Chicago Pizza Tours grew corporate and private groups from 5% of total revenue to more than 60%, and crossed $100,000 in corporate group bookings, after rebuilding their website around groups and adding a real proposal system.
The redesigned website for Chicago Pizza Tours, which launched in November 2022, proved to be a monumental success, generating $100,000 in new corporate group revenue over a six-month period. Founder Jonathan Porter's strategic shift from the one-size-fits-all FareHarbor template to a website built to sell doubled public tour conversions while simultaneously growing revenue from corporate groups.
That pivot did more than lift immediate sales. It laid a solid foundation for sustainable growth, and Chicago Pizza Tours continues to receive new corporate group requests daily, perpetuating a cycle of growth.
The path to $225k in corporate groups
This targeted focus on corporate group experiences is not just about immediate revenue. It is about building a sustainable growth model. The projections based on that first $100,000 illustrate a bright future:
- Year 1: Starting with $100,000.
- Year 2: Additional revenue from repeat bookings (20%), cross-departmental bookings (15%), external referrals (10%), and individual bookings from corporate participants (5%) brings the total to $150,000.
- Year 3: The compounded effect of those growth strategies on both the original and Year 2's additional revenue leads to a total of $225,000.
Targeted corporate experiences, combined with a strategic approach to customer engagement and satisfaction, can lead to exponential growth. Jonathan Porter's Chicago Pizza Tours exemplifies the power of leveraging corporate group experiences to boost immediate revenue and to establish a robust growth model for the future.
Here is a look at the steps Jonathan took to capitalize on this opportunity for growth with corporate group experiences.
1. He made corporate groups a bigger part of the first conversation
On the new website, corporate group experiences are immediately highlighted as a primary offering, so potential corporate clients know exactly what to expect. To serve different visitor needs, the homepage now features two prominent buttons: one to compare tours for public tour guests, and a second dedicated specifically to corporate groups.
This dual-button approach simplifies navigation, letting visitors quickly decide which path best suits them, whether they are looking for a casual public tour or a tailored corporate group experience. It is a small design choice that signals a clear commitment to serving every kind of client.
2. He states how many people a corporate group needs
"How many people do we need" ranks among the most frequently asked questions from anyone interested in booking, so Jonathan answered it right on the site.
Instead of spending valuable time answering that question over the phone, the site immediately clarifies that Chicago Pizza Tours can accommodate up to 150 guests for corporate events. That upfront transparency saves time for the company and for potential clients, who can quickly assess the feasibility of their plans without picking up the phone.
3. His website offers a more direct path to corporate groups
In the redesign, Jonathan significantly streamlined the navigation by removing unnecessary distractions and making the user journey as straightforward as possible. Visitors are presented with a clear choice between public experiences and corporate experiences right from the start.
Conversion research showed that pages not directly tied to booking, such as the "About" page, were seldom part of the customer journey. While those pages provide valuable background, keeping them in the main navigation was found to be unnecessary for driving conversions, so that content moved to the footer for a cleaner, more focused structure. The primary action, choosing between a public tour or a corporate group experience, is now immediate and unambiguous.
4. He created new pages to build stronger conversations with corporate guests
Corporate clients deserve the distinction their business demands, so Chicago Pizza Tours built pages dedicated specifically to them rather than lumping them into a generic private tour page. Corporate groups have particular needs and expectations that differ from bachelorette parties, church groups, or student groups.
By giving corporate engagements their own space, the content now mirrors the personalized, professional interaction those clients would expect in person. The information is more relevant, and the level of recognition and respect shown to corporate buyers is higher, which sets up a dialogue that fits their requirements and preferences.
5. He added new value and raised prices
Most tour operators set private tour pricing by simply multiplying the public tour price by a factor, which overlooks the specific value and customization corporate clients seek. Drawing on years of building tourism pricing models, I steered Jonathan away from that trap.
By introducing psychological pricing strategies such as price anchoring, I helped Chicago Pizza Tours showcase a spectrum of pricing options. Corporate clients rarely have a benchmark for the cost of a unique experience, so anchoring let us present multiple tiers and make it evident that the value at each level justifies the cost. That approach helps clients compare service and pricing and make more informed decisions, and it has made it easier for Jonathan to finalize deals and communicate the added value at each price point.
6. He has better systems for B2B sales
Jonathan transformed his approach to B2B sales, building a structured sales process that also lowered his stress. He now uses a full set of tools, including targeted outreach and customized sales collateral, to communicate with potential clients and to keep follow-ups consistent so no opportunity slips through the cracks.
I also worked with Jonathan to develop training materials and standard operating procedures that streamline onboarding for new team members. Those resources make it easy for new hires to learn quickly and contribute to growing private tour sales.
Building robust systems has improved the efficiency of sales operations and laid a solid foundation for scaling. With more organization and clarity, Jonathan is better positioned to drive growth, manage his team, and increase corporate group revenue with less personal strain and more strategic focus.
Friendship and creative collaborations
Beyond the strategic business developments, my collaboration with Jonathan has grown into a genuine friendship over the years. That partnership, rooted in mutual respect and a shared appetite for innovation, has led to creative work beyond the usual scope of either of our industries.
Together we teamed up with companies like American Ghost Walks to offer Halloween-themed pizza tours, blending culinary delights with the intrigue of ghost stories. It is the kind of inventive concept that merges fun and business into memorable experiences that stand out in the market.
The work has not gone unnoticed. Jonathan and I were featured together in a celebratory video after Chicago Pizza Tours was named the "World's Greatest," a testament to the creativity and the dynamic partnership we have built.
Frequently asked questions
What was the single biggest change?
A dedicated corporate groups page, written for the buyer, that shows up in search and answers a planner's questions before they ever call. Everything else, the estimate, the proposal, the follow-up, compounds on top of that page.
How long did it take?
The shift to a majority-corporate revenue mix and the first $100,000 in corporate bookings came within months, not years, because corporate buyers book bigger and come back.
Can other food tours do the same?
Yes. The same pattern, a real group page, instant estimates, proposals, and follow-up, has grown group revenue for tours in other cities too. See what a corporate group booking is actually worth.
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