Communicating With Confidence
By: Brian Finn, Marketing Advisor
As restrictions begin to lift in many areas throughout the United States and Canada and the event industry gradually comes back to life, one thing to keep in mind is how you are communicating with your clients. The notion of “business as usual” or meeting how we did prior to the pandemic is long gone. Venues will need to carefully consider the safety of each guest not just on the day of the event but well in advance through thoughtful and clear communication.
Let’s face it. We are living and operating under a brand-new set of rules and understand that can be intimidating for both you and your clients, but it doesn’t have to be. Even if you are apprehensive, it is of extreme importance that you continue to communicate with confidence. You want to encourage optimism in your clients, but not ignore the risks and safety protocols. It is crucial to show how prepared you are to combat these dangers with conviction. One option is to begin your communication much earlier in the process and increase the frequency of your messaging. Letting your customer know that you are on top of the latest health standards and policy guidelines, additionally what is and will be expected at an event can be reassuring for all involved.
As restrictions lift and you start to host events again, be sure to track every detail of how things went from the first message sent to the time the final guest leaves. Take the opportunity to display on your website and social media what an event looks like at your facility and include these images and descriptions in your communication ahead of future events. It is important that you show your clients what you have been doing and more importantly, how you are executing your health and safety plan.
Everyone loves a good review, but listening to client feedback from start-to-during-to-finish is critical. What seemed like a good idea on paper may not always execute well. Asking all your employees to have their antennas up and ears open throughout an event will be the most important thing you can do in terms of continuing to shape your policies and procedures as time goes on. The willingness to listen will make guests feel comfortable and hopefully result in positive reviews.
During the great pause, we have all been looking in the mirror to analyze our strengths, weaknesses and maybe some things that we have been overlooking in the past. Take this time to update your business and adjust your communication style to the new world we live in. At Unique Venues, we recently held an Expert Panel Webinar where we discussed ways to communicate and what that looks like in our current reality. Not all messaging has to relate to COVID or the crisis directly. Be open to assessing your brand and the message you are putting out there to clients, because while products and services are vital, in the end people do business with people and those who we connect with and trust are the ones who will thrive.
To learn more about how Unique Venues can market your venue with confidence, email [email protected].