Most people think that running bed and breakfast is quite fun. But, at the end of the day, it is a business and bed and breakfast owners need to find ways to make money from it. For most B&B owners, direct bookings are the most beneficial for them as they do not have to pay commission to travel agents or hotel booking websites. Even though relying solely on direct bookings may be hard, you can improve the number of direct booking using the following tips �
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Create an attractive and user-friendly website
The layout of your B&B website will help make a good impression on the visitors. Your website should be simple but have all the necessary information such as high definition photos and videos, services provided, location and other information needed by the visitor to help make a decision. The website should be responsive and optimized to work smoothly on desktop and mobile, both. It has been seen that about 35% of B&B bookings come from mobile devices. You should also have a clear eBook Now button that attracts the attention of the visitors. The reservation phone number and the email address on the website should also be clickable so that visitors can directly reach out to the B&B owner for any query.
Implement a simple and fast online booking system
An excellent integrated online booking system is essential to increase the number of direct bookings through your website. Since most travelers prefer to book their stay before they travel, having a good booking system is essential. The booking form should be precise so that the travelers can book their stay quickly. You should offer instant confirmation via email and message via the hotel website so that they are confident that the B&B will honor the reservation. You can also implement the online booking system with your social media pages such as Facebook for faster reservation.
Engage your guests on social media
By posting videos and content on your social media page, you can direct more customers to your website to allow them to book directly with you. You should also be quick in responding to the queries on social media pages to drive direct bookings. You can also promote special rates and upcoming events near your B&B to encourage direct bookings. You also need to encourage good reviews on your social media as most travelers make their decision based on hotel reviews online. Instead of just collecting reviews, you should also respond and follow up with them especially if you receive some negative review.
Offer discounts and attractive perks for direct bookings
You need to offer compelling reasons to the visitors to book directly from your website. You should provide the best rates on your website compared to other booking platforms. Also, you can also offer certain perks that they would be entitled to if they make direct bookings such as free wifi, free parking, and others. You can incentivize your guests by allowing them to earn points when they book directly with you such as vouchers for food and local transports, etc.
Increasing direct booking is the best way to build the credibility of your B&B brand and also increase direct bookings.