Passion Branding

In our ‘Better Way to Learn Innkeeping’ seminars for aspiring innkeepers we talk about branding your inn. This can be confusing to innkeepers and aspiring innkeepers as to what that means and how to do it. Branding your B&B does not need to be difficult or confusing. It may just need one simple idea, but it must be authentic, and you must be passionate about it.  Let us take a look at a branding concept that I believe can clarify the ‘how to do it’.

Hundreds of books on branding have been published for decades. A recent publication, Passion Branding: Harnessing the Power of Emotion to Build Strong Brands by Neill Duffy and Jo Hooper, takes an interesting approach to an old component to branding, the “emotional connection.”

“Centered on a passionate relationship between brand and consumer and the leverage of that passion in order to create value for all involved in the relationship.”

Relationships between you and your guests, (“brand and consumer”), is an important part of hospitality. Maybe the most important. Creating that value to “all involved in the relationship” between you and your guests is key.

Here a two examples Scott and Marilyn Bushnell, affiliates of The B&B Team, shared with me.

Jacob-Rohrbach Inn, Sharpsburg, MD

• Jacob-Rohrbach Inn, Sharpsburg, MD:  We worked with Amy and Chris Vincent when they purchased the inn near the Antietam Battlefield in 2015.  Chris is an avid Civil War buff and their search for an inn near a battlefield brought them to Sharpsburg.  He is now a licensed battlefield guide and sponsors the Civil War Summer Lecture Series  bringing guests to the Inn and Sharpsburg.  They have turned passion and personal interest into a growing business.

Passion for Civil War History

• Jay and Gaylen Matlock own Carriage Corner B&B in Intercourse, PA.  We worked with them in 2016 as they moved from Washington state to the hub of Amish activities…Lancaster County.  Gaylen brought her love of sewing to the Inn and now conducts Sew Camps retreats at the Inn, bringing like-minded enthusiasts to the Inn for sewing interaction and laughing as well as visits to local fabric and supply stores.

Carriage Corner Bed & Breakfast, Intercourse, PA

Passion for sewing at the Carriage Corner B&B

“These are innkeepers who have taken their passions and are using them to build their brand…and enjoy exercising those passions and building business at the same time. Word of Mouth marketing grows with these experiences and since they are the passions of the innkeepers, there is “staying power” for the long-term.  They are not just “oh, we tried that once and it didn’t work” ideas.  If it is of personal interest, it will have longevity and build a branding ‘personality’ to the inn.”

Thank you Marilyn and Scott.

Another key point on Passion Branding was to “align with an activity that one’s target customers are passionate about.” These innkeepers are doing just that, and it is not complicated or confusing! Passion is catching, in the most positive way. It creates an emotional connection with your guests that is both powerful and long-term. Can you spell repeat guests?

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf

Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson, the power of words

241 years ago today, July 4th, just after the Declaration of Independence had been adopted by the Congress earlier that day, a committee took the manuscript document, possibly Thomas Jefferson’s “fair copy” of his rough draft, to printer John Dunlap. Could it have been Thomas Jefferson himself who took his handwritten copy to Dunlap’s print shop? I like to think that it may have been.

Printer John Dunlap’s shop was located a few blocks from the State House (now Independence Hall). It is surmised he worked through the night printing a number of copies (possibly 200). These copies, known as the “Dunlap Broadsides” is the version that spread the Declaration of Independence to the rest of the world.

Just picture in your mind Thomas Jefferson walking down the streets of Philadelphia in the twilight hours of July 4^th with his ‘fair copy’ version of the document in hand. He then walks through the door of Dunlap’s shop, most likely a bell on the door rings to announce his presence. Jefferson hands the document to John Dunlap. The printer works through the night by lamplight…typeset, print.

Replica of John Dunlap’s press

The rest as they say is history. Our history. These copies set into motion the start of our nation, our independence.

