InsideOut is proud to showcase one of our latest website designs: Mount Merino Manor. This sophisticated Victorian bed and breakfast is located in the countryside just outside Hudson New York, surrounded by views of the Catskill Mountains and Hudson River.

Our design team worked closely with innkeeper Rita Birmingham to produce a website that works to capture and showcase the elegance, beauty, her bed and breakfast has to offer guests. Since the site’s redesign several weeks ago, there has been a significant increase in online reservations.

Features of the website include: beautiful photography provided by Jumping Rocks,  a custom Google map of the innkeeper’s recommended attractions in the surrounding area, such as good restaurants, and nearby shopping, parks, etc. The website is built in WordPress, which allows the innkeepers full access to add photos, videos and edit the content throughout the entire website at a moment’s notice. Also included is a blog for the innkeepers to post recent news, inn specials and packages, and area events; all content that will serve to increase traffic to the website.

Congratulations to Rita and Patrick on the success of your new website, and for running such a beautiful Bed and Breakfast!

If you would like to have your blog updated to WordPress 3.0 or just have questions about blogging in general we would love to hear from you.

The Trudy O’Reilly award is given to those who “contribute generously of time and spirit to the Texas Bed and Breakfast Association”. When we look back on all the work we have done for the TBBA, it is very flattering that they have acknowledged us in this way. Some of our major goals for them has been member education and enhanced search engine placement for TexasBB.org. Through webinars, presentations and one on one conversations, we have shared the power and importance of blogging to members. We have also seen great enhancements the association site’s search engine placement.

Jeff is happy about the award. He is squinting from all the sunshine in "Sunny Sequim" WA

With our efforts, we have seen great growth for the site. Visits are up by almost 40%, time on site is up from just over 5 minutes to 6.5 minutes. The bounce rate is down a HUGE 20% and traffic from search engines is up 20%.

Overall, we are so glad that the TBBA has appreciated and learned from the marketing education and advice we have provided. We enjoyed attending both recent Texas B&B events, the combined meeting with PAII this March in Austin, as well as the meeting in Granbury in 2009. InsideOut was fortunate enough to be speakers at both of these events.

The team behind the Driftless website and tourism is a collaboration of folks representing Kickapoo Valley, Crawford county and Vernon county; Pete Knapik from the Inn at Lonesome Hollow in Soldiers Grove, Marie Cimino from the Westby House Bed and Breakfast in Westby, Eric Frydenlund from the Crawford County Tourism Council, and David Boyer from the Kickapoo Valley Association. Pete and Marie had enjoyed their experiences with the Wisconsin bed and breakfast association site we designed, and asked if we couldn’t make something similar for their unique and beautiful area of the state.

The site contains an abundance of information about the area. Users can read about the unique geography and the history of Driftless Wisconsin.  Explore the farmlands and vineyards as well as quaint, friendly towns and Amish communities. There are numerous attractions and things to do in the area: find the best places to go fishing, hiking, or camping. See the historical sights and landmarks, take a tour of the Amish and farming communities, or check out the Suggested Itineraries to plan a day trip.

Browse the Business Directory to find various businesses, places to shop, find lodging, restaurants, and services offered. Take a look at the Events Calender to see what’s happening in Driftless during your stay, or to get an idea for the ideal time to visit. And be sure to revisit the blog to keep up with the latest news and information!

We welcome you to experience Driftless Wisconsin.

Kenmore Air Seaplane in Flight

InsideOut Solutions is now providing online marketing services for Kenmore Air. We are thrilled to be working with Washington State’s “third largest airline” to promote travel to and from all of Western Washington’s diverse locations.

All of the islands, peninsulas and waterways make Western Washington a beautiful place to live. They can also make transportation complicated. Washingtonians are lucky to have the country’s largest ferry system. But getting from place to place on the ferry system can take a good chunk of your day.

Luckily Kenmore Air provides scheduled and chartered airline service to dozens of  island and peninsula locations. Planes are faster than boats. What’s even faster than a plane? A plane that can land on water.

Kenmore Air Seaplane at Port Ludlow

Recently Pat McCauley and myself (Steven Dunston) were invited to Kenmore Air headquarters (you guessed it, it’s in Kenmore!) at the northern tip of Lake Washington. Kenmore Air was generous enough to offer to pick us up with a seaplane in Port Ludlow, which gave us a chance for a first-hand experience of our new client’s service.

Puyallup and Spokane Ferries seen from a Kenmore Air Beaver

The seaplane taxied right up to the dock in Port Ludlow Harbor. A hop up the ladder, a hello to the pilot, and seconds later, we were heading across the harbor, and into the air. Soon we were looking down on the Ferries Puyallup and Spokane, as they passed each other on their respective ways to Edmonds and Kingston.

We had a great meeting at the Kenmore Air Headquarters with their staff, and soon we were back in the float plane, headed back to Port Ludlow and our offices in Sequim in time for lunch.

If you are planning any travel to the Olympic Peninsula or the San Juan Islands, Kenmore Air just might be the ticket.

Pat McCauley and Steven Dunston at Kenmore Air Headquarters on Lake Washington