”Each year, following the conference, we put our heads together and ask ourselves, “How can we relay to our other members, the warm feelings of connecting and bonding we experience?” Attending the BBISD conference is a very vital way to meet other innkeepers, share ideas, put a face with a name, and to feel like you are part of our great association.” Those are the thoughts that opened the “Winter 2007 Snoozenews”, and the words still ring true today. The annual BBISD conference was held in Lennox this year and hosted by Sara and John Steever. We would like to thank them for being such wonderful hosts and for all the work they have done throughout the year.

This is Nancy Roth, Apple Annie’s in Rapid City, and I have agreed to do the newsletter again for awhile. The newsletter is the “lifeline” of our organization according to Lyndy Ireland, Triangle Ranch B&B, Phillip. It is my hope that the “Snoozenews” keeps us connected. The email address to send the newsletter will be BBISD09Snooze@aol.com Watch your in-box!


Several of the positions on the BBISD Board “termed out” and this is a list of our new board. Please give them your personal support, support the organization, and get involved.

Board Members 2009
Chair: Marilyn & Art Oakes, Buffalo Rock Lodge, Keystone
Vice Chair: Andy & Jenny Todd (new owners!), Prairie House Manor, DeSmet
Secretary: Vixie Miller, Vixie’s Victorian Villa B&B, Rapid City
Treasurer: Eileen Rossow, Peregrine Pointe B&B, Rapid City
Membership: Ila Rumbolz, der Rumbolz Platz, Ethan
Marketing: Judy Parker The Barn B&B, Geddes
Public Relations/Website: Sara Steever, Steever House B&B, Lennox
Publications: Carla Kaaz, Foote Creek B&B, Aberdeen
Past President: Ron & Carla Kaaz, Foote Creek B&B, Aberdeen
Regional Directors:
Black Hills & Badlands: Lyndy Ireland, Triangle Ranch B&B near Phillip
Great Lakes: Jim & Linda Steele, Eagle’s View B&B, Ft. Pierre
Glacier Lakes: Darla Loewen, Possibility Farm B&B, Huron
Southeast: Clark Edwards, Clark’s Prairie Gold B&B, Letcher
*Newsletter Editor: Nancy Roth, Apple Annie’s B&B, Rapid City
Legislative: Marilyn Oakes, Buffalo Rock Lodge, Keystone

A big thank you goes out to the members who have retired from the board. We are especially appreciative of the work and leadership of Ron and Carla Kaaz.

“For the past three years it has been our pleasure to chair the Bed and Breakfast Innkeepers of South Dakota association. We’ve come to cherish the friendships made and truly appreciate all of the encouragement and support we’ve been given. All of you have made it a fun and fulfilling experience, and for this we thank you very much. Our advice is to get involved, you’ll never regret it!

Our support and best wishes go to Marilyn and Art as they move this organization forward.
Blessings, Carla & Ron Kaaz, Foote Creek B&B, Aberdeen
(We’ll miss your recipes, Carla. Feel free to send others any time!)

January 23 and 24, 2009
Friday afternoon began with two very informative presentations. The first was by Public Relations Director Bryan Bjerke of Paulsen Marketing stressing the positive effects of the media for your business. Some highlights were: get to know the gatekeepers -editors, reporters, producers and know their needs and deadlines and get a good understanding of what “news” is. Use a weekly newspaper and local radio stations; if you are in the “Feature “ section be honest--your credibility is very important, don’t exaggerate! Identify your opportunities, events and special days and always invite the media. Find out who reports on B&B’s in your area and make sure they know you are a source for your industry. Find a new angle for your coverage. Use U-Tube with a picture and a story. He said, “Scratch wherever there is an itch!” Determine who you want to hear about you and your industry. Express your passion for what you do…if you have it be proud of it!

Our second speaker was Andy Sernovitz discussing “word of mouth” advertising and making people happy. He discussed the “red envelop” packaging changing the subject from the product to management. He gave the illustration of how people will talk up your business just because you offered something free like phone calls. They become your best telemarketers. Find things you can do to get people talking about you and your business. Give them a fresh reason to talk about you and make it simple: offer blogs, quotes, sharing emails, ‘My Space’ etc. A new love (for or about something) is powerful. Incentives stop word of mouth advertising. Don’t put your money on this principle. He illustrated with the chocolate problem: don’t recommend something normal, it has to be better than good: keep adding“freshness” every 3-4 months. There are three reasons why we need to do this 1) you - the company; 2) ME the talker- who are your talkers? They are regular people that like to be important because it boosts their desire to be helpful, smart, and important: and 3) US- the group that says “I’ll talk about you because I feel like I belong. Then he shared the 5- T steps: 1) Talkers - find people who will talk, 2) Topics - Give people a reason to talk. This is not your marketing message but a story that is repeatable; 3) Tools - Help the mechanical tools message spread; 4) Taking part - Join in the conversation; 5) Tracking - measure and listen. Talkers are not necessarily customers. Heinz Ketchup had a contest to create a commercial so they developed a “tell a friend” form. He suggested putting a “tell a friend” form on your website (its free advertising) or on U-Tube. And make sure no one leaves your place of business without something in their hand--something to share. How do you take part - BE A FRIEND.

