Mary Hughes has unique insight into what makes a hospitality experience truly exceptional. During her 25-year career in journalism, Hughes founded Inns Magazine and Spa Life Magazine and had the opportunity to visit and review over 600 hotels, inns, and spas. When she found a dream property for sale in Bayfield, she knew she had the knowledge and drive required to create something special, so she took the leap.
Hughes and her husband had been making annual visits to Bayfield for nearly a decade, drawn to the charm of the community. Recognizing the untapped potential in the picturesque town, Hughes thought, “When I was a journalist, Niagara-on-the-Lake was so popular. Ontario’s west coast [has] great similarities in many ways, but without the tourists and accolades. We could be drawing that tourism here and enjoying some of it.” Inspired by this vision, when Hughes found the perfect property online in 2018, she decided to take the leap and establish Bayfield Bed and Breakfast, the village’s sole luxury bed and breakfast inn, located in the heart of the historic village.
Drawing on her vast knowledge of the industry, Hughes crafted an elevated hospitality experience in an underserved market. Her next challenge was to effectively showcase what she had created to prospective customers online. When she came across Digital Main Street’s Digital Transformation Grant (DTG) program, which provides small businesses with a digital assessment, online training, and a $2,500 grant to implement their Digital Transformation Plan (DTP), she was eager to leverage the opportunity.
After successfully applying for the DTG, Hughes was able to use the funds to invest in content creation and social media advertising. Bayfield Bed and Breakfast’s DTP focused on creating marketing assets tailored to engaged couples seeking intimate wedding options. Hughes hired a videographer and a social media expert to assist with the creation of video content. Together with her production team, they filmed three videos to promote the accommodations at the inn and the wedding experience. Hughes also worked with the local DMS Digital Service Squad member to produce short-form iPhone content for the company’s social media accounts that showcased her personality and expertise to prospective guests and clients.
This new content was used to run Facebook and Instagram ads, experiencing significantly greater success with video than it had ever had using images. Specifically, ads using a teaser-style video prompting the viewer to click through to the website for more information, garnered the business the best return on their investment. “People can read reviews, people can look at pictures, but to […] see a drone video […] is what is so impactful. People can’t believe there’s something so pretty in this area of Ontario, they would expect that to be in Niagara-on-the-Lake, or Whistler, or Toronto,” she explains. The investment in Facebook and Instagram advertising allowed Hughes to introduce her inn to people who might otherwise not have found it. “It’s like your business card out there in the public,” she remarks. “The content and being able to advertise and meet those new people […] [has been] so valuable.”
The impact of the investment Hughes made into video content was so successful that she is doubling down on the strategy. “My 2024 New Year’s resolution is to be less hesitant [about getting my face out there],” she shares. She is working on starting her own social media content series offering guidance to engaged couples on how to navigate the wedding planning process.
Her advice to other business owners struggling with digital transformation is to take the leap and apply for the DTG. “What have you got to lose?” she says. “I’m 150% thankful for all the grants I got. It’s icing on the cake and who doesn’t want a wedding cake with icing?”
