Tips for Attracting Event Clients
You’ve got your private events program in place, your marketing is on point, and your sales team is ready to rock. But whether it’s an off-season, post-holiday rush, or just a slower time for your particular area, attracting event clients can sometimes be a challenge. Luckily, optimizing your resources and implementing a few creative strategies can inspire a whole new crop of clients through your doors.
Reach back out to archived leads
Thanks to Tripleseat’s features, you can easily view the contact info for past event clients. This allows you to get in touch, follow up and potentially rebook them for a future event. For example, you can reach out to those who booked your space for a rehearsal dinner or bridal shower and ask if they’d like to make a reservation for an anniversary event or Valentine’s Day dinner. Also, if you hosted an annual event, like a fundraiser, reach out a few months ahead to let them know you’d love to host them again.
Optimize your online presence
Your website often serves as the first impression many will glean from your company — thus, you want to make sure your site is easy to navigate, visually appealing, and contains the most up-to-date details about your menu, event offerings, and contact information. Furthermore, you should be active on all social media accounts your company owns, from LinkedIn and Facebook to Twitter and Instagram. It’s not enough just to post regularly (though that’s crucial), but interacting, responding, and commenting on the posts of others will ensure your online presence is truly being leveraged. As experts report, “none of them are passive outlets.”
Don’t shy away from corporate clients
“Working with corporate clients can be very different than working in the personal event space, but it can also lead to big rewards,” Event Manager Blog reports. “Corporate business means larger events, expanded budgets, and — most of the time — higher stakes.” Working with a big company can feel overwhelming at first, but corporations are a huge market for event sales, especially since they often hold repeat events multiple times a year. Plus, if you have a cloud-based event management software in place, you won’t be bogged down with extra admin work or time spent on planning.
Consider promotions and incentive programs
If you’re stumped on how to get more clients through your door, one creative tactic is to leverage your social media presence and offer things like a free tour of the space to the first person who comments on a Facebook post or reposts an Instagram photo. Contests also work particularly well for wedding-related events — simply post a stunning photo of your space and announce any special promotions or new offerings that are available. For restaurant venues, you can run a contest that tells people to share, like or comment on a photo, or schedule a tour of your private dining accommodations, to be entered to win a free cocktail or dessert.
Give back
There are myriad reasons why giving back should be a priority for your business — it inspires your staff, shows your community you care and adds meaning to your mission. But on top of that, donating to local charities can have the added benefit of bringing in more customers. Donate a gift certificate that will bring in a potential new client, or offer up your space as a great spot for that charity’s next luncheon. You can also join the local Chamber of Commerce, partner with the local convention and visitors’ bureau, or host local wedding and event managers for a mixer.
Your creativity will lead to more event bookings
Start using these tips and get the right tools in place right now to help you drive more business and bookings. And, if you are a Tripleseat customer, we’ll help those new bookings for events and catering orders run smoothly. If you’re not a Tripleseat customer and you’re interested in learning more about Tripleseat’s event management tools and CRM features, schedule a demo at your convenience to take a closer look.