We also had a video presentation from Click Rain, Inc. helping companies to look at multi-marketing plan, look at all the pieces of the pie. By the end of 2009 2/3’s of companies will be online. Forty-one percent of internet users use search engines, My Space, E-bay, MySpace.com, Craig List and U-Tube and #7 was Yahoo. On your marketing strategy, the website is the hub of your online marketing efforts. First impressions or image is what gives a clear call to action. Don’t skimp on your website building. You want it to be polished so they will make contact. Make it a no-brainer: put reservation information on each page.
Concerning search engine marketing:
Paid Search - Google, AdWords, Yahoo, NSN, Facebook;
Organic Search - SEO 75% of search engine results page clicks are on organic. Lots of people don’t use paid search, i.e. they would use Rapid City BB
Emails - low cost, highly effective, frequency. Newsletters add 10% increase. Create a filed on your web site for email addresses
Social Media - Become familiar with the mediums, engage where appropriate and blog.
Site analytics - put on your web site so you can see who is coming on, monitor reports, blogs, adjust as needed. Budgets are flexible. Online marketing offers rifle approach vs. shotguns approach so you can allocate costs to the highest return

The annual meeting of the Bed and Breakfast Innkeepers of South Dakota, Inc. was held on Saturday January 24th at the Steever House Bed and Breakfast in Lennox, South Dakota. The Southeast Region hosted the two-day event with John and Sara Steever graciously providing lodging and serving a delicious evening and breakfast meal.
Call to Order: The meeting was held in the parlors of Steever House B&B and called to order by President Ron/Carla Kaaz at 1:30 pm. Ron/Carla welcomed two new members Andy/Jenny Todd of Prairie House Manor B&B and John /Joyce Metz of River Road B&B.
Board Members Present: Pres. Ron/Carla Kaaz - Foote Creek; VP Jim/Linda Steele - Eagles View; Sec. Dennis/Vixie Miller -Vixie’s Victorian Villa; Treas. Eileen Rossow/Warren Meyer - Peregrine Pointe; Newsletter Chairman John/Sara Steever- Steever House; and Legislative Chairman Art/Marilyn Oakes - Buffalo Rock Lodge. Regional Tourism Directors Present: Southeast -Ila Rumbolz, Der Rumbolz Platz; Great Lakes - Jim/Linda Steele, Eagles View; Glacial Lakes and Prairies - Harold/Darla Loewen, Possibility Farm. Other B & B/Innkeepers Present: John/Joyce Metz-River Road; Lelia Gilbert - Flavia’s Place; Bart/Marcy Ramsey - South Fork Ranch; Andy/Jenny Todd - Prairie House Manor; Clark Edward - Clark’s Prairie Gold.
Minutes: The January 18th and 19th, 2008 minutes were handed out on the 23rd so the members present could take time to read them prior to the business meeting on Saturday morning.
Treasurer’s Report: Eileen Rossow presented the Income and Expense Report for 2008 and the Proposed Budget for 2009. Lelia Guilbert made a motion to accept both the Secretary and Treasurer’s Reports. Marilyn Oakes second the motion. Carried.
Membership Report: Was given by Carla Kaaz in Nancy Roth’s absence. We have 4 new B&Bs: John/Joyce Metz - River Road, Mitchell; Mavis Madison - Historic Madison Ranch B&B, Rapid City; Eldon/Sherry Nygaard - Country Manor at Stone Faces, Hill City; and John/Linda Rittberger - Bear Gulch, Hermosa. Membership dues and members with more than one B& B tabled until Board Retreat.
Marketing Report: Marilyn made a motion to sponsor the booth again next year at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism. Clark second the motion. Motion carried.
Sara Steever gave the report for Judy Parker and presented a copy of the Ritz Hospitality Magazine. After discussion about this advertising it was decided to take no action as we can put our advertising dollars to better use. Carla Kaaz will send out an email to all B&Bs in our association stating we are not sanctioning ads in this magazine.
