No enticing introduction necessary here. You’re here for the event venue marketing ideas, so here they are, my friend. 

Build an Outstanding Website

Listen. I know that “have a website” isn’t exactly a groundbreaking idea. But hear me out. 

If you knew the number of wedding venue websites I look at that say some version of “Your wedding should be as unique as you are,” you’d be shocked. When you’re promoting a custom experience, your language shouldn’t sound like everyone else’s, right?

So when I say an outstanding website, I’m talking about a website that stands out. A website that speaks directly to your audience. That highlights what makes your venue unique. That sells the space before they’ve even done a walkthrough. 

When event planners have ten tabs open on ten different venues, why should they keep coming back to yours? That’s what your website needs to prove.

(And yes, I can help you with that.)

Brush Elbows at Trade Shows and Conferences

We focus so much on online marketing that we sometimes forget the face-to-face. But don’t discount the power of in-person networking. 

Bridal and wedding expos, event planner conferences, corp`orate event conventions…there are gatherings for all types of vendors and all types of events all over the world every month. 

Print up a stack of beautiful brochures to hand out and come ready to mingle. 

Pop the Champagne and Host an Open House

Vendors are your BFFs. Wedding planners, caterers, florists, even DJs can be a great source of referrals to your venue. 

Show your space off at its best with an annual open house. Serve small bites and wine, and let vendors mingle while they soak up your beautiful venue. People love free stuff, and they definitely won’t forget your hospitality when it comes time to make referrals. 

(Plus, it might be a tax write-off.)

Make Sure Your Local Tourism Board Knows You

The easiest way to market your brand is to let other people do it for you. 😉

That means keeping your business top of mind with groups that can get your name out there, like your local tourism board.

I have worked with city tourism groups in places like Austin, Chicago, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These groups are always creating fresh content to promote travel and tourism. And that includes highlighting the best things to do and the best places to hold events through blogs, social media posts, and print guides (like these). 

But they can’t promote you if they don’t know you. So get in touch. Send an email with a link to your website and your event brochure, just to make sure you’re on their radar. And keep your eyes peeled for any in-person events they may be hosting, so you can help them put a face to the name. 

Don’t You…Forget About Me (with an Email List)

Event planners have a long list of venues on their radars. And if you’re not actively reminding them that you exist, your venue may slip off that radar. 

That’s why I recommend email marketing. 

Email is still one of the best ways to keep your brand in front of your ideal audience. No algorithms, no pay-per-click. Just an email that goes straight to their inbox. 

As an event venue, you don’t have to barrage people with emails the way an ecommerce store does. An email every other week could be enough to keep your brand in mind. 

You can promote special offers in the slower seasons. Share the details of renovations or highlight new vendors that you’ve worked with. Boost your referral program (keep reading for more on this). Send out links to your newest blog post (more on that shortly, too). 

Building an email list takes time, but it’s one of the best ways to ensure that the right people are interacting with your brand over and over again.

Start a Referral Program

Sensing a pattern here? I believe that one personal referral is worth a boatload of Google searches. That doesn’t mean that there’s no value in an online presence! But online marketing isn’t the end-all-be-all. 

Let your clients know that any referral they send your way can lead to big rewards. If you see a lot of repeat business, your clients could earn a discount on their next booking for each successful referral. Or if you have a wedding venue, you could offer a $100 gift card for referrals that lead to a booking. 

Don’t underestimate the value of the personal recommendation! 

Offer Your Space for Photography Shoots

Along the same lines as an open house, you can promote your space for photography shoots for engagement photos, editorial spreads, or event design. Photographers need a beautiful space, and you’ve got it! 

It’s a win-win-win: 

• You can charge a site fee on an off-day, like a Monday or Tuesday
• You build relationships with these industry vendors
• You get your venue in front of more eyeballs (and that’s really what marketing is all about)

You may even wish to waive the site fee for a photography shoot with vendors that have broad reach, to get your venue in front of their audiences on social media or in industry publications. Your call. 

Start a Locally Focused Blog

Keep your blog hyper local. 

The people planning an event in your area are looking for location-specific information, like best places for a rehearsal dinner (in your area), great places to take wedding photos (in your area), and best places to source corporate gifts (in your area). 

Help them find what they’re after, and you can increase traffic to your website by people who are looking to host an event in your area. 

Some more general planning content is okay, like tips for building a menu or planning a conference schedule. But this kind of content will get you readers from all over the world. And that doesn’t help you close more sales when your event venue is in Duluth. 

So answer questions about event planning in your town or county to boost the kind of traffic that can lead to more bookings.