Table of Contents
Acknowledgements x
Preface xi
Introduction 1
Part 1 Preparing to Enter the B&B Business 3
1 It's Up to You 5
It's all about personality
The dream of working for yourself
The financial reality
Money in the bank
A look in the mirror
A family affair
Going it alone
It's time
2 Who Is Your Market? 14
Understanding the international market
The domestic market
Short-break holidays
3 Who is Your Customer? 17
Getting your facts straight
Fast facts
Capturing your target market
Niche markets
The corporate market
Single travellers
Women travellers
Alternative lifestyles
People with a disability
Dietary requirements
Family market
Dos and don'ts
Anti-discrimination laws and the B&B host
4 Preparing Your Property 30
Location
Local government and your bed & breakfast
To convert, buy or build?
An exercise in financial viability
Tips for buying an established B&B
Convert to what?
Signage
First impressions count
Your entrance
Living room
Dining room
Kitchen
Bathrooms and toilets
Bedrooms
Home office
Building and development applications
Approval and construction of B&B applications
Fire safety
Advice for the home renovator
Planning permission
5 Doing Your Homework 55
Your planning
Financing
Starting your own bed & breakfast
Buying an established B&B
Is it going to work?
Your planning
Writing your feasibility study
6 Doing Your Feasibility Study 68
Your target market
Your location
Your B&B premises
Your real-estate decisions
Your start-up capital costs
Your financial viability
Your decision
Part 2 How to Run Your B&B Efficiently and Successfully 87
7 Putting the People Back in Service 88
Communicating with prospective guests
Questions and answers
Written correspondence
Deposits and cancellations
Here at last
Staff
Entering a guest bedroom
Guest behaviour
Sexual harassment
Neighbours
Complaints
The importance of feedback
8 Housekeeping 105
Being prepared
A cleaning checklist
Taking care of your furniture
The outside
9 Occupational Health and Safety 108
Fire safety
A safe place to stay
A safe place to work
The future
First aid
10 Food and the B&B
The cooked breakfast
The continental breakfast
The breakfast basket
Lunch
Morning and afternoon tea
Dinner
Eating with guests
Knowing the restaurants in your area
Presentation
Liquor licences
Purchasing tips
Recipe ideas
11 Day-to-day Operations 127
Bookings
Guest registration
Insurance
Payment
Methods of payment
Financial records
Banking
12 The Hospitality Industry and You 142
The structure of tourism authorities
Local tourist organisations
Bed & breakfast associations
Reservation platforms
Destination marketing
B&B classification
Symbols
13 Marketing Your B&B 149
Marketing concept
Market research
Marketing strategy
Target marketing
The marketing mix
Products and services
Promotion and advertising
Marketing performance
Public relations
How much marketing do you need?
Bed & breakfast guides
Marketing plan
Social media
Brochures
Newsletters
Business stationery
14 The Fundamentals of Business 164
Financing
Choosing a legal structure
Business names
Setting your room rate
Taxation and the B&B
Computer literacy
The internet and your website
SWOT analysis
Your future
15 A Hypothetical Business Plan for B&B Operators 183
16 Glossary 199
Indext 202
