It’s booking season and couples are lining up at the door to tour your venue. If they have contacted you to set up a tour, then give yourself a pat on the back, because you are officially on their short list! Buying Signals 101. Out of all the venues out there, they are taking valued time out of their schedules to come meet with YOU. This is your sale to win. Are you confident in your ability to give a GREAT tour and get the sale?
You may be wondering what makes me qualified to provide my expertise on such a topic. As a Venue Specialist, I have been in the wedding and special event industry for 13 years. I have sold and executed events in countless venues all over the Greater Philadelphia region. As an independent wedding planner, I have also had the privilege of joining my couples on numerous tours and have received feedback on the things they loved and the little details that swayed their buying decision.
Now before I start, you may have your own tried-and-true “schtick”. If that’s the case, kudos to you, OWN it. Drop what works for you in the comments below if you feel inclined to share. But this is also the perfect opportunity to do a quick self evaluation as you prep for your next tour.
Send Tour Confirmation Emails
As sales professionals, who rely on commission, time is MONEY. There is nothing like having a Saturday full of appointments to only have 1 or 2 couples show up. Sending a confirmation email a day or two before the tour does a few things:
(1) Confirms the appointment to make sure they are still coming. If they have to cancel or
reschedule, this gives you enough time to fill the spot!
(2) They may have made the appointment over a week ago, so it shows them they are still top-of mind for you.
(3) Share any reminders or need to know information upon their arrival (parking, meeting location, etc.). Nine times out of ten they have never been to your location, and the the touring process can be overwhelming as it is, so let’s make this part easy.
Look Professional
I am sure we already know this, but dress to impress! Remember, YOU are the “face” of the venue. First impressions are everything. Obviously, dress codes may vary depending on where you work, but you can never go wrong with a polished, clean-cut, professional look.
Greet Them at the Entrance
How many places actually do that? Answer: Not Many. Which is funny because when guests come to your house, do you not greet them at the door and invite them in? Although something that should be second nature, I guarantee your competition is not doing it and this will help set you apart from your competition. A warm welcome helps put your guests at ease and cuts down on the awkward feeling of not knowing where to go or who they are looking for.
Don’t Forget Your Hospitality
We are in the hospitality industry. As my old boss used to say, “We are in the “People” business”. If you look up the definition of hospitality it reads: the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers. We are in the business of taking care of and entertaining people. Ask if you can hang their coats, offer them a seat, grab them a water, etc. Make them feel welcome, most importantly, make them feel at home. You would be surprised at how many venues do not do this.
Time Management
Trust me, I have been there. Six appointments back-to-back, pumping out appointments, running around like a mad-woman with no time to breathe. Instead of blocking an hour for tours, I started blocking 1 ½ hours. Yes, my math people, in the long run that meant less tours, but with more time, they were all better quality appointments. It pays off! One late client can throw off the rest of your day, so building in some extra cushion time can assist with that, too. It helps clients not to feel “rushed” or that they are just another buyer on the conveyor belt when they see other couples coming in before and after them. I also noticed that more and more couples were bringing their parents on tours. I love when parents join. They tend to have more questions and prefer to go over details (and numbers) in more detail. The more questions they ask, the more interested they are. Spending the extra time with them helps to build trust and establish a relationship. If the appointment still only takes you an hour, great. That gives you 30 extra minutes to reset and review the inquiry sheet for the next couple so the information is fresh in your mind.
Take the Time to Get to Know Your Clients
I cringe when I take a couple to their dream venue and the Venue Manager rushes right into a tour. I see the excitement drain from their faces. Piggy-backing on the tip above, if you are flustered and rushing into tours, without dedicating a few minutes to get to know your clients, then you need to manage your time better/add more time in between tours. They are coming to tour their DREAM venue, play into it. Toss the pitch and just listen to them. Don’t waste your time talking about the 100 rolling aces your venue sits on if the bride is more concerned about the photo opportunities inside the venue. Build up those warm and fuzzy feelings. Create that trust. Form those relationships. People are more inclined to buy from people they know and trust, not from someone who wouldn’t give them the time of day. The better you know them, the better you can sell them.
Don’t Be Afraid To Ask Them Where Else They Have Toured
This was a game-changer for me. Don’t be afraid to ask! If you know where else they have toured, then you know exactly who your competition is and what you are selling against. I also love to ask couples what they liked/didn’t like on those tours. It helps me identify their “hot buttons”. The key to a successful sales person is understanding their hot buttons and selling them on it. Be sure to ask this in the beginning, so you can touch on their “hot buttons” during the tour.
Use the Element of Surprise
I have met with so many couples who scheduled 3+ tours in one day (big no-no, imo). Their brains are mush and all of the information starts blending together. What is going to make your venue stand out? One company I worked for, people would always rave about our homemade chips and dip. We decided to serve them to all of our couples when we sat them down to review the menu options during the tour. Clients loved it. It was a special added touch that was completely unexpected and set us apart from their other tours that day. I’ve seen other venues give out small amenities bags or baked treats. Whatever makes sense for your venue, but a take-away will always give them a reason to remember you.
Give Them a Few Minutes Alone
These few minutes have allowed me to “seal the deal” before the couple has left the building (not kidding). If I am seeing all of the buying signals, I will make an excuse towards the end of the tour (need to print something for them, double-check availability, etc.) to give them a few minutes alone. They’ve toured the venue, I’ve said my piece. At this point, some couples may know at that very moment that this is the venue for them. Don’t let the sale walk out the door. If you can give them a private moment during the tour to make sure they are on the same page (especially if their parents are there), they may be able to tell you before leaving that they want to move forward with a contract. If you’re feeling it, it’s definitely worth a try!
Create a Reason to Follow-Up
I am always so surprised to see that many venues never follow up after a tour. Always, always follow-up. Following up will also do a few things:
- Allows you to be proactive in addressing any questions before they make a decision.
- Let’s them know you value their business and want to work with them.
- Leaves them with a positive feeling in the event they don’t choose your venue, but want to recommend you to their friends.
- If they don’t choose your venue, you will be more likely to find out which venue they chose if you follow-up.
I hope you have found a few great takeaways from this post. If anything, maybe it was a great refresher for my seasoned vets out there. Test out these new ideas and give an A+ tour your couples can’t resist. Happy Selling!
Until Next Time,
Madison Gentile
Venue Specialist
Venue Craft Marketing
