How Bites of Boston grew corporate tour revenue by 80%.

Bites of Boston grew corporate tour revenue by 80%, and closed a single $10,000 group booking within three months, after focusing their website and sales process on corporate and private groups.

As long as tour operators have been in business, most of their focus has been on individual travelers and public tours. For Alyssa Schoenfeld of Bites of Boston, a new path offered not just more revenue and growth, but a transformative way to do business. That path was corporate groups.

Key achievements

• Alyssa and Bites of Boston achieved an 80% increase in overall revenue, with private corporate tours alone seeing a 70% boost, one of the best years Bites of Boston Food Tours has ever had.
• Closed a $10,000 corporate group package within three months of launching the new corporate page.
• Conversion on the new corporate tour page held strong at 12%, with a spike to 20% in July.

The opportunity: identifying corporate group potential

Alyssa's journey began with a realization. Despite her successful public tours, she had started to notice a growing demand for private, corporate group experiences. These groups were not just looking for a fun outing. They wanted an experience that was both logistically seamless and genuinely memorable. The question she struggled with was how to meet this new demand without letting other areas of the business suffer.

Overcoming initial hurdles: systems and support

To keep the rest of her business thriving while fueling this new opportunity, Alyssa first had to solve the problem of time. As a hands-on owner, she oversaw everything from guiding tours to handling logistics. As corporate requests started flooding in, she knew she could not do it all alone. Here she is explaining it in her own words.

Her process for managing these inquiries was far from efficient, and it cost her even more time. Alyssa stored incoming requests in email folders, often copying and pasting tour details into messages by hand. That led to confusion, scrolling back and forth to see what she had already shared with a client. She began to realize the process was not scalable, and continuing as she had would make it difficult to delegate or bring on help.

Recognizing the need for change, her first step was bringing on Rachel Colombo as Director of Tour Operations, a move that would be crucial if she intended to scale. Without a better system in place, even Rachel's support would only go so far. Alyssa needed to overhaul her processes to manage the growing demand.

To address this, she implemented a CRM to automate much of the work, from tracking incoming requests to following up with clients, freeing her time to focus on the bigger picture. Both Alyssa and Rachel could now track communications, avoid duplicating efforts, and make sure no opportunities slipped through the cracks. That change made operations more efficient and set the foundation for sustainable growth.

Shifting perspective: from public tour to corporate experience

At first, Alyssa viewed her corporate group tours as simply modified versions of her public tours. She thought offering similar content with a few tweaks would satisfy these new clients. She soon realized corporate groups had different expectations. Public tour guests often sought detailed historical insights and unique local moments. Corporate groups were primarily focused on an enjoyable, seamless outing.

To meet those needs, Alyssa changed her idea of what these tours would offer: less emphasis on in-depth narrative, more focus on a smooth, hassle-free experience with great food and drink, and above all the space for corporate groups to mingle, interact, and bond. That shift produced a tour product better aligned with what corporate clients actually wanted, justifying a higher price point and leading to greater satisfaction.

She put three specific solutions in place:

• A dedicated corporate page that clearly laid out the unique value of corporate tours, improving engagement and conversion. See the shape of that page on corporate and private groups.
• More automation to handle inquiry tracking, follow-ups, and client management, streamlining the booking process and freeing time for growth.
• Clearer client communication with an organized process for managing new and ongoing inquiries so nothing fell through.

Realizing the true value: adjusting pricing for corporate tours

Finding her groove, Alyssa discovered another critical gap in her corporate implementation: price. Bites of Boston was not charging enough.

After weighing the time, effort, and personalized attention that went into each corporate experience, it was clear her pricing did not reflect the true value of these tours. Coming to grips with that let Alyssa confidently adjust her pricing, knowing the premium service she offered was well worth the cost.

The change did more than lift revenue. It positioned her tours as a high-quality offering in the corporate market. In the end, the adjusted pricing led to a 43% increase in revenue per person, from $104 to $150.

The impact: dramatic revenue growth and efficiency

With the new processes, pricing, and focus in place, Bites of Boston Food Tours saw a substantial increase in revenue. By recognizing the unique value of corporate tours, Alyssa confidently raised prices, knowing the personalized effort behind each tour justified the cost.

This was not just about higher prices. It was about creating a premium product that clients were eager to pay for. Corporate groups now account for a significant portion of revenue, and the streamlined process makes sure no opportunity slips through the cracks.

Lessons learned: what other tour operators should take away

Alyssa's experience offers valuable lessons for any operator considering a shift toward corporate group tours. The key takeaways:

• Automate and delegate. Streamlining your process with the right tools and support opens new revenue without overwhelming current operations.
• Know your worth. Do not be afraid to raise prices, especially when offering a premium, personalized experience.
• Timing is everything. Put new systems in place before demand overwhelms you. Alyssa's proactive approach meant she was ready for the surge in corporate inquiries.

Conclusion: a new path for growth

The Bites of Boston journey shows the power of focusing on corporate groups. By recognizing the opportunity and building the right infrastructure, Alyssa and her team significantly boosted revenue and streamlined operations, all while creating a better product for their new clients.

If you feel inspired to expand into corporate groups, start by reviewing your current process and finding where automation and support could help you scale. I build the group website and the system behind it, then run it with you.

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