Happy Hotelier Enter09 Presentation I Blog English Translation From Original Dutch Language Presentation

I Blog By Happy Hotelier Guido J. van den Elshout l Author of http://www.happyhotelier.com Owner of Haagsche Suites July 12, 2009

Introduction • Originally this presentation was made in the Dutch language for the Dutch Day of the 2009 Enter Conference in Amsterdam, January 30, 2009 • After a lot of procrastination, it took some time and effort to translate it. Which I finally did on June 15, 2009 July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 2

Caveats • This is my first PowerPoint presentation ever. So it may not be the best you’ve seen. • I have learned from De Bono I have an associative mind rather than an analytic mind. I crave it because it enables me to stay creative. • But I do recognize you might lose my meandering thoughts. If so, please holler! July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 2

Overview of this presentation • First some of my backgrounds. • Then a short history of my blog Happy Hotelier • Finally some techniques, tools and Do’s and Don’ts when blogging July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 3

Background summary • 1976: Law, Rotterdam Erasmus University. • 1978: Specialization in tax law, Leiden University. • 25+ years practicing international tax law. • 1996: CEO family business (oprating since 1895). • 2000: Start renovating townhouse as small luxurious hotel • 2002: Opening Haagsche Suites • 2004: Start blogging in the Dutch language as co editor: Weekendhotel Blog • 2006: Start blogging in the English language with Happy Hotelier July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 4

Family Business1 July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 5

Family Business 2 July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 6

Family Business 9 The Family Business’ main activity was and is building and refurbishing a variety of residential properties in over 110 years. It gives me an eye for: • History • Architecture • Design • Processes from design to finished product • Fotography • Detail July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 13

Family Business 10 Under my supervision the Family Business: • Renovates many residences • Both from the own portfolio and third party owned When we can buy the home adjacent to my own home in 1999: • We get the idea to create Haagsche Suites • Renovation starts in 2000, Opening is October 2002 Introducing you now to Haagsche Suites: July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 14

Haagsche Suites 01 Front July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 15

Haagsche Suites 02 Front July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 16

Haagsche Suites 03 in short: • The Siamese twin of our own townhouse. • Only 3 suites in stead of 6 to 8 small rooms. • Each suite individually styled and appointed. • In harmony with its historic look and feel. • All modern comfort provided for. • The luxe of a 5***** hotel. • When we started this, we knew of only one example in the Netherlands. July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 17

Haagsche Suites 04 Salon July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 18

Haagsche Suites 05 Suite 1 July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 19

Haagsche Suites 07 Garden July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 21

Haagsche Suites 10 More than a Hotel July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 24

Haagsche Suites 11 - More than a Hotel: • Private dining (catered) • Photo shoots for fashion and products • Book presentations • Product presentations • TV productions • Training and workshops • Meetings • Jewelry Parties • Baby shower parties • And so on and so fort. July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 25

Haagsche Suites Summarizing • In stead of being “the stranger who cuts the Sunday Roast” I’m now doing this together with my wife. • Marketing the product has its own difficulties. • From the start “Worth of Mouth” is and was our main and strongest means of marketing. • Those who dream of starting a similar venue I suggest to contact us first to have an in depth discussion of the “Inn's and Out’s” July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 26

Internet – Search the drop 1 July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 27

Internet – It’s all about being visible July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 32

200,000,000 blogs July 12, 2009 2/13/2009

Internet - Summary Previous photos were meant as analogy: Internet is like an ocean. Your own activity in this ocean is nothing more than a drop in that ocean. The photo’s demonstrate that you need a lot of effort to be found and seen and even then you will always been seen only marginally. The same applies to one blogger between over 200,000,000 bloggers…. July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 34

Happy Hotelier 01 From here on I will give you a bit of advice per slide based on my own experience. I was fortunate getting invited to blog on the Weekendhotel Blog The blog I co author and which enabled me to get hands on knowledge and experience of blogging and Wordpress. If you are not sure what you want to blog about, always a good idea just to start as guest poster or start a blog of your own at one of the free platforms. July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 34

Happy Hotelier 02 One should realize that once one starts blogging one will always have to continue blogging. No sense in starting and discontinuing. Then it is better not to start at all! I got addicted myself: See the next picture July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 35