We spent $500 in a state-wide Great Get Away but after discussion agreed that the money could be better spent.. Marilyn Oakes made a motion to drop the Great Get Away ad and use the dedicated $500 towards website improvements in the future. Ila Rumbolz second. Motion carried. We placed an ad in a magazine through BH Bad Lands and Lakes that cost $1,150.00. Vixie Miller made a motion not to participate in this particular ad opportunity next year. Marilyn Oakes second. Discussion: the consensus was that improving the website is a priority. Motion carried.
Eileen Rossow reported that we are required within 60 days to fix a possible problem with our server Golden West at a cost of $375.00 Ron Kaaz suggested we investigate to see if we can delay the 60-day notice with Golden West and possibly use the time to rebuild our website and go with a different server. The Executive committee will check out other options.
Sara presented information concerning cost of Google Search Ads but it was decided to rebuild the website then pursue advertising next year. We should link to BBISD and do the free ads.
Darla Loewen discussed the Corps of Discovery Welcome Center in Gordon, NE She said it is
located on the Pan-American Highway so gets a lot of traffic and we can distribute our brochures. She volunteered to set it up this year and pay the $125.00 to handle it. Marilyn Oakes made a motion for Darla Loewen to distribute our BBISD brochures in Nebraska for the coming season. Ila Rumbolz second the motion. Motion carried.
Eileen showed the cookbooks and aprons that are available for sale.
Visitor Industry Alliance (VIA) Report: Given my Marilyn Oakes who is on their board. It has political influence lobbying for our B&B industry. They are doing image improvement by posting 15 second ads entitled “We are SD”. VIA has a paid lobbyist watching H1040 bill and talking with appropriations legislators.
Legislative Report given my Marilyn Oakes. Bill H1040 is currently on the floor of the legislature concerning changes for pools, spas and each hot tub. Dennis Miller made a motion to have Marilyn Oakes write a letter to the Dept of Health protesting excessive charges for each hot tub but not the general fee increase... Art Oakes second. Motion carried.
Regional Reports: BHBL&L - Lyndy Ireland offered to host the April Board Retreat at Triangle Ranch near Philip, SD. The Board accepted her invitation. Southeast - Ila Rumbolz reported one new member John/Joyce Metz of River Road in Mitchell. Great Lakes - Linda Steele -their region will be the host for next year’s annual conference. Glacial Lakes and Prairies -Darla Loewen wants to make sure people know the meetings are opened to everyone.
Old Business: The new By-Laws are posted on the website. Marilyn Oakes made a motion to approve the new By-Laws as corrected. Clark Edwards second the motion. Motion carried.
New Business: Marilyn Oakes reported that the cookbook sales was a success at the Governor‘s Conference on Tourism. Lelia Guilbert made a motion to sponsor the AAA Table and Banquet Table again next year. Clark Edwards second. Motion carried. The Scholarship recipient is already budgeted for next year.
We discussed the “Christmas Tree at the State Capitol” for the winter of 2009 - a unique way to advertise. Linda Steele provided information on the theme “Do you see what I see” and they provide the tree. Discussion tabled till the Board Retreat.
Board elections to fill the vacancy of the out going officers were held. Nominations were Clark Edward of Clark’s Prairie Gold and Andy/Jenny Todd of Prairie House Manor. Lelia Guilbert made a motion that nominations cease. Eileen Rossow second. Motion Carried.

