Five Tips for How to Give Better Venue Tours
The saying “first impressions are lasting impressions” is very accurate for couples touring a venue space for the first time, especially for one of the biggest events of their lives.
The experience they get when touring your venue will ultimately be the deciding factor if they choose to book your venue or the next. When getting ready to give your venue’s next tour, consider these five tips to knock it out of the park!
#1: Getting Them To Your Venue - Directions!
The tour starts when you give them directions - are you sure your directions are clear? Will parking be easy? Will you or someone on your team be there and waiting? When guests are lost or left wondering if they are in the right spot, you have already seeded doubt in your venue's ability to manage logistics at a high level and drive confidence through detail and precision. Your tour should allow your clients to feel as if they are guests about to enter the actual wedding, getting them excited and making them more confident in using your space for their big day. Be clear about the time allotted for the tour and directions for getting to where they need to be to start the tour.
#2: If You Aren't Early, You're Late
If you cannot be at the start of the tour early, or at least on time, the couple will wonder what it will be like when their 100 guests try to arrive. It’s important to be early and look presentable - being late signals a lack of reliability. Just like with messaging with your leads, couples are imagining and forecasting the coming 12+ months of working together based on your behavior, speed, reliability, and customer service during these first tours and conversations. Don’t give them a reason to doubt you!
#3: Help Couples Visualize Your Space
While on tour, be sure to describe the uses of each space and walk through all areas available in order for the couple to visualize potentially using it. Don’t have access to a room that day? Bring a tablet with pictures of the space to show images of previous events at each location - cocktail, ceremony, bar, reception, dancing, anything! Ask questions about the couple's vision and brainstorm together about the best way to incorporate some aspects into the spaces (best place for specific decor, where their cake should go, etc.).
A tour is a time for imagining and learning. That means couples need focus, not distraction, to really envision their space. Don’t run into other tours or events - clients want to feel the space is theirs. Helping your clients visualize their wedding gets them excited, more confident, and more likely to book at your venue!
Credit: The Barn on Benson's Pond | Alicia Ann Photographie
#4: Follow Up After The Tour
The tour doesn’t end when the client leaves - follow up! Be available to them with follow-up questions and thoughtful recommendations. Personalize your email! Did they mention any specific amenities they loved or were looking for? Did they have questions you could follow up on? Show the couples you hear them and that you care! Offer introductions to relevant vendors to help them understand costs. With a great follow-up and making couples feel supported after touring your venue, you will receive high-quality business in no time.
#5: How Weven Can Help
Weven has hundreds of venues giving thousands of tours each year. Weven venues report saving 10-15 hours per event managed versus on their own or with other software. Our system allows you to save time on administrative tasks and reinvest that back into sales. See how Weven can help streamline your venue's event management today.
Header Image: The Barn on Benson's Pond | Alicia Ann Photographie
