You might be considering implementing a software system that will help you streamline your lettings administration, manage bookings easily and ultimately save you time, but did you know that BookingsPlus is not just a booking system? Also included, is a well-designed, customisable website which can be used to promote your facilities for hire and help generate new enquiries.
There are three designs to choose from, all of which can be fully-branded to your venue meaning it is recognisable and trusted by your local community. Your BookingsPlus website also has built-in, easy to use tools which allow you to optimise your website in search engines, meaning you’ll gain priority in the search listings. Your website will be built, by us, as part of the setup process, and you can review this before it goes live to the public. Some of the website’s key features include;
The website’s homepage displays your facilities for hire, split in to easy-to-navigate categories, which allows potential hirers to easily find what they are looking for. There are links to your social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter to help with link-building and driving traffic between your marketing platforms.
The homepage includes a notices section for displaying important news to hirers such as facility statuses (useful during the winter months to notify customers about pitch conditions, for example) or for advertising job vacancies or new availability of spaces and time slots as well as an area to advertise new bookings or up-coming events.
Once a visitor clicks on a particular category they are then presented with details of all of the spaces which fall into that category. They can drill down further into specific spaces to gain more detail about; space dimensions, suitable activities, equipment available and pricing and room layouts, should you choose. Every facility page includes a ‘call to action’ in the form of an online enquiry form prompting the visitor to request a booking and generating new business for the venue. This enquiry form is also visible within the homepage and contacts page ensuring your visitor is never more than 3 clicks away from the ability to make a new enquiry.
Showcase your activities on offer
The What’s On page details all of the bookings you have taking place within your venue and is designed to create a hub for your local community to find out what’s happening at your venue and what is on offer to them. Interested participants can not only see a timetable of activities but also have the ability to contact activity providers directly, saving the administrator time in dealing with such enquiries. The timetable is completely synchronised with the BookingsPlus software and is automatically updated as and when bookings are added, amended or cancelled within the administration area. There are options to make bookings visible or not visible on the website, to allow for private functions, internal bookings and such like.
Ability to advertise your hirers classes
Furthermore, the What’s On page offers great value to your hirers by offering them free advertising of their classes. Clicking in to any of the activities from the main timetable with show participants exact dates and times of all of the sessions booked, more details about the activity; who it is suitable for, equipment needed, pricing information and how to book. There are links to the hirers website, social media channels and a link to email the hirer directly, enabling your hirers to sustain their bookings with your venue.
Additional pages include the about us and contacts page, both adding to the content level within your website, ensuring visibility in search engines. The About Us page is an opportunity to mention further information surrounding school lettings – the reasons for implementing lettings into the school, objectives of your lettings programme. This section provides an opportunity for the school to showcase their personality and become more relatable with their customers. The Contact Us page outlines important information such as the address of the venue, the contact details, a map of the venue’s location and also allows customers to submit an enquiry.
A dedicated blog section, is a great way to engage with current and potential hirers, participants and other stakeholders. The blog section gives you the ability to keep your website fresh, relevant and up-to-date, with new and interesting contact which will increase its performance in online searches. The more information submitted on your website, the greater your chances of increasing your school lettings presence on the web.
Summary
Including a community/facilities focussed website into your lettings strategy will help increase your awareness online and elevate your lettings enquiries. Having a dedicated website about your venues, that includes multiple pages of relevant information, ensures your visitor stays on your site to browse, rather than jumping to another facility to see what’s on offer there. With BookingsPlus, you’ll also have access to online analytics which will show you how your website is performing.
For a no-obligation demo of our lettings software BookingsPlus, and to see the websites in more detail call Dom on 01604 677 764 or email Domenico.forgione@kajima.co.uk.