Happy Hotelier 03 July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 36

Happy Hotelier 04 Just be yourself. Only very talented imposters are able to pretend to be somebody else than they really are. One of my funs in blogging is meeting fellow bloggers. No bigger disappointment when they turn out not to be what they write to be. In addition: I myself always first click on the About tag to know who the person behind a blog is. So tell something about yourself. July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 37

Happy Hotelier 05 Be Open and honest No place where you will more likely be found out than the internet. July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 38

Happy Hotelier 06 Be Good Humored If you’re not able to laugh about your self. Nobody else will! You’ll need your humor if somebody disappoints you! July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 39

Happy Hotelier 07 Just give your own views. Everybody else's views can be found on the web. July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 41

Happy Hotelier 08 Post about matters that you are knowledgeable and passionate about. July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 48

Happy Hotelier 09 Don’t be shy to repeat your favorite themes and subjects. July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 54

Happy Hotelier 10 One of the most difficult requirements: Easily readable! No mistakes in the facts and use your spell checker! July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 55

Happy Hotelier 11 3 to 7 Posts per week is more than enough. Don’t overdo it! July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 42

Happy Hotelier 12 The ideal format for a good post is 3 alineas and one photo. I don’t seem to get that right :-) July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 43

Happy Hotelier 13 Look for a couple of good examples of blogs For me the blogs of Mr and Mrs Smith and Bill Marriott are good examples of blogs for hoteliers. July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 40

Happy Hotelier 14 Visit fellow bloggers in your niche and comment sensibly. But Don’t overdo it! July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 44

“Social media is about people having conversations Online” 2/13/2009

Happy Hotelier 15 Good Titles and relevant Keywords is what it is all about. Try to imagine what your readers are looking for in and expecting from your blog. And catch them with one phrase only! The following picture is a wordl collation of keywords taken from my blog at a certain stage. Mmm: I tend to cover too many subjects. I know! July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 46

Happy Hotelier 17 Make a blog easily navigable. A good blog has a good archive. Do realize that old posts are valuable for the “long tail ” traffic. July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 53

Happy Hotelier 18 Don’t worry: People will start to notice you after some time. In my own case I got noticed by three guys reasonably early. With each of them I have developed a very friendly relation ever since and I’ve met them on several occasions. Later many more guys and galls followed. July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 49

Happy Hotelier 19 Use a community photo sharing site like Flickr or Picasa to upload the photos you publish. They are communities in themselves and when carefully tagged and described the images bring you substantial additional traffic. July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 51

Happy Hotelier 20 I have used tumblr and I’ve used the Quickpost WP plug in for fast copying and pasting interesting material into my blog, recently however I have abandoned them in favor of more authentic and shorter content. July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 52

Happy Hotelier 21 Use Twitter and Twitfeed to build a community and point them to your content. Again do it by dialogue rather than by broadcasting only! July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 56

Happy Hotelier 23 Chose two to three other social sites and show involvement. (More sites you won’t be able to magage) July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 58

Immerse yourself in the conversations. 2/13/2009

Happy Hotelier 24 Don’t make too much noise! This in respect to two issues: Most of your readers visit your site during working hours. Even if they visit you during their leisure hours, they might prefer their own music over your good taste. My advise is no music on your site! Secondly do not overly repeat yourself too much. Never use capitals only. Prevent others seeing you as a spammer! July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 61

Happy Hotelier 25 Cooliris is a tool for photo browsing you can’t without in my opinion July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 50

Happy Hotelier 26 Woopra is an excellent tool for your blog’s statistic information. July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 62

Happy Hotelier 27 Webkut is a good tool to grab browser screens even if they are in flash July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 60

Happy Hotelier 28 Ethics - Journalism - Paid content Just a hint. I could fill a whole presentation with these subjects only  July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 63

Happy Hotelier 29 Syndicate your content wisely: Again: Just a hint at a subject for a whole presentation in itself  July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 64

Remember: July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 65

Happy Hotelier End Thank you for your attention! Blogging is Fun! Read Happy Hotelier Credits: Pictures borrowed from Marta Z Kagan Blogging at Bonafide Marketing Genius July 12, 2009 ENTER 2009 Research Track Slide Number 66

Happy Hotelier Enter09 Presentation I Blog English Translation From Original Dutch Language Presentation

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