Insights

A simple inquiry → tour → booking funnel for Indiana venues

From the operators of The Wilds and Laural Mill.

The fastest way to stabilize venue bookings is not more ads—it’s a clean funnel that moves couples from inquiry to tour to booked date without friction. This is the exact system we run weekly at The Wilds and Laural Mill. You can implement it without new software; you just need clarity on the steps, scripts, and timing.

Step 1: Make the inquiry easy and clear

Your form should collect only what you need to route and respond quickly: name, email, phone, date (or season), guest count range, and how they heard about you. If you bury the form or force uploads, you’ll lose the couple before you ever get to talk.

What we do: Keep the form above the fold, repeat it mid-page, and confirm price range in the copy around it so inquiries are more qualified. Auto-respond within minutes with a warm note and a link to book a tour.

Step 2: Respond within four business hours

Speed signals professionalism. We set an SLA: every inquiry gets a thoughtful response within four business hours. The reply includes availability cues, a short highlight reel of the venue, and a direct link to book a tour. No attachments, no overwhelm.

Template beats: Thank them, confirm capacity fits, share a simple price range, add two quick differentiators, and invite them to book a tour via link. If the date is already gone, offer alternatives or a waitlist.

Step 3: Make tours easy to schedule

Couples don’t want back-and-forth emails. Use a booking link with set windows you can truly honor. We save prime weekend slots for hot leads and fill weekdays with flexible options. Automated reminders 24 hours and two hours before reduce no-shows.

What to avoid: Offering every possible time slot. Keep choices tight so staff aren’t spread thin, and give an obvious reschedule link so the couple doesn’t ghost if plans change.

Step 4: Script the tour with a close

A good tour is not just a walk; it’s a guided decision. We anchor on three moments: the ceremony site (emotion), the reception hall (logistics and budget), and the close (dates and next steps). We always ask about their date, share two available options, and explain how holds and deposits work.

Script cues: “Here’s how couples use this space,” “Would you like me to check your date now?” and “We can hold two dates for 48 hours—would you like us to do that while you talk tonight?”

Step 5: Follow up until there’s a clear yes or no

Most venues send one thank-you email and wait. We use a short, respectful cadence: same-day recap with pricing and photos, a 48-hour nudge with two dates, a one-week check-in with a testimonial, and a final “should we release your hold?” message. Tone matters—helpful, not pushy.

Step 6: Track the pipeline in one place

A spreadsheet works if it’s maintained. Our columns: name, source, date inquired, date responded, tour scheduled, tour date, follow-ups sent, decision, and notes. We color-code stalled leads and review them every Monday. This visibility lets us coach staff and spot bottlenecks (slow replies, low tour conversion, weak close).

Step 7: Ask for reviews every time

Review velocity keeps your funnel warm. After each event, we send a thank-you with one photo and a direct Google link, then a gentle follow-up a week later. Staff trigger it the night of the event so it’s never forgotten. Those fresh five-star stories make every future inquiry easier.

Timing that works in Indiana and the Midwest

• Inquiry reply: within four business hours.
• Tour scheduling: offer times within the next 7–10 days, with clear holds.
• Follow-ups: same day, +48 hours, +7 days, then a final “we’ll release your hold tomorrow.”
• Review request: within 24 hours of the event, with one follow-up a week later.

Common pitfalls to avoid

Don’t bury pricing signals; couples assume the worst. Don’t let tours be unscripted; even seasoned guides forget to close without prompts. Don’t track leads in individual inboxes; no one can coach what they can’t see. And don’t rely on one-off heroics—habits and cadences win.

How this funnel performed for us

At The Wilds, keeping this cadence helped book 110+ weddings for 2025 early, even with premium pricing. At Laural Mill, the same structure took bookings from 17 to 50 and tripled venue rental revenue year one. The tools were simple; the discipline was not. That’s the difference between a hobbyist funnel and an operator’s funnel.

You can run this yourself, but if you want operators to build and train it with your team, that’s the work we do every week.