Marilyn Oakes made a motion for adjournment

Vixie Miller
BBIDS Secretary

We started 2008 with a great annual conference in DeSmet held at Connie & Larry Cheney's (formerly owners of Prairie House Manor and long time members) Super Deluxe Inn & Suites, a super nice facility, where the special touches were obvious to fellow innkeepers. Glacial Lakes Region members hosted us in great style.
Kenny and I attended one day of our Spring Retreat hosted by Eileen and Warren of Peregrine Pointe. It was great to see everyone and meet new innkeepers. Ron and Carla are one good team who listen and take action.
In late April I canvassed our region inns by email about a Mother's Day Open House.
Press releases were emailed to the participating inn's local newspapers and community calendars, Rapid City Journal and Sturgis radio. Reports were lower attendance than other years.
Triangle Ranch has been privileged to serve BBISD as their representative on the Board of Black Hills, Badlands & Lakes Association as one of six elected positions in the Trade Association category. Marilyn Oakes of Buffalo Rock Lodge is seated in a Member-at-Large position. This keeps us abreast of new trends and marketing tools. BBISD, through a Black Hills, Badlands offer appeared in a 16 page insert in the Midwest Living Magazine. The beautiful ad created by Sara Steever, got lots of attention and calls.
Many thanks to Eileen Rossow for coordinating our email vacancy list during our busy season. It helped us make intelligent referrals.
A tip from Vixie Miller at Vixie's Victorian Villa got us a booth at an Ellsworth AFB Fair introducing over 1,000 new service men and women to our area. Four members manned the table.
In early October Circle View Guest Ranch and Triangle Ranch hosted a progressive “I Survived the Summer” party. It was a small group but lots of fun to eat, talk shop and see Phil & Amy's baby girl.
We welcome Bear Gulch Bed & Breakfast of Hermosa, Country Manor at Stone Faces of Hill City, Summer Creek Inn and the Historic Madison Ranch of the Rapid City area as new members.
Overall tourism travel was very good in Western South Dakota in 2008 despite fuel prices.
My apologies for being unable to take a more active part in BBISD during 2008. Family and financial commitments had to be priority
Again, thanks to Ron and Carla and our BBISD board for promoting our industry consistently and professionally in new and innovative ways.
Respectfully submitted,
Kenny & Lyndy Ireland, BHB&L Director
Triangle Ranch Bed & Breakfast

The full board of BBISD will meet on Friday, April 17th and the morning of Saturday, April 18th for a strategic planning session (and to have fun!), graciously hosted by Lyndy and Kenny Ireland, Triangle Ranch B&B, Phillip. This year we will be reviewing the S. W. O. T. plan that was developed in 2003 by our chair Madaline Custis. As we go over the 2003 version, the board will decide how well we have (or haven') accomplished our goals.

After the review of the 2003 plan, the board will be tasked with dividing into smaller groups and taking parts of the plan to develop new goals and strategies for the coming three years. Included in this planning will be examining the roles of each board position, redefining if necessary, and expanding where needed. A by-laws “read through” will also take place, in case there is need for updating. Plans for the website will be reviewed.

The goal of the Chair for this year is to expand our membership by 10 new inns. We will be discussing how this may be accomplished. The Chair also expects that the team will have a great time (fun!) and form a cohesive unit to carry our organization on into the next few years.

All members are welcome to participate in this function. Please contact Lyndy Ireland with your intentions to attend so she can plan how to house us all. Also, please bring fun finger food snacks along, to share with all on Friday afternoon, along with your favorite soda or drinks.

When: Friday, April 17th - starting at 1:00 PM MT (Please eat lunch prior to your arrival or bring a sack lunch)
Saturday, April 18th - adjourn by noon.

Lyndy and Kenny will be preparing dinner on Friday and breakfast on Saturday. If you are a board member planning to attend from the east of Phillip could you please bring a pastry that will serve 8-10 people, and if you are a board member from west of Phillip bring a main dish that will serve up to 10. Marilyn or Lyndy will contact board members prior to the event to confirm these plans for the breakfast. Plan to come and have a good time (fun!)
Marilyn Oakes, Buffalo Rock Lodge, BBISD Chair

Welcome our newest members: Bear Gulch B&B, Linda Rittberger, Hermosa; Country Manor at Stone Faces B&B, Sherry Nygaard, Hill City, Historic Madison Ranch B&B, Mavis Madison, Rapid City; River Road B&B, Joyce Metz, Mitchell; Summer Creek Inn B&B, Nancy Evangelisto, Hill City; and Frogville USA B&B, Norbe Barrie, Turton. If they are your neighbors, get to know the innkeepers, and remember to refer guests to their door. One of the main bonuses of belonging to BBISD is the support we receive from…and give to…one another!

A special thanks to all the people who helped with the booth at the Governor's Conference on Tourism. Ron and Carla Kaaz, LeeAnn Jensen, Eileen Rossow and Warren Meyer, Ana Jensen, Sherry Nygaard, Amy Kruse, Art and Marilyn Oakes, and Leslie Passon all worked shifts or helped set it up.

The booth was a great success. Cookbooks were sold, many names were gathered for a database, BBISD’s name was prominently displayed, along with the INN-Route map. There was a TV monitor showing all of our inns in continuous rotation throughout the two days (thank you Ron and Carla!) The booth also created a nice place for our members to gather, which really enhanced the camaraderie of our group. We attracted a new member, too!

There are many legislative issues in front of us this year, from reduced funding of the tourism industry to taxation on items related to tourism. Marilyn Oakes is a board member with VIA (Visitor Industry Alliance), which is a group that basically is a legislative watch dog. Marilyn has sent out several emails recently concerning issues that affect our industry. Be aware and take time to read about the issues.