on your own. It’s somewhat costly, so use your judgment and don’t forget to take these fees into consideration when setting your prices. Set up the rules of your bed and breakfast. Things to consider include hours of check-in and checkout, whether or not pets will be welcomed, cancellation and late arrival policies, whether children and smoking will be allowed. Plan the details that will keep your guests returning – a good wine list, excellent food, spotless rooms, tours of local attractions and those special personal touches. Join ABBA and other useful organizations like your local chamber of commerce. This will increase awareness of your business in the community. Follow these steps carefully and turn your bed and breakfast dream into a reality. Michael Russell | Your Independent guide to Bed and Breakfast | Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com Step 1: Bed & Breakfast Business Start-Up Guide How to Start a Bed & Breakfast "Clear, concise, proven start-up advice: We consulted with scores of entrepreneurs already running successful B&B's, and collected their secrets, tips and hints for success to pass on to you in this step-by-step guide." – SmallBizBooks.com Why do we recommend this resource? See what you get >> Buying, remodeling and modifying your B&B, how to estimate B&B Renovation & furnishing costs Legal and business structure step-by-step, setting up your front office and B&B startup costs Understanding daily operations and how to figure out your bottom line Use B&B advertising and marketing techniques and how to increase your B&B profits Experience from Bed and Breakfast experts and more... Click here >> Start Your Own Bed & Breakfast Business 100% Guaranteed Advice for B&B Owners... Free Bank Accounts for B&B's B&B Business Licenses Loans and Financing $25 Credit to Advertise on Yahoo Free 7-Step Marketing Guide! Business Contracts & Agreements B&B Logos for $95 800# Phone Numbers Accept Credit Cards Free Business Insurance Quotes Find Supplies at Wholesale Step 2: Marketing Advice to Get Your Phone Ringing off the Hook T I P : Trouble Filling Rooms at Your B&B? Get Found by Travelers - Online! SBI can turn any bed and breakfast business into a success with their proven online strategy. Follow their 4 simple steps, and you'll have the guests you want - calling you! See free video to Find Out How Free Newsletter: Best Marketing Practices Don't make the same marketing mistakes that everybody else does! Finding new clients doesn't have to be hard - you just need to know how to find them. This newsletter can really help grow your bed & breakfast business - and it's free! Free Report >> The Ultimate Home Business Marketing Resource Advertise Your Business on T-shirts Get a walking billboard for your bed & breakfast! Advertise your B&B on T-shirts, hats, mugs and more. Upload your logo, create your own design or choose from lots of cool images online. Give away your "ads" to people who can help promote your business, or sell them for a profit. Click here >> Advertise on T-shirts Advertise on luggage tags, travel kits, duffel bags, travel mugs & more! Step 3: Learn the Secrets of Other At-Home Entrepreneurs Best-Ever Case Study #4 -- Barbara J. Barbara has discovered the perfect way to sell her knowledge of home decorating over the Internet. Find out how she runs her "one-grandma operation" in less than one hour a day... and why she expects to earn over $90,000 this year! When I first came across www.SecretsToTheirSuccess.com I was shocked to find REAL people just like you and me who were willing to give away the secrets that made them successful. If you want to avoid the stuff that doesn't work and learn the "No BS Strategies" these real people are using to actually make real money on the Internet,I recommend visiting this site. More Ways You can Save Time & Money: Save Money on Your Taxes Don't underestimate the value of tax knowledge! Small business changes can effect your profit in great ways. Discover over 20 deductions you can take for your business and how to save money getting your taxes done. Incorporate Your Business in 3 Easy Steps Are you better off forming a C Corporation, or would you be better off in an LLC or Partnership business? Find out here which one will maximize your business profits and how you can get started easily online. Avoid Legal Fees with Do-it-Yourself Small Business Legal Forms You want to avoid problems and protect your business at minimal cost. These standardized legal documents can help you do that with buy/sell/rent contracts, hiring forms, borrowing and lending paperwork and much more (over 60 legal forms WITH Instructions!) Think of all the money you'll save. Free Business Insurance Quotes Do you need business insurance? Find out what kind of benefits you can get with a free quote, you may be surprised at the price!