Top 10 Tour-Giving Tips From a Performing Arts Teacher

I spent nearly two decades as a performer and educator, and it taught me everything I need to know about connecting with guests during tours.

Tours are a crucial part of business. It’s the moment when selling has to be handled with the utmost grace, and it has to be paced properly so guests aren’t turned off the moment they start learning more about your service or product.

Presentation, delivery, and style needs to be customized for each tour, and often this has to happen on the spot, depending on who the guests are. The desired result – a commitment, purchase or signup – is the prize for investing time and energy in a uniquely human interaction.

My unique experience as a professionally trained actor, teacher, and program director resulted in my leading many tours. Some were for side gigs, like city site tours. Others were for actual theater facilities. Most of my tour experience came from my position as program director at a private school: I have walked hundreds of families across campus, highlighting which of our school’s strengths would most compliment a potential new student.

While transforming into the ultimate tour guide, I also came to realize that my experience as a public speaker and performer came into play. There’s little difference in presentation technique whether it was an audience of 3,000 or 3.

I’ve noticed that the most effective technique when interacting with guests is making an authentic connection. This would drive how I communicated in every tour. I would find out what guests liked to do, what their priorities were, and then pull from my own life experience to find a way to find common ground. Some may consider this a shapeshifting sales strategy, but since my theatre experience allowed me to truly put myself in guests’ shoes, they knew I was coming from an honest place.

Whether you’re touring a property for new residents, prospective investors, or potential clients, there are simple strategies that lead to successful interactions. Here are my secrets that make every tour a VIP experience guests will never forget.

1. Introductions are the vital first moment that can make or break the entire tour. Make eye contact when introducing yourself, and extend your arm for a handshake. (If guests are wearing face masks or seem to be conscious of physical contact, a warm smile can also go a long way.) As guests introduce themselves, repeat their names and make a mental note so you can refer to them by name later on.

2. Before you run guests around your property, have a conversation with them. Why are they here? What are they looking for specifically? How have they been disappointed in the past by a similar company? Discovering guests’ needs can go a long way in tailoring your tour. Use this information to alter your plan and highlight solutions to their past problems. You may end up providing resources they didn’t know they were looking for.

3. Listen to your guests. This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many times I get the comment, “Wow, you’re really great at listening!” You can’t ask questions if you’re not quiet long enough to hear the answers. If you struggle to remember details, there’s no shame in taking notes. In fact, I promise guests will appreciate the effort.

4. After you get to know your guests and what they’re looking for, share something personal. This is not a platform for you to go on and on about yourself, but give details that you think will help earn trust. If you have a connection to the property or a story that showcases the company, share it. Keep it short, though. Time is of the essence, and guests can lose interest quickly if you don’t keep the meeting about their specific needs.

5. Know what you’re talking about. When I played any part in a show, or back when I used to give tours for the private school I worked for, I knew my material inside and out. I could tell you details about the historical period of the play I was in, or I could list dates of when we broke ground on our school gymnasium. Either way, be ready to answer questions. This will help you feel more confident.

6. Admit it when you don’t know something. Alternatively, be honest when you aren’t aware of a particular fact. Guests know when you’re faking, so promise to find out anything they’re curious about, and get the answer for them before they leave the property. There have been times I was caught off guard with a question out of left field, and my tour group always appreciated when I was open with them and said, “What a great question! I don’t know, but I will find out!”

7. Be organized. Have a game plan ready before you take your guests on their journey. I would have multiple tour routes ready to execute at a moment’s notice. Selecting which one depended on the weather (if it was raining I would avoid outdoor areas, especially ones that flooded, and spent more time on interior amenities), or it could also depend on which members of staff were in that day (if a part-time teacher who excelled at selling the school was available, I’d make it a point to stop by her classroom).

8. Interaction throughout the tour is important, especially when children are involved. Map out certain points across the tour where you can engage kids with activities or space to run around safely so adults can talk business. When I would give tours of old theaters in New York, I always played quick games of trivia with my group – and had a fun prize ready to hand out for those that got questions right.

9. Show, don’t tell. Well, you do have to say something. But the point here is to use visual aids, demonstrations, and show off your property in action to let the product speak for itself. Some of my best tours came from bringing parents into a classroom and letting them witness an incredible lesson. I’ve also led tours in theaters that were in the middle of rehearsals, and guests loved seeing actors in such rare behind-the-scenes moments.

10. Speak with distinction, pacing, and confidence. It never hurts to take some public speaking classes to get feedback on how you deliver your words. I would often record myself talking about a topic so I could play it back and adjust my speech as needed. From breathwork to enunciation, there are many helpful resources available for you to improve your tour game and make a lasting impression.