As we move closer to restrictions being lifted, we're anticipating a big increase in enquiries. This is great news for venues, but to make sure we send the right customers your way, it's essential that we have the most up-to-date information on your venue. The easiest way to do this is by updating your profile on the Hire Space website, to reflect any changes that have taken place over the last 15 months, and to make sure that you’re showcasing your venue in the best light.
Getting your profile ship-shape for the end of lockdown will give you a real edge, and improve the chances of customers, as well as our Venue Experts, selecting your venue over others. To help you out, we’ve put together our top tips to make updating your listing easier than ever. Read on to find out how to stand out from the crowd and get ready for the return to live.
1. Update your contact information
This is the most important step in the countdown to live lift-off: without the right contact details, we'll struggle to put clients in touch with you, and you could end up missing out on bookings. It's super simple to add new admin contacts on your venue profile - in fact, you can do it in under 30 seconds, as this helpful video from our community support team proves!
Check out the help article and video for a quick demonstration of how to do it, and if you need any support just send a message to venues@hirespace.com - we're here to help!
2. List all of your spaces
Your venue might look quite different now with social distancing measures in place, or you might have opened up some outdoor areas to accommodate guests. It's vital to keep your profile up-to-date to reflect what event types you can cater for - sometimes the spaces you've overlooked can be the ones that end up pulling in audiences, especially now that hybrid events are gathering steam. Even if you haven't changed anything, it's worth checking that your spaces are up-to-date and that the venue profile isn't missing any.
Check out our help article to learn how you can add in a new space. Have a whole new venue to add to our platform? Just fill out our quick listing form, and we’ll set up your venue profile and create a draft of your first space for you. You can take the rest from there, and give your profile your personal flair!
3. Refresh your descriptions
We recommend checking your venue description regularly, even in normal times, to make sure it's the best introduction to your venue. Post-pandemic, this is even more critical, and revamping your intro can really work in your favour: see it as a chance to dust off the cobwebs and give your copy a sparkling spring clean.
As we'll be emerging into a more cautious world, you could also reassure customers about your commitment to Covid-safety guidelines - if you've taken our independently-accredited training course to gain safer venue status, shout about it on your profile! Above all, this is a chance to get customers excited about live events in your spaces, so make the most of it: if you're not sure what to write, this help article should give you some handy tips.
4. Nail the photos
A picture speaks a thousand words, and it's important to make sure your photos paint your venue in the best light. Whether you've spent months redecorating, or you'll be opening your doors to a poignantly familiar setting, your venue deserves to look good on its profile for its return to the live events scene.
We recommend uploading large, high-quality images, to avoid them looking blurry when customers click on them. The ideal size for photos on the Hire Space website is 1920px by 1080px, and we advise using different shots for each space so that you don't have multiples of the same image on your main profile. You can get more guidance on uploading photos in this help article.
Want to do a total photo refresh? We've laid out all the things to consider when setting up a professional-standard photoshoot in this blog post.
5. Double-check the details
It's easy to overlook the details, but forgetting to update them might just trip you up down the line. Make sure you update things like floor space, licensing details, capacities for seating arrangements, and any new restrictions on numbers or hours, or else you might end up missing out on enquiries or being sent bookings you don't have capacity for.
It's worth going through your venue details with a fine comb initially, rather than having to deal with the hassle of cancellations down the line.
6. Promote your spaces
If you want to really stand out from the crowd, we offer opportunities to boost your visibility on our platform through our Core and Prime venue marketing plans. By opting for either package, you'll appear at the top of customer searches, be featured on our blog and social media accounts, and have access to monthly updates on your performance and audience insights.
While spring-cleaning your profile is a great step in the direction of drawing more enquiries, becoming a Prime or Core venue gives you an edge over competitors that could significantly boost your bookings. If you'd like to learn more, check out the plans here, or get in touch with our Venue Promotions team at promotions@hirespace.com to learn how our marketing team can support your business.
And there you have it! The only thing left to do - and it's a pretty important one - is to publish your profile so we can start directing customers to your shiny new page. It's surprising how many people forget this stage, so make sure to stay ahead of the game by checking out this how-to article on setting your page to live.
By following these top tips, we're sure your venue profile will soon be ready to go to the ball - or, even better, host it! We have plenty of help articles to guide you on your way but if you need any more support with your profile, our venue support team are ready to wave their wands at the drop of a message sent to venues@hirespace.com.
Author
Jessamy Cowie
Jessamy channels her passion for sustainability and cultural events into shining a spotlight on innovation and inspiration in the events world, and heading up Hire Space's sustainability committee.
