As we wave goodbye to the summer months and step into Autumn, we can now officially say that Christmas is just around the corner!

And, although it’s not quite time to dust down our Christmas decorations and deck the halls, for the hospitality sector, it’s never too early to start thinking about increasing conversion rates so that you can make the most of the Christmas party period.

And with Christmas pretty much cancelled last year due to the pandemic, there are sure to be lots of opportunities to make this festive season one to remember! 

Demand for Christmas enquiries generally begin around July and peak in October, so it’s important that you are ready to promote your festive offering and have finely tuned those USPs for your Christmas party.

Here’s how you can increase conversion rates and make the most of the Christmas party period.

1.  Festive Packages

 If you want to boost sales and fill seats at your venue over the Christmas period, festive packages can be a deal breaker.

From festive themed menus and Christmas entertainment, through to unique festive experiences and Christmas bottomless brunches, themed packages are incredibly popular with those looking for the ultimate day or night out.

To add an extra exciting element to your package, try incorporating an activity that the whole party can get involved in – these are incredibly popular at the moment as people look for an all-round experience rather than simply a place to eat and drink.

So before you begin any of your marketing efforts, ensure that your packages have the wow factor and every detail is finely tuned. With lots of competition, it’s always important to stand out as much as you can.

2. Content Marketing 

Content marketing is a great way to inspire action, raise awareness, and increase those all-important conversation rates.

Creating interesting and engaging content that will spark conversation is a great way to get people talking about your Christmas party. Think about creating a series of engaging blog posts covering topics such as “Top Christmas party themes,” and “Festive menu ideas.”

This provides the perfect opportunity to link back to your venue and shout about what you’re offering this Christmas.

At Canvas, we’re always happy to share content for our venues, so if you’ve created any unique blog content for Christmas, get in touch and we’ll post it for you!

3.  SALES, SALES, SALES!

The best way to increase conversion rates is to focus a LOT of energy on sales.

That means ensuring you respond to all enquiries within 4 hours (or ideally less) – remember, the faster you respond, the quicker you can get in front of potential clients to start securing a booking.

You should also be reaching out and arranging face to face meetings and familiarisation trips. After all, the best way to show off your venue is to get them to come down and see it in all its glory!

You should also be constantly looking to build relationships with customers and potential customers. This will help you build that all-important lead database.

At Canvas, we understand just how important rapid response rates are, so we’re now tracking our venues and highlighting fast responders – so the faster you respond, the more likely you are to get seen by more potential customers.

4.  Create a page on your website

Creating a page on your website is a a great way to promote your Christmas function packages, venue hire facilities, and the availability of key dates throughout the festive season.

To maximise conversions, ensure that the content includes appropriate keyword, calls to action, and lots of attractive pictures to grab your target market’s attention.

While you’re at it, if you’ve got a Canvas profile, make sure you update it with a dedicated Christmas Room, including all your Christmas images to highlight what you can offer and entice potential guests in.

5.  Linkedin Campaigns

Promoting your venue and Christmas offering is a great way to get in front of businesses looking for somewhere to host their festive celebrations. So make sure you’re posting plenty of photos and videos of your Christmas set up, as well as engaging content highlighting what you’ve got planned as the festive season approaches.

6.  Get your venue listed

 Ensure your venue is listed on relevant, high quality venue-finding platforms (like Canvas!) so that you can reach the people who are looking for venues just like yours! List your venue now!

Now, all that’s left to do is deck your venue with boughs of holly and get ready to party through the festive season.