It wasn’t until August that the signing of the famous engrossed parchment copy that we all can picture (with the iconic large John Hancock signature) took place. The famous painting by Trumbull depicts the Committee of Five, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, Roger Sherman and Thomas Jefferson. Those five took on the task of composing the document. Jefferson alone took on the task of writing it.

In many of my blogs I link to articles and blogs that I believe are worth a read. Here is a link to the Declaration of Independence. Definitely worth a read. I think you will hear the power of persuasion in Jefferson’s words. I think you will hear the clear intelligent use of language from our five forefathers who drafted the declaration. I think you will hear words that well-define the resolve for separation.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”  Powerful words to live by.

Take a second to print a copy. 241 years later all we need to do is move an arrow and click print. Ol’ John Dunlap would be so impressed.

Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf

Duluth Minnesota-Best Beach Town?

Beach Boys didn’t sing about it but Duluth was recently listed by Tasting Table as one of 11 Best Beach Towns in America. Yes, Duluth Minnesota on the North Shore of Lake Superior. There are sandy beaches complete with a picturesque lighthouse, piers and wind filled sails on blue waters. And surfers.

Lake Superior Surfers

Along these shores they sing, ‘I wish they all could be Minnesota girls!’

You can imagine that Tasting Table (one of my new favorite websites) focuses on food and food travel. Besides the beaches, Duluth has some great food choices, innovative and fun.

Sample #1

When a man falls in love with smoking meats and fish, the result is Northern Waters Smokehaus. “Along with kippering and smoking fish, Northern Waters Smokehaus has continued to push the food envelope with a pioneering and award-winning charcuterie program and a variety of cured muscle meats and fresh sausages.” In 2016 a restaurant was added. Picnic on the beach with one of their smoked meat filled sandwiches? OK

Northern Waters Smokehaus, Duluth Minnesota

Sample #2

Drive along the North Shore of Lake Superior between Duluth and Two Harbors and you will run across a “cozy building nestled behind a gorgeous garden filled with herbs, vegetables and fragrant flowers.” The place is the New Scenic Café. Located along the North Shore Scenic Drive, one of the most scenic roads in the country. Often called the All-American Road. The café’s menu looks exceptionally creative and scenic! You know you eat with your eyes first.

New Scenic Café-Innovative Sashimi Tuna Tacos

I am pleased that Duluth has been touted as a ‘beach town’ but if you stay at the A. G. Thomson House Bed and Breakfast you can learn about and discover the four season Duluth. The A. G. Thomson House is a beautiful stately Inn located in a quiet historic district neighborhood on a hill overlooking Lake Superior. Getting to know and experience Duluth is what it is all about at the A. G. Thomson!

A. G. Thomson House Bed and Breakfast

The Duluth Experience is an incredible website that shows and tells it all. Experts lead tours of all kinds, outdoor adventures, indoor and up in the air. It was recently voted Outside Magazine’s best city to live in!

“Duluthians have a tenacious ‘make it happen’ attitude. One commenter on the Outside Magazine contest page stated, “you can’t be a wimp if you live here”.

“The city of 86,000 stretches for 26 miles along the westernmost tip of Lake Superior and has 6,834 acres of city parkland, 178 miles of wooded trails, and 16 designated trout streams.”

So what do tourists to Duluth want after all that activity? Ice Cream. It all comes back to food doesn’t it? At least in many of my blogs! Innkeeper at A. G. Thomson informed me that The Portland Malt Shoppe has lines around the block. How about a Hot Fudge Raspberry Malt and then a stroll on the Lake Walk!

The Portland Malt Shoppe, Duluth

Looking for Minnesota Inns for sale? Our Duluth Inn for sale listing is a wonderful choice which may work for you. The B&B Team can help you with your search here, right now! If you have any questions or even doubts about our services, please take a look at our testimonials page.

“Your insight was very valuable– you were able to paint a very realistic picture of the goals we need to meet to make purchasing a B&B a reality.” 

Surfs Up! and…Thanks for Listening,

Janet Wolf