Importance of Venue Tours
Whether you are a wedding, senior, or portrait photographer going on venue tours is incredibly important not only to your business but for others as well. We have talked in the past about the importance of community and networking and when it comes to venue tours, thats exactly what they are about. Here are a few key things to remember when going on a venue tour.
Ask Questions
During the your venue tour ask questions from a bride or clients perspective and record this information for later. Consider asking questions that include the following:
- Interesting facts about the venue
- Their favorite types of events to host
- Catering space
- If there are any special features about the venue
- Average price point of renting the venue for events as well as for studio portrait sessions
- How far in advance they book out
- What do they need and how can you help
These last questions are the most crucial to a venue visit because of one major issue that we as creative business owners have. So often we go into a meeting with another business owner and ask for what they can give us and not the other way around.
What Does the Venue Need
How often do you try and step into other small business owners shoes and think about what they may need? As photographers we are so used to being able to have great photos for our blogs and having access to getting great headshots. We know the value of a good image and how it can communicate an idea or feeling so much faster than words can. I am still shocked to find that we as photographers don’t send images back to vendors from events that we covered. This is just one of the many ways we can take care of the others around us rather than showing up to a vendor meeting and instantly asking what someone else can do for us. Take a moment and get curious about their needs and you will be amazed at what happens.
Blog It
While you are visiting a venue, photograph it and then when you get back to your office, blog about it! Using the notes you took during your venue visit, write about all the great points of the venue and then send that gallery of images to the venue manager. Once you have done this, check in from time to time with that venue owner to continue to take care of their needs. This may sound counterintuitive but when you take care of them with out expectation of return, good things happen!
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