1. $11,000+ Bookings Show the Potential for High Revenue
When Lia confirmed her first $11,000 corporate group booking, it wasn’t a one-off; it became a benchmark for what was possible. Louisville Food Tour’s ticket prices now command $220+ per person, and group sizes often reach 20 or more; corporate bookings have become an important part of the business.
“We’ve had higher price options available, but we didn’t even know how to approach these groups at first. Now, we’re confidently landing them.” – Lia
Making corporate groups a priority—and creating a repeatable process—helped her unlock a new, steady revenue stream that was no longer reliant on seasonal tourists.
2. Standardizing the Corporate Experience Simplified the Sales Process
One of the first challenges Lia encountered was managing the size and complexity of corporate group requests, which often felt overwhelming. The groups she agreed to take on caused significant stress for her team, who were constantly scrambling to customize every detail.
Over time, it became clear that without a more organized approach, handling corporate groups would keep draining her team’s energy and make the process far more frustrating than rewarding.
The solution was to standardize the corporate offering while keeping flexibility where it mattered. Lia and her team developed pre-set itineraries for groups under 20 people, simplifying the planning process. This approach helped streamline operations and reduced the workload for her team. By removing the need for constant adjustments, Louisville Food Tours delivered a smoother experience for both clients and staff.
The Key: A Corporate Landing Page Changed Everything
One of the most impactful changes Lia made was creating a dedicated landing page for corporate groups. This page clearly outlined the available options, helping clients understand what was offered and easily take the next step in the buying process.
How Visitors Engage with the Corporate Page
The heat map images showcase how visitors interact with three key pages: the Corporate Groups page, the Tours Overview page, and the Homepage.
Warmer colors like red and yellow indicate the most viewed and clicked areas, while cooler colors such as green and blue highlight sections with less engagement. These visualizations help identify which content resonates most with users and where adjustments could enhance engagement further.
Here, we see that users are scrolling through and interacting with the entire Corporate Groups page, confirming its compelling structure and content.
This custom page, created by UpLevel Tourism and written specifically for Lia’s target corporate clients, was designed to address their needs and streamline the decision-making process. These insights highlight the value of tailored messaging in reaching the right audience and improving conversions.
3. Quick Response Times Increased Conversion Rates
Lia admitted that slow response times – especially to inquiries from potential corporate tour clients – had been costing her bookings early on.
“It was taking us so long to respond—sometimes a week just to say we could accommodate them. By then, they were gone.” – Lia
With UpLevel’s help, Lia implemented:
- Automated emails – directing corporate clients to book a discovery call.
- A script for discovery calls – ensuring her team could handle common questions and inquiries on the spot.
- Cross-training for staff – so anyone answering the phone was prepared to close a sale.
These shifts allowed Lia’s team to respond quickly and confidently to inquiries. Faster response times reassured potential clients, keeping them engaged throughout the decision-making process. By removing delays, Lia not only improved her conversion rates but also established trust with corporate clients from the very first interaction.
4. Better Partnerships Smoothed Operations
Navigating restaurant relationships was another important hurdle, especially for large groups. Lia tackled this by aligning her corporate offerings with her restaurant partners’ needs:
- Offering groups during off-peak times to ensure availability.
- Paying full prices and tipping staff generously.
- Establishing clear communication to make the experience seamless.
These efforts built trust with restaurant partners, making it easier to accommodate larger groups even during busy periods.
Bonus! How to Build Strong Restaurant Partnerships in Food Tourism
During a recent UpLevel Live Show, Katrina Guerrier from Southern Culinary Tours asked Lia how she managed relationships with restaurants to accommodate large corporate groups.
Lia shared her strategy of working with restaurants during off-peak times and building trust through clear communication, prompt payments, and thoughtful scheduling.
5. Tailoring the Experience to Fit Corporate Groups
One of the biggest lessons Lia learned was that corporate groups often have different priorities than public tour guests. Initially, her tours focused heavily on storytelling and history, but she discovered that corporate clients preferred time to connect with each other.
With this insight, Louisville Food Tours made significant adjustments to their corporate offerings. Lia worked with UpLevel to design corporate-specific packages that shifted away from public tour norms.
These packages reduced the emphasis on storytelling and added flexibility to better serve groups. For example:
- Options to forego traditional tour scripts, focusing instead on creating space for group interactions.
- Scaled-back itineraries tailored to shorter time frames or specific client objectives.
- Seamless logistics through CRM to make booking stress-free for corporate planners.
These changes not only improved the guest experience but also made it easier for corporate clients to see how the tour fit into their team’s needs.
During an UpLevel Live Show, another client, Midgi Moore of Juneau Food Tours, reinforced this point. She shared her own experience, saying, “They don’t really want to listen to you. They want to socialize and everything. We call that ‘feed them and street them’—just guide them to where they need to go and let them enjoy themselves.”
What’s Next for Louisville Food Tours?
By refining her offerings and learning to confidently sell to corporate clients, Lia created a predictable revenue stream—enough to expand her team to five full-time staff members.
With systems in place, Lia is now focused on growth:
- Expanding her team’s roles and responsibilities.
- Launching new holiday-themed products to extend the busy season.
- Breaking the seven-figure revenue mark.
Major Takeaways for Tour Operators
If you’re looking to scale your business with corporate groups, consider these lessons from Louisville Food Tours:
- High-ticket bookings are achievable with the right pricing and confidence.
- Standardizing offerings can save time and boost efficiency.
- Fast response times make a big difference in landing corporate clients.
- Aligning with restaurant partners creates win-win opportunities.
- Tailoring the experience to corporate needs builds long-term success.
Ready to take your corporate group offerings to the next level? Connect with UpLevel Tourism to learn how you can simplify operations, increase bookings, and grow your revenue today.
Hear Lia Share Her Strategies Live
Watch Lia from Louisville Food Tours break down the steps she took to grow her business with corporate groups.
