Look, the 'Build It and They Will Come' Strategy is Dead
I was sitting with a venue owner in Milton a few months back. Great spot. Polished floorboards, killer craft beer list, and a function room upstairs that could easily fit eighty people.
The problem? It was empty four nights a week.
He told me, "We’ve got the best space in the inner west, but the only time the phone rings is for a 21st birthday with a $500 minimum spend. It’s not worth the electricity to turn the lights on."
He’s not alone. Most venue owners I talk to in Brisbane are sitting on a goldmine—a dedicated function space—but they’re treating it like a side hustle. They post a photo of an empty room on Facebook once a month and wonder why the corporate Christmas parties aren't beating down their door.
If you want to stop chasing scraps and actually fill your calendar with high-value bookings, you need to change how you think about your space. It’s not just a room. It’s a product. And right now, your marketing is probably making it hard for people to buy it.
Why Your Current Marketing Isn't Booking Gigs
Most people think marketing a function venue is about having a pretty Instagram feed. Don't get me wrong, photos matter. But Instagram isn't filling tables or booking weddings on its own.
Think about how someone books a venue. They don't usually scroll through a feed, see a picture of a slider platter, and think, "Right, I'll host my company’s annual AGM there."
They have a problem: "I need to find a place for 40 people on a Friday night that doesn't suck and fits the budget."
They go to Google. They ask friends. They look for friction-less ways to see if you’re available. If your website makes them download a 12MB PDF just to see the price of a beverage package, you’ve already lost them. They’ve moved on to the pub down the road that has a simple "Enquire Now" button.
The Fundamentals: Make It Easy to Buy
Before you spend a cent on ads, you need to fix the basics. I call this the "No-Brainer Test." If I’m a busy PA trying to book a lunch for my boss, can I find what I need in thirty seconds?
1. Your Website Works on Phones
I can’t stress this enough. Most of your enquiries will come from someone sitting on a bus or hiding under a desk at work. If your website is clunky, slow, or requires a desktop to view the floor plan, you’re burning money.Google likes this, too. If your site loads fast and people stay on the page, Google is more likely to show your venue to people searching for "function rooms Brisbane."
2. Ditch the Huge PDF Packages
I hate PDFs. You probably do too. They’re hard to read on a phone. You have to zoom in and out like you’re looking for a needle in a haystack.Put your packages directly on a webpage. List the prices. List what’s included. If you’re worried about competitors seeing your prices, don’t be. They already know what you charge. All you’re doing by hiding your prices is annoying your potential customers.
3. Real Photos of Real Events
An empty room looks like a hospital ward. It’s cold. It’s boring. People have no imagination. You need to show the room in action.Show the fairy lights. Show the people laughing with a drink in their hand. Show the way the tables are set for a formal dinner versus a standing cocktail party. This helps the customer visualise their event in your space.
Finding the Right Crowd
Not all bookings are created equal. A 21st birthday is great for the bar take, but they’re high-risk for breakages and noise complaints. A corporate lunch, on the other hand, is usually done by 4 PM, the bill is paid on a company card, and they’re back next year if you do a good job.
If you want to attract a better spending crowd, you have to speak their language.
For corporate clients, they care about: WiFi strength AV equipment (Does the TV actually work?) Invoice terms Proximity to parking or public transport
For weddings, they care about: The "vibe" (lighting, decor) Photo opportunities Flexibility with catering
Stop trying to be everything to everyone. Pick the two or three types of events you actually want and build your packages around them.
The Power of the Inbox
One of the biggest mistakes I see venues make is letting a lead go cold. Someone enquiries, you send the info, they don't reply, and that's it. You never speak to them again.
What a waste.
You should be building a database of every person who has ever booked or enquired. These people already know you. They’ve been to your venue. They are ten times easier to sell to than a stranger.
You can fill your tables on quiet nights by sending a simple, personal email to your past function hosts.
"Hey Sarah, you hosted your birthday with us last year. We’re doing a special for local businesses this month—book a team lunch and the first round of drinks is on us."
It’s not rocket science. It’s just staying top of mind.
Google Ads: The Shortcut to Enquiries
If you need bookings now*, Google Ads is the only way to go.
When someone types "engagement party venue Brisbane" into Google, they are ready to spend money. They aren't browsing; they’re shopping. If you appear at the top of those search results, you get the click.
But be careful. Most people set up Google Ads and let them run on autopilot. They end up paying for keywords like "free party venues" or "cheap halls for hire." You don't want those people. You want the people searching for "premium function spaces" or "private dining rooms."
We’ve seen clients double their monthly enquiries just by tightening up their Google Ads and making sure they aren't bidding on rubbish terms.
Dealing with the "Dreaded" Reviews
Nothing kills a function booking faster than a recent one-star review where someone complains about cold food or a rude floor manager.
When people are looking to spend $5,000 on a wedding or a corporate gala, they do their homework. They read the reviews. You need to stop one-star reviews from killing your profit by being proactive.
Ask your happy function hosts for a review the day after the event. Most people are happy to do it, but they need a nudge. If you do get a bad one? Respond like a human. Don't get defensive. Apologise, offer to make it right, and show potential customers that you actually care about the experience.
Stop Chasing the Small Stuff
If you’re spent all day replying to enquiries for 10-person table bookings, you’re going to burn out. You want the big fish.
You need to get high-paying corporate clients who book out the whole venue on a Tuesday afternoon. These are the bookings that change your bank balance at the end of the month.
How do you get them? You go where they are. LinkedIn. Local business networking groups. Direct outreach to the PAs at the big firms in the CBD or Fortitude Valley.
It takes more work than a Facebook post, but the payoff is massive.
My Honest Take on Costs
Let’s talk turkey. How much should you be spending to get these results?
If you’re doing it yourself, it’ll cost you time. A lot of it. You’ll be learning how to build landing pages, how to manage ad spend, and how to write email sequences.
If you hire an agency, expect to pay a management fee plus your ad spend. For a decent-sized venue in Brisbane, you should be looking at a minimum of $1,000 - $2,000 a month in ad spend to see a real difference.
Anything less and you’re just whispering in a thunderstorm. No one will hear you.
But look at the math. If one corporate booking is worth $4,000 in revenue, and you spend $2,000 to get five of them... well, you don't need to be an accountant to see that works.
What Should You Do First?
If you’re overwhelmed, start here:
1. Check your website on your phone. Try to find your function packages. If it takes more than three clicks or a download, fix it today. 2. Take five good photos. Turn the lights on, set a table, and get some decent shots of the room looking ready for a party. 3. Email your past clients. Just say hello. Remind them you exist.
Marketing isn't a magic wand. It’s a system. Once you get the system right, the phone starts ringing, the calendar fills up, and you can go back to doing what you actually enjoy—running a great venue.
If you're sick of looking at an empty room and want someone to just handle the technical stuff for you, give us a shout. We do this every day for venues across Brisbane.