A note about my focus and my website
Along with marketing inns and B&B's in Maine, I focus on some of the more emotional common elements which draw us to innkeeping - food, wine, travel, art, entertaining and sharing your personal B&B style; as a lifestyle, an investment and a home. My blog isn’t simply a vehicle to display my clients’ listings, but a place to discuss all of the things that make innkeepers what they are. So many people looking to buy an inn are foodies, they love to entertain family and friends, decorate, travel and they love the Maine way of life. And a way to get their attention is to appeal to those emotional elements; and it takes an experienced innkeeper to know just how to do that. It also takes someone with an eye for design, photography and the ability to tell a story.
The importance of Social Media
Twitter has become an essential tool in today’s internet marketing world, both professionally and personally. I have a current following of over 2,100 users who see my posts every day, often multiple times daily. I post information about my listings, about innkeeping, historic homes, Maine travel, Maine tourism and the industry, and in general, anything to get visitors interested in coming to Maine, moving to Maine and buying a Maine lodging property. Once you entice and engage a follower, you are able to market specific to their needs.
Personal Web Marketing of my listings
The importance of images
I upload photos for each listing to a Google program "Picasa Web Albums or a Flickr Yahoo program. This allows me to post each photo using searchable tags, or key words or phrases which can be shared across the internet. When a potential buyer requests more information from myself or another broker, these photo sharing files can be emailed and shared across the internet. This can be of great importance for the out of town buyer. We are limited to posting just 8 photos in the MLS (multiple listing service) and 20 photos on The Swan Agency Sotheby's International Realty's website. So having an unlimited photo sharing file is a much better visual tool. Captivating the prospective buyer with images is imperative.