Start in the Bed & Breakfast business
One of the main activities that is currently in trend is the business of accommodation with breakfast, are the trips. Regardless of the places, today many people follow the desire to travel and see hundreds of places not only within their own cities, but also within and outside the countries in which they live. This has generated a high growth to the businesses that have relation with this activity, among them, the lodging businesses.
The big tourism businesses, visualize them all here
If you have a place or have the possibility of acquiring it to start this type of business, besides having a friendly and welcoming sense, this may be the profitable business idea you were looking for.
Here we will see everything you need to get started:
Business plan
This is a document that, when completed, will give us an approximate figure of the level of investment we need in order to start the business. In this sense, by evaluating the following areas and researching and quoting, you will be able to form an approximate figure:
Acquisition of the place by purchase or rent (Wide place with reception, dining room, kitchen and several rooms with independent bath)
Kitchen utensils for breakfast
Kitchen machinery (coffee machines, toasters, pans, cutlery, etc.)
Furniture for the place (Tables, chairs, dining rooms, living room furniture, room furniture, etc)
Toiletries for guests and cleaning of the place
Guest food products (fruits, vegetables, cereals, etc)
Staff in charge of the kitchen, reception, administration and care
Office equipment (computers, documents, keys, file cabinets)
Advertising for the business
Location of the accommodation
Without a doubt this is one of the most important issues, since the level of clients and tourists you will receive will depend to a great extent on this. Remember to try to locate in central areas of cities, towns and areas, especially if these are close to public transport services, restaurants and tourist sites.
Permits and Licenses
As any type of business it is key that you have the main permits and licenses to operate according to the service you are offering, this will allow you to operate without any problem and subject to the regulations according to your city and country.
Training for the entrepreneur
Although you will not need to have in-depth knowledge of an area, you will need to have a basis for handling money. In this sense you have two options, including start training in an area directly related to business management, which is the option I recommend most, or pay an administrator to take care of the accounts with income and expenditure of the business.
Promoting the business
Once you have everything ready, it’s time to promote your business. To do this I recommend that you use business cards and flyers in the areas most frequented by visitors to the place, in addition to having a presence on the web and social networks to participate in forums and travel communities where more people interested in traveling have your business as a reference for their stay.
First steps of a bed and breakfast business
The search for the place where we are going to offer our service becomes one of the most important aspects, since the level of clients and tourists that you are going to receive will depend on it to a great extent. Remember to try to locate in central areas of cities, towns and areas, especially if these are close to public transport services, restaurants and tourist sites.
Once you have everything ready, it is time to promote your business. To do this I recommend that you use business cards and flyers in the areas most frequented by visitors to the place, in addition to having a presence on the web and social networks to participate in forums and travel communities where more people interested in traveling have your business as a reference for their stay.
How the bed and breakfast business works
Although not as sophisticated as a hotel, a bed and breakfast service offers a much more familiar, comfortable and informal space, where people who require it can stay, counting, with the value per night, with breakfast included. It becomes one of the best alternatives because its costs are usually lower than those of a hotel, but fulfilling the function of accommodation.
You can rent a room or an apartment that you have available. Ideally, it should be properly conditioned and furnished, with everything anyone would need for their stay; personal hygiene products, towels, blankets, television and so on. Adding the value of difference at this point, can be decisive for your customers you get elected.
For the promotion of your service, you can create a website where you can publish photos of your rooms, value per night, mention everything that is included and do not forget to add advantages that you have, whether it is the location, proximity to special places, transportation service, theme of the place, etc.
Requirements to start: what do I need to open this business?
The first thing you need to do is to make a business plan. This is a document that, when completed, will give us an approximate figure of the level of investment we need to be able to start the business. As well as other data regarding the fees being charged in the market, competitors, customer needs and so on.
In this sense, by evaluating the following areas and researching and quoting, you will be able to form an approximate figure depending on what you need, such as: the acquisition of the place for purchase or rent (it must be spacious with reception, dining room, kitchen and several rooms with separate bathrooms), kitchen utensils for breakfast, kitchen machinery (coffee machines, toasters, pans, cutlery, etc), furniture of the place (tables, chairs, dining rooms, living room furniture, room furniture, etc), among many others.
As any type of business it is key that you have the main permits and licenses to operate according to the service you are offering, this will allow you to operate without any problem and subject to the regulations according to your city and country.
Key tips for an accommodation service with breakfast
Although you will not need to have in-depth knowledge of an area, you will need to have a basis for handling money. In this sense you have two options, including start training in an area directly related to business management, which is the option I recommend most, or pay an administrator to take care of the accounts with income and expenditure of the business.
Remember that the basis of this type of business is kindness, respect and attention to guests, so not only do you build customer loyalty, but also generate positive references for future visitors, because a customer who has not received the attention he expected, is a customer who will not return and you will not have good references.
Weak points: if we look at the equipment and material we need to set up this type of accommodation with breakfast business, we notice that the level of investment should be high due to the amount of elements. However, this will depend on the space you have, because even if it has two rooms, if you promote it correctly, you will find clients who only need this space frequently.
Another aspect you might consider is that, since in many cases you might not know the origin of the people who are going to stay, asking for identification documentation will be key. Make sure you create a comfortable and pleasant space where anyone would want to spend the night. Putting yourself in the position of customer will help you improve your bed and breakfast service.
Pros: Although management skills are needed to keep proper financial control of your business, it is a venture that does not require experience in this area, since you can start it from the comfort of your home if you have rooms or apartments available. It is a project that can easily grow with proper management, always making clear the rules with the people who will be staying there.
In order to guarantee the highest possible security, we recommend you to install security cameras and badges with good efficiency to avoid any inconvenience. And now you can be ready to start your business.