In all my conversations with venues, not single person has ever said:
“My favorite part of this whole venue thing is the SALES PART.” Not a single person.
No, you most likely got into this for the venue itself, or the couples, or that moment when the doors open and everybody gasps. Not to talk money with a stranger who has already toured four other places this month.
So let’s take the ick off the table, because I think it’s coming from somewhere different than you assume.
After almost thirty years in this business, here’s what I know: the “ick” doesn’t come from selling. It comes from trying to convince the wrong couple to buy.
Think about it: when you’re talking to someone who was never going to book you, every single question feels like pushing. Same words, same tone, and yet it feels gross. But when you’re talking to the right couple, that identical conversation feels like helping.
Which means the job isn’t getting better at closing. It’s getting better at telling the difference, quick.
Two things that make that easier:
1. Read the room in the first thirty seconds.
Before you say anything about packages, notice what they’re doing. Are they touching things, wandering ahead, asking about the ceremony spot? Or are they standing still with a notes app open, asking what’s included and what a Saturday in June runs?
Neither one is better. They’re just two different couples who need two different conversations. One wants to feel it. One wants to know it. Give them the wrong one and you’ve lost them before you reach the reception hall.
2. Ask a better question.
“What’s your budget?” makes everybody tense, including you.
Try “what matters most to you about the day?” instead. You’ll get a real answer, and that answer tells you almost everything: what they’ll spend on, what they’ll skip, and which of those two couples you’re standing with.
Two moves. No scripts required, and nothing you have to psych yourself up for. Just paying close attention to who’s actually standing in front of you.
