A Venue Owner’s Biggest Expense is an Open Calendar: Why Advertising Isn’t Your Solution
With Venue Owner + Venue Coach, Kristin Binford
The Wedding Industry's Biggest Misconception
As we enter peak fall wedding season, venue owners are juggling current events while being bombarded with one consistent message: you need more advertising for engagement season. As someone who hosts over 100 weddings annually while spending less than $2,000 on advertising per year, I'm here to tell you why that advice might be costing you money.
The Leaky Bucket Problem
Think of your venue business as a bucket. Most venues have multiple holes: unclear pricing strategy, undefined target market, poor value communication, and market positioning issues. Pouring more advertising dollars into a leaky bucket isn't the solution – it's just burning money.
Why Beautiful Venues Still Struggle
Here's a shocking truth: having a stunning venue isn't enough anymore. I regularly speak with owners who invested millions in gorgeous properties yet struggle to book weddings. Why? Because they followed the "build it and they will come" philosophy without understanding their market opportunity.
The Real Path to Booking Success
Before spending a dime on advertising, successful venues need to:
Understand Market Opportunity
Don't just look at competitors and price yourself $500 below them. Understand what gaps exist in your market and why couples choose certain venues over others.Define Your Ideal Client
This goes beyond "rustic wedding couples" or "luxury clients." Who is truly best served by your venue and approach? Are you an all-weekend venue? High-volume? DIY-friendly?Communicate Clear Value
My venue charges nearly $7,000 for peak Saturdays, and we're consistently booked. Not because we're the most luxurious option, but because our value proposition is crystal clear to our ideal couples.
The Website Trap
Many venues pour thousands into beautiful websites before completing these fundamental steps. Remember: a beautiful website is the minimum requirement in today's market. Beautiful doesn't equal effective. Your website should be the output of your strategic decisions, not the other way around.
Why Engagement Season Isn't What You Think
Too many venues believe engagement season (Thanksgiving through Valentine's Day) will magically solve their booking challenges. Here's the truth: couples are booking year-round now. While we used to book 40% of our weddings during engagement season, that pattern has shifted as we've gotten better at attracting our ideal couples.
The Action Plan for Success
Instead of rushing to spend money on advertising before engagement season, focus on:
Understanding your true market opportunity
Defining and attracting your ideal couples
Creating a clear value proposition
Building systems that convert qualified tours into bookings
Remember: What matters is qualified tours and conversion rates. Any advertising agency can get you hundreds of leads, but if they don't book, what are you paying for?
The Bottom Line
Success in the wedding venue industry isn't about awareness – it's about reaching the right couples who recognize your venue as their perfect fit. You don't need everyone to know about you. You need the right 100 couples per year to love what you offer and book.