Here's what to do next
In 'Marketing the Murder Barn' episode 4, hosts Meredith & Mary Claire guide you through creating an effective venue website. Key focus: websites should drive site tours, not direct sales. They cover working with designers, user journeys for different event types, mobile optimization, storytelling through design elements like the Penrose Spiral, and pricing transparency - all using the fictional Murder Barn venue as a case study.
This is episode one of our two-part focus on all things related to the wedding venue website.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN WHEN YOU DIVE INTO THIS MODULE:
EP. 4: Your Website is Your Biggest Weapon
EP. 4: Your Website Is Your Biggest Weapon
Refer to the time-stamped show notes below when you want to revisit any particular portions of the episode.
listen to the podcast
SHOW NOTES:
0:14 Welcome back to Marketing The Murder Barn!
1:44 Some backstory on our business fable
2:59 What we’ve explored so far and what’s next
4:03 What your website’s true purpose is
5:01 Our two-part sales funnel
5:58 Check out our mock website for The Barn at Penrose Estate
6:35 A new way of thinking about your website
7:05 Diving into user journeys
8:33 Why these user journeys work so well
9:31 A great insight from a bridal focus group
10:40 How to organize your website to create these journeys
11:28 The essential structure of your website
13:00 Organizing the information hierarchy
14:05 Check out our mobile-friendly design checklist
14:20 The key metrics you should be tracking on your website
16:18 A hard truth about accessing your analytics
17:21 The goal of using your analytics
17:45 What venues should consider when choosing a website platform
18:27 Your main website platform options
19:35 What to look for in a website designer
20:17 Learn more about our website designer, Chelsea, and explore the templates and custom design options
22:09 What makes Chelsea’s design approach different
22:25 Find Chelsea’s contact information in our Wedding Venue Website Resources Checklist
22:30 See Chelsea’s wedding venue website templates here
22:41 Some key questions you should be asking a website designer
23:15 Check out our guide on getting ready to work with a website designer
23:54 Check out our 10-step website audit checklist
24:41 Your homework for this week
25:40 Looking ahead to the next episode
26:25 Thanks for listening!
Create distinct user journeys for different event types so each visitor sees customized content that speaks directly to their specific needs and event vision.
Explore essential elements including user journey design with distinct pathways for different event types.
Emphasize that websites should focus on driving site tours rather than completing sales directly
10-Step Website Audit Checklist for Wedding Venues
Website audit for venues: Put yourself in couples' shoes and check how your site looks on phone and desktop. Review first impressions, booking flow, photos, pricing clarity, contact info, testimonials, and make sure everything actually works. Fix what's broken!
Checklist
Venue web designer prep guide: Define your story, ideal couples, and design vision. Inventory existing photos, content, and required features (galleries, booking, forms). Research inspiration sites and gather branding materials. Set timeline, budget, and platform preferences. Complete preparation saves time and money.
Getting Ready to Work With a Web Designer
Worksheet
YOUR TOOLS FOR THIS MODULE
Wedding Venue Website Resources Checklist
Tools from Marketing the Murder Barn: Use Showit if you want creative control or Squarespace for clean looks. Book tours with Calendly or simple Google Calendar. Chelsea at Wave Creative Studio does great venue websites. Test your site with Google's free mobile and speed tools - they're lifesavers!
Checklist
Mobile checklist for venues: 80% of couples search on phones, so make navigation easy, buttons big enough to tap, text readable (16px+), booking forms smooth, and pages load fast (under 3 seconds). Test weekly on real devices - mobile is often couples' first impression!
Mobile Friendly Design Checklist for Wedding Venues
Checklist
Split your venue sales into two parts - first get couples to book tours with quick responses, great website, and follow-ups, then convert those tours into bookings with good prep, amazing tours, and curated follow-ups. Track both conversion rates separately!
Wedding Venues Sales Funnel Two-Part Checklist
Checklist
You know those people who can instantly pull you out of a funk with a one-liner that has you literally LOL'ing? That's Mary Claire: witty, sharp, and comfortable in her own skin. Since joining our team, we can't imagine functioning without her. When she's not chatting with clients and brightening their day, she's outdoors with her family or designing jewelry. She's the ultimate gem.
MARY CLAIRE NEWCOMB
Meredith Monday Schwartz started at Here Comes The Guide in 1997 (we didn't even have a website back then—there might also have been dinosaurs running around!) and was a wedding venue specialist for 10 years before taking over as Chief Bossypants in 2007. In the years since she joined HCTG, she's learned a lot about wedding couples, wedding venues, and running a company profitably—and well.
MEREDITH MONDAY SCHWARTZ
