How to Keep Venue Prospects Engaged Over Festive Season (Without Going Straight to Junk)

Focus on Your Online Presence

Holiday time is the perfect opportunity to jazz up your online content. Take the chance to personally connect with venue sales prospects on LinkedIn and share posts regularly. But don't go crazy with repetitive sales stuff. Instead, show off your personality, values, and ethics. Let prospects see you're more than just a sales-hungry contact.

Building trust and engagement will make potential clients feel more comfortable and trusting, so get creative with sharing industry insights, personal development updates, and even a snippet or two of appropriate personal news (not too personal - remember, LinkedIn is not Instagram and your contacts are potential business clients). 

Give Prospects a Respectful Break

Let’s be realistic - the festive season is generally the period in which venue prospects are a) extremely busy, and/or b) beyond ready for a break. Rather than hanging onto the promise of a returned phone call or email response, take a step back and let your prospects enjoy a well-deserved rest. This doesn’t mean turning your auto-replies on and taking off early - it means avoiding the sales-heavy chat.

Take the time to craft personalised emails that wish sales prospects happy holidays, reflect back on the last touch point you had, and send through a booking link to schedule a chat to reconnect in the new year. 

Be Helpful (Without Being Overbearing)

Give the gift of free resources this year. As you're crafting your personalized notes of well-wishes and happy holidays, take a moment to reflect on past conversations with your respective venue sales prospects. Did they mention any challenges or pain points that you can provide a solution for? Use this opportunity to create a valuable resource that addresses their specific needs and offer it as a gift during the festive season.

For example, if you had a conversation with a prospect who expressed difficulty with menu planning, offer a template or checklist that simplifies the task. This not only demonstrates your expertise and thoughtfulness but also provides a tangible solution that can benefit the prospect even before they become a client.

Remember, the key is to be helpful without being overbearing. Avoid bombarding prospects with sales-heavy content or pushing them to make a decision during the festive season. Instead, focus on providing value and building a relationship based on trust. This approach will not only keep your prospects engaged during the holidays but also increase the likelihood of converting them into loyal clients in the future.

Schedule 2024 Appointments Before Your Break

While it may be tempting to kick back, relax, and practice your phone scrolling during this time, it's absolutely crucial to keep that sales process rolling. By getting those appointments scheduled for the upcoming year, you'll be laying down a rock-solid foundation to build upon once you're back in action. This proactive approach not only shows your clients that you mean business, but also sets the stage for a strong start to the new year. 

In addition to scheduling appointments, use this time to prepare for upcoming meetings or presentations. Gather relevant information, update your sales materials, and anticipate any questions or objections that may arise. By being well-prepared, you demonstrate professionalism, increasing your chances of closing deals in the new year.

Furthermore, take advantage of the quieter holiday period to refine your sales strategies and techniques.  Reflect on your past successes and challenges, and identify areas for improvement. Seek feedback from colleagues or mentors, and invest time in professional development activities, such as reading industry publications or attending webinars.