Archive for August, 2008

Filed Under (Booking Engines, Online Marketing, Smart Marketing, Top Lists, Website Tips) by Luke M. Davis on August-19-2008

Why is InstantWorldBooking.com better for online booking and marketing your property?  The answer is simple. We bring more features, better technology, and lower costs than any competing provider.

It is widely known that a correctly executed online booking and marketing strategy can increase a lodging’s profit margin by at least 20% in the first year. Here are the top ways Instant World Booking helps you achieve your income goals.

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1) Lowest Cost

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Cost is always the primary concern when selecting online marketing services. You already know some of the big names in online booking for B&B’s, hostels, and hotels. One of the biggest online providers for budget properties charges 10% commission. Others charge even more. For example, in the bed and breakfast market one big provider charges 25% commission, plus an annual fee ranging from $99 up to over $500 annually. Stop overpaying for online booking and marketing.

Instant World Booking commissions start at only 8%. There are no membership fees.

What about costs for a booking engine on your website? Again, one of the biggest budget providers charges you 10% for one booking each day, and 2.5% thereafter. Your cost is therefore between 2.5% - 10%. Two other major players in this market charge 5% and 9% respectively. In the bed and breakfast market, the biggest provider charges as much as 30% commission, arguing that 70% of any booking is better than no booking at all. You already know who these players are. Stop overpaying for booking engines on your website.

Instant World Booking commissions start at only 1.9% for a fully integrated booking engine on your website.

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2) Accept Credit Cards Online

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Here’s a little know fact about online booking services. Of all the providers mentioned, only Instant World Booking can set you up to accept credit cards from your own website. Of course, we’re not naming names. If you think you have a better arrangement at a better price from another provider, just call us. We’ll be happy to discuss how our integrated booking and credit card collection service is not available anywhere else. And, our integrated booking engine will cost you less than if you try to acquire credit card services yourself. No matter what region or country your property is in, you can accept credit cards and online bookings from your own website today.

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3) Cancellation & No-show Protection for your Booking Engine

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In combination with a customized booking engine on you own website, Instant World Booking offers full no-show and cancellation protection for your reservations. This means, if a guest cancels or fails to arrive, you still receive payments according to a cancellation policy that you specify. This service is so advanced that no other provider dares to offer it. No more worries about no-shows or late cancellations.

 

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4) Pay-per-Click Advertising

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We understand that getting your property to the top of search engine rankings is a priority. Organic search rankings are not enough any more. You need pay-per-click advertising to really bring in guests on the internet. When you use our instant booking service, Instant World Booking advertises your specific property name in Google pay-per-click campaigns. To set up a Google pay-per-click campaign can cost you hundreds and even thousands of dollars each year.

This is a value that cannot be matched elsewhere. You pay nothing to list with Instant World Booking. Instant World Booking then develops and maintains a Google pay-per-click advertising campaign for your property that would cost you hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Even if you never received a booking, the public relations value of having your property advertised at the top of Google search pages has an intrinsic value that you could never achieve on your own without paying large sums. Again, no other competing provider offers this service.

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5) Affiliate Programs

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Instant World Booking offers a varied array of affiliate programs, arguably the most diverse set of affiliate options available today. For example, we offer affiliate programs for online booking directories, individual hotels, and other tourism websites. Our affiliate programs are fully customizable and can be fine-tuned to any online offering.

We lead in online innovation. We recently introduced our Auto-Affiliate Program, the first program capable of being automatically set up in seconds on your website, with virtually no requirement for sign-ups or registrations.

As an added benefit, our Auto-Affiliate Program pays an unprecedented 25% of earnings to the affiliate partner.

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6) Traveler Reviews

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InstantWorldBooking.com features one of the newest and most intuitive online review systems for guest travelers. Our ratings system includes a proprietary algorithm for weighting review components whether it be for location, guest services, dining options, etc. This results in a fairer basis for ranking properties based on guest satisfaction.

As an added bonus, if you use Instant World Booking as your booking engine for your website, you can also feature your guest reviews on your own website.

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7) Exposure and Traffic

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When you list your property for free with Instant World Booking, you get the benefit of simultaneously advertising on several of our highly targeted web portals. For hostels and budget lodging, HostelTraveler.com is a leading brand recognized worldwide. Similarly, for bed and breakfasts and inns, BedBreakfastTraveler.com is our premier B&B brand. We also include regional, country, and city sites in 6 continents, which span over 3 dozen web portals. We’re adding new websites every year.

Our unique blend of regional and global internet branding is a strategy which you cannot attain individually with you own website, or with any competing online provider.

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8 ) Customer Service

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Internet firms offer varying degrees of customer service for their hotel partners. At InstantWorldBooking.com, we support our partners through the listing process. Regardless of what assistance you need in getting set up, we can assist you through the whole process. For example, if you’ve never used instant booking before or worked with an online availability calendar, we’ll help you every step of the way in getting it set up. Other services leave you to contend with online help screens.

Another service we provide which no other online booking engine provides are periodic notifications that help you keep your calendar up to date. We even let you know what types of accommodation guests are looking for, so you may best customize your availability calendar to match guests’ needs.

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9) 2 Great Methods for Online Booking

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Instant World Booking has published a lot of information about the benefits of using true instant booking on your website or on marketing sites. In fact, instant booking is a must if you wish to maximize your online capability to attract guests. Nevertheless, there are properties who for various reasons wish to use “request-basis” reservations. For those who require online requests, and not instant confirmation, we offer one of the most efficient and automated processes for accepting request-basis reservations.

No competing service offers a highly automated process for offering both instant bookings and request-basis bookings.

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10) Free Online Marketing Strategy Consultation

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A well-executed online marketing strategy, including online booking capability, is now known to be able to increase a tourist accommodation’s profits by at least 20% in the first year. Instant World Booking is a recognized leader in online technology and strategy. Whether you are a novice just new to the internet, or you currently use a variety of online services to publicize your property, we can help you develop the right strategy. The correct approach for your accommodation can be a low cost, yet high impact strategy, carefully implemented.

We offer any tourist accommodation that is new to our services a free consultation by telephone to help you develop the right online marketing strategy for your property. If you’re considering switching from another service, or looking to try online marketing for the first time, a one-half hour consultation, without cost or obligation, can change the way you think about marketing permanently.

For your free strategy consultation, please call 1.941.866.0010 today, or send an email to info@instantworldbooking.com.

Even if you have no intention of changing your current provider or approach, why not call us to find out how we can beat your current economics.

Click Here to add your listing today.



Filed Under (Safety and Security, Smart Marketing, Website Tips) by Luke M. Davis on August-16-2008

One way to gain respect and attention among your guests (and peers) is to display special concern for the safety and security of your guests.  On everyone’s mind these days is safety, especially while travelling.  Global terrorism threats and international tensions are heightened.  We all know about increased security at airports and rail terminals.

While the topic may not be relevant for all locations, be prepared to answer guest questions about security in your locality.  Provide direct responses, and don’t avoid communicating about direct threats that may be present for travelers.  Be sensitive to your international travelers.  Know that foreign guests may be concerned about safety even if your location has no safety concerns.  Provide recommendations and tips on areas to avoid, and how to stay safe while sightseeing.  Provide a business card with your contact information, as well as emergency and police contacts.  Offer to safeguard your guests’ personal property within your property.

Acknowledging and being sensitive to your guest’s security will be appreciated, and interpreted by my most guests as a sign of intelligent and thoughtful management.

One way to enhance your reputation among guests is to post some safety and security tips on your website.  Make your guests aware of various online resources regarding the latest travel advisories.  Here are some official government resources sites:

http://travel.state.gov/

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/travel-advice-by-country/

http://www.smartraveller.gov.au//

http://www.voyage.gc.ca/consular_home-en.asp

Better yet, post a link to our Pocket Tips - How to Travel Safely Abroad, and share with your friends and guests many valuable tips on international travel security.  To quickly post a link to this unique page, insert the following code into your site HTML:

Link to this page from your website. Copy the following html code:
<a href=”http://www.instantworldbooking.com/communications/articles/how_to_travel_safely_abroad.php” title=”How To Travel Safely and Securely with InstantWorldBooking.com”>
How to Travel Safely Abroad
</a>

Remember, when marketing your hotel or hostel (or your small business) online, adding services and useful content to your website is key.  Follow this advice, and you will be going a long way to enhancing your online marketing efforts, as well as improving guest relations.