Bio

The Lancaster Arms based in Leicestershire is a unique venue with various indoor and outdoor areas for the food and beverage market including special occasions.

We were introduced to the business through mutual networking channels during the pandemic and due to our experience in events and specifically the wedding market before we rebranded under Ask Zoe. We engaged in conversation on how our services could support them in reference to launching a wedding product at The Lancaster Arms.

This wedding product was to offer the venue as a wedding facility on mid-week dates throughout the year and appeal to those who want a laid-back feel to their wedding day or couples who are getting married for the second time.

The venue at this point had attracted two wedding bookings to date but they wanted to explore this market further and ensure it was viable to roll out considering logistics, costs, demand, and further internal and external factors.

After visiting the venue in person, we knew we could support them with a market research offer, to help them position Weddings at The Lancaster Arms successfully. So, we engaged in looking at their venue, area, and competitors. To help them position their new offering when acceptable in reference to time scale and budget.

The areas of market research we conducted are as follows and the following case study shares Ian and Ana’s experience with how our market research project on the wedding sector helped their business in the short to medium-term future.

Areas of market research conducted:

Competitor Research
Customer Types & (What do they want?)
Revenue Opportunities

What was the scenario before you started working together with Ask Zoe?

The brief was as follows:

‘To clarify the opportunities for The Lancaster Arms in reference to suppliers, room hire, and package itinerary that they could offer for weddings at their venue, as a new offer and service to the local community for a new wedding venue.’

We also agreed to compare this new offering in the local area too against competitors and to gain an insight into their offers and if they provide similar opportunities to their target audience with packaging. For example: build your own wedding package or provide all-inclusive pricing. This allowed our client to see different markets and opportunities to pitch and advertise to. Whilst also increasing revenue opportunities for the venue by pitching their offer to brides and grooms locally.

The reason they decided to explore this market further is due to receiving organic referrals from their existing customers resulting in two wedding bookings, resulting in applying for a wedding license, and to explore this further from a market research point of view, to ensure they were investing in the right areas.

What were their goals (from the customer’s perspective)?

Their main goals were to ensure they positioned their new offer successfully in the local community by ensuring there was a demand for this service and product.

By providing their target audience with the elements they would wish to buy and that they could offer with ease to match the style of product, price, and venue. They wished to pitch to couples who are getting married for a second time or couples who want a relaxed approach in terms of wedding style.

Following the research, reflection, and opportunