How to Differentiate your Venue - Think Benefits NOT Features!

Promoting your BENEFITS & ADVANTAGES using your VENUE – the Ultimate List of Venue FEATURES

In a Crowded Marketplace you need to FIND what makes your venue truly unique, special and different and promote it widely to all your prospects during the sales process. Otherwise your venue is NOT different, it’s just a commodity without any redeeming features and ends up competing mostly on price.

Every venue has a range of special features that help differentiate it from competitors. Your role is to find, know and promote the relevant features and turn them into clear advantages and benefits.

You can use the “FAB Technique” to turn your Venue FEATURES into ADVANTAGES & BENEFITS. You want to sell the SIZZLE not the SAUSAGE to promote the benefits that differentiate you from your competitors.

STEP 1 – Brainstorm with your team to Identify ALL your Venue Features and the BEST ones.
STEP 2 – Identify HOW each Feature is an Advantage or Benefit to your prospect or repeat client.
STEP 3 – Explain the REAL Benefit to your prospects – using “Which means”, “that means” or “because”.

For example here are some phrases clearly explaining venue benefits

“We have Refrigerated Airconditioning which means your guests will keep really cool on those humid days” (unlike our competitor who has cheap evaporated cooling)
“We have a function room with NO Posts or Pillars which means you and your guests will enjoy uninterrupted views of bay” (unlike our competitor that has a room with many pillars)

Also remember that a feature is only a BENEFIT if it meets that Prospect’s NEEDS. For example having an onsite chapel may NOT be a benefit to a couple getting married in a church however it will be a BIG benefit for a couple wanting to get married on site.

So make sure you talk about BENEFITS when describing or showing prospects around your venue.

Promote Your Benefits – NOT Just ALL your Features – A Story with a Sad Ending for the Venue.

Many years ago we were looking to book a conference. so we had a inspection tour around a very nice venue. The tour was being escorted by a pleasant Function Co-ordinator.

I was truly amazed as she went on and on pointing out the bleeding OBVIOUS – every single feature of the venue. “there is a window, that’s an airconditioner, thats a tree, here is the stage”.

At no point did she ask ANY QUESTIONS to find out what our needs were and explain the specific and relevant BENEFITS of what she had to Offer. – SADLY NO SALE MADE BY THAT PERSON.

Remember – Don’t tell them everything you know, tell them what they want to know & need to know. Most people struggle to remember more than 3 KEY things about your venue.

THE ULTIMATE LIST OF VENUE FEATURES

You and you team need to turn these Venue FEATURES into ADVANTAGES & BENEFITS!

“We have (FEATURE) which means you can … (BENEFIT)”
“We have (FEATURE) so that you can … (BENEFIT)”
“We have (FEATURE) because… (BENEFIT)”

1. POPULAR VENUE FEATURES

Your Location,
Your Theme and Decor
Restrooms nearby
Handicap Toilets and Access
Windows – natural light
Views – garden? seas? Mountain? City?
Soundproofing – Band limitations
Ability to darken Room
Multiple breakout rooms
Moveable Walls
Courtyard or Gardens nearby
Feature Flooring
Dance floor- central?
Tall Ceilings
Special Tables or chairs
Pillars or open – segmented room
nearby Carparking
Smoking area or balcony
Open Kitchen feature
Refrigerated Airconditioning

2. BEVERAGE FEATURES

Beer on tap / Craft Beer / Microbrewery
Special Beers available
Local Food & Wine
Imported Wine Menu
Wine Matching
Wine presentation
Well stocked cellar
Licensed til Xam
Late licence Xpm
In wine room – Racks
Awards for Bar Cocktail

3. SPECIAL EVENT CAPABILITIES

Inhouse Production Team
Bump in/Bump out
Green Room
Ticketing Company – can buy tickets
Live Music Venue
Tribal Following online – huge database

4. VENUE FEATURES

Architecturally Designed
Backup Power Supply (Genset)
Celebrity chef
Cellar – wine, sommeliers, cellar Door
Concierge
Courtyard
Curtains
Deck – covered, dancefloor
Fairy Lit trees
Feature Bar
Feature Gardens / Rockery
Gardens – photo
Good Signage – Easy to find
Good Space, private
Heaters Outside
Intimate Space
Kids Welcome
Outdoor dining
Pet Friendly
Pokies onsite
Pre-drinks area
Private Amenities – self contained
Restaurant onsite
Rooftop smoking
Secret Location
Smoking Areas
Spacious rooms
Split rooms
Staircase
Umbrellas
Undercover Entrance
Walkways

5. FACILITY FEATURES

Exclusive Use
Wifi access
Soundproofing – heavy doors
Airconditioning
3 Phase Power supply
Backup generator power
Security systems / control
CCV Cameras
Access for vehicle into room (drive off)
Award winning
Cantilever Balcony

6. FUNCTION SPACE FEATURES

Tiled / Parquet Floor /Carpet
Historic Artefacts
Feature Lighting
Log fire fireplace
Mirrors
Long Tables
Openable windows
Separate Bar
Rustic
Chandeliers
Elegant Décor
Various Layouts
Lighting
Flowers
Natural Lighting
Wheelchair Access

7. SPECIAL LOCATION

Waterfront / Riverside
Beach views / nearby
Vineyard
Historical building / precinct
Winery Restaurant
CBD
Marquees available

8. FOOD/KITCHEN RELATED FEATURES

Seasonal Fresh Cuisine
Platters / Food Carts
Modern Australian
Menu Tastings Available
Traditional
Shared Menus
Casual Style Event
Cocktail Style & BBQ Buffet / Smorgasbord / Feast Menu
Feast – choose animal, rotisserie
Feasting Banquet Table
Dessert Buffet or Cart
Coffee – Barista
Special Diets catered for
Gluten Free
Open Plan Kitchen
Personalied Menu
3/3/3 Choice on night – 3 Entrée, 3 Main & 3 Dessert
50/50 – alternate drop
Food stations
Lolly Bar

9. ENTERTAINMENT OFFER

Dancefloor
Live Music
Band / DJ / Speakers
Trivia Nights
SUMO wrestling
Beer Pong
Pool Tables
Photo Booth
Pre & Post Parties

10. SALES TEAM STYLE & SUPPORT

Personalised Quotes and menus
Site Visits
Curation of Event
Min Spend $$$
Split Bills
Pay by Credit card / Diners/ Bartercard / Zipmoney / Afterpay ?

11. VENUE ACCESS FEATURES

Taxi Rank
Public Transport
Bus Drop off/Pickup
Access Building/Lighting – laneway
Short walk from…
Undercover parking
Bus to Town
Validated/carpark sheet
Carparking
Loading Zone

12. NEARBY FACILITIES

Big Free Carpark Nearby
Accommodation nearby
Entertainment nearby
Churches nearby
Feature gardens
Great Photo backdrops nearby
After party locations

13. EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE

AV Supplier
Audio Systems
Bespoke/custom events
Record Player, vinyl collection
Lanterns,
Projector, Screen, Mike

14. SPECIAL MARKET EXPERIENCE / EQUIP

Surprise Weddings
Footy Clubs AFL
Tennis Events
Car Launch
Fashion Parades

You probably found that your venue has MANY great features & benefits that could be promoted widely – on your website, in your marketing brochures, during phone and email enquiries and especially during the site inspection, venue tour or “show round” (in UK).

If you have any more great ideas for VENUE FEATURES – Send me an Email!

ABOUT Kevin Kosky & BIG HAT Training

Big Hat Professional Services provides Hospitality Workshops, Webinars and Training on Sales, Service & Strategy using Experienced Trainers like Kevin.

Kevin Kosky is a skilled business communications trainer. He is a specialist on inbound phone skills, presentation skills and delivering sales presentations. Kevin is an expert teacher of face-to-face communication skills like sales, supervision and presentation skills.

BIG HAT offers ….

Hospitality Training Workshops & Public Training Workshops
Sales Training & Customer Service Training Programs (In House)
Conference Speaking & Breakouts

Read what BIG HAT clients have to say (Client Testimonials)

NEXT STEPS WITH KEVIN

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