Don’t let Christmas bookings slip away – Train your team now

“Marketing brings the enquiries in, but the sale is won, or lost, by the person handling that first conversation.”

A missed booking could cost thousands

Lose a 50-guest Christmas booking because the duty manager didn’t engage, hold the date, or take a deposit, and you’ve just handed thousands of pounds to a competitor. If the events manager is slow to follow up, that booking’s already gone.

That’s the reality for many hotels, restaurants, and pub venues: marketing brings the enquiries in, but the sale is won, or lost, by those handling the initial conversation.

Training your team with the skills and confidence to turn enquiries into confirmed bookings is the difference between a packed December and empty tables.

A early prep wins Christmas

According to ResDiary, 25% of operators who start festive planning before August are fully booked by September, and 70% of venues that get sold out are fully booked by November.

That’s the power of early preparation. By the time slower competitors are just starting to think about Christmas, the most organised hospitality venues already have the best dates locked in and deposits banked.

Why confirmed bookings matter (not “maybes”)

Whether you’re filling a function room, securing a large table in your restaurant, or booking out your pub’s cosy private area, a confirmed booking with a deposit means:

  • Certainty on revenue and sales flow.
  • Confidence to plan staff rotas and order stock.
  • Time to deliver a flawless guest experience.

It means those high-value bookings are celebrating with you, not boosting someone else’s revenue.

How to make sure your team converts enquiries

Your marketing may generate leads, but it’s your Frontline Managers and Event Coordinators who turn those leads into sales. They need to:

  • Engage quickly – build rapport from the very first interaction.
  • Listen actively – uncover what really matters to the customer.
  • Showcase confidence – demonstrate your venue can deliver the perfect Christmas celebration.
  • Close decisively – secure the booking and deposit before they look elsewhere.
  • Follow up – ensure the event runs smoothly and lay the groundwork for repeat business.

The cost of not training your team

Without these skills, enquiries slip away, group bookings are lost to competitors, and you’re left chasing late-season sales when prime dates are already gone.

For operators in hotels, restaurants, and pubs, that can mean empty seats in December and missed revenue that you’ll never get back.

Give your managers the tools to win

Our two-hour Sales Training Webinar is designed specifically for hospitality operators and their managers:

  • General Managers
  • Assistant Managers
  • Events Managers

We’ll cover how to build rapport, ask the right questions, close bookings with confidence, and create repeat customers. The training is practical, role-focused, and designed to deliver results in time for this year’s Christmas season.

Make this Christmas your most successful yet

Book your Sales Training Webinar today and give your team the skills to fill your festive calendar early, whether you run a hotel, a restaurant, or a pub venue.