All B&Bs have a Unique Selling Point (USP) in relation to hotels: they’re smaller, more intimate and offer a more personalised service. But, as the owner of a B&B, how do you distinguish it from all the others in the area: what makes your B&B unique? If you can think of something, you’ll find it a lot easier to attract customers and get extra bookings, because you’ll stand out from the crowd.

Mind you, it’s not just a case of having a USP; it’s also important to have the right USP. If you’re looking for a USP that you can use to sell your property and nothing comes readily to mind, it might be a good idea to start by looking at your recent customers. Who has booked your property in the past few years? What kind of people are they? What are they interested in? Have a number of them told you that they booked your property for a particular reason? Has a certain local event or landmark brought them to your area?  Has your clientele changed in any way? (If you’re getting more business customers than before staying with you, might it be worth getting WIFI if you don’t already have it?) In terms of finding an appropriate USP, your customer database can be your most valuable resource.

If, having done this, you feel that your still don’t have an obvious USP, there’s always the option of creating one. For instance, people these days love the idea of eating fresh produce – the more locally sourced the better – so why not start a herb garden if you’ve got the space?

Then again, a USP doesn’t have to be focused on the facilities of your property itself. You might be unique as an accommodation provider because you’re located near a particular cultural attraction or sporting event. If you’re in an especially beautiful part of the world, you could study some local history and offer walking tours that focus on that.

Seasonal USPs are another great way to keep business coming in all year round: you could focus on an outdoor facility, like a patio garden, in summer and an indoor facility, like a real log fire, in winter.

Once you’ve settled on a USP that you’re confident about, the other most important strategy is not to undersell it. Make sure it’s prominent on your website and try to complement it, if possible, with the best possible photos.