A few weeks ago I went to see the movie “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” and aside from the fact that I love all kinds of movies and spy movies rank right up there in my favorite genre, I absolutely loved the one scene where Ryan is instructed to meet Harper, his handler, played by Kevin Costner. The scene took place in a public park after Ryan had to eliminate the bad guy who was trying to kill him ... and Harper says to Ryan: "You've got to pick somebody to trust, Jack.” (2:35 into the video)
I thought to myself, WOW! that just about sums it up...
In life, both personal and business “You’ve got to pick somebody to trust” and with all of today’s ever-changing technology, it’s imperative that serious business owners “Pick somebody to trust” when it comes to Marketing their Inns.
If you’ve been an Acorn IS client long, you should know that we offer a variety of different Marketing options to improve and maintain your revenue stream, but in today’s “sales pitch” world, I thought it would be a good reminder to let you know how we can help you if you don’t want to DIY (Do It Yourself).
We have been telling Innkeepers for years that the bottom line is…
If you don’t DIY, and you don’t pay to have it done, you will fall behind, lose traffic and revenue.
… and the sad part is that we see it happening to Innkeepers on a daily basis. Innkeepers that haven’t taken the Marketing of their business to heart, have not learned the basic fundamentals of what needs to be accomplished, and have not ensured the work that needs done, gets done, in order to keep their placement and revenue high.
So to help those of you who might be a bit behind on what you need to be doing to MARKET YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESSFULLY, here’s a PRIORITY LIST of what Acorn can do FOR YOU!
1st: Identify if you have Digital Baggage
2nd: Make sure you have a Responsive Website Design
3rd: Make a decision on Who is going to do your on-going Marketing
- You? Choose to DIY your Marketing by registering for Acorn University and Club 60
- Paid Professional? Choose to Pay for a Managed Marketing Solution
4th: Track your Progress
(1st PRIORITY) DIGITAL BAGGAGE IDENTIFICATION
SEPPIR Reporting: $300 - $500 one time fee
(2012) Read More…
SEPPIR stands for "Search Engine Placement Problem Identification Report". Acorn IS created the concept of a SEPPIR report at the end of 2012 as a way to identify issues from our Innkeeper’s “Online Past” that were causing issues with placement “Today.”
(2nd PRIORITY) RESPONSIVE WEBSITE DESIGN supported by a QUALITY HOSTING COMPANY
Responsive Design: Start at $3,000
(2013) Read More…
Make sure your Website Design is Responsive and follows Google guidelines for SEO and Mobile Design.
Caution: Beware of developers who say that a RESPONSIVE Website Design CANNOT meet Google PageSpeed Insights Guidelines.
Acorn IS Responsive Websites prove they absolutely can!
(3rd PRIORITY) DECIDE WHO IS GOING TO DO YOUR MARKETING
| YOU? Acorn University and Club 60 $199 - $349 yearly fee (2009) Read More...
Click to see what’s included... Call for specific pricing for your property. |
PAID PROFESSIONAL? Managed Marketing Solution $710 per month + $560 One Time Setup Fee* (2011) Read More…
Additional Social Media support (YouTube, GetFiveStars, Additional Newsletters) available at an additional cost. One Time Setup Fee Includes
*Client is responsible for monthly subscription cost of YMLP.com. The client’s credit card will be charged based on the number of E-Mail addresses. |
(4th Priority) Track Your Progress
MarketWatch Program
(2005) Read More…
As a busy innkeeper, do you have time to look at all of your statistical data on a monthly basis and interpret this data properly so you can formulate your Inn’s specific marketing plan? If not, our MarketWatch Program will do it for you, and a client services team member will meet with you personally on the phone to discuss each monthly or quarterly report we provide.
- Monthly: $199 - $249
- Quarterly: $299 - $349
- One Time Initial Setup Fee: $79 - $99
Call for specific pricing for your property.
Additional Marketing Options
Google AdWords (PPC) Campaign: $250 Setup + $50 a month monitoring fee*
(2005) Includes creation of ad groups, keyword selection of 10-20 appropriate phrases, bid levels, ad content, and mobile ads.
*Does not include actual monthly payment to Google which can be set at a budget comfortable for you. A $90 a month is the recommended minimum, and will be billed directly to your credit card.
Press Campaigns
(DIY: 2009) As part of Acorn University, watch video "403 Making the Press Your Friend: The Art of Packaging and the Press Release".
(Paid: 2013) We recommend you consult with Mary White at BnBFinder.com if you are interested in establishing a Press Campaign.
- General Questions? Please contact us at 877-226-7699
- Professional Marketing Questions? E-mail Sharon@acorn-is.com
- DIY and Acorn University Questions? E-mail Annie@acorn-is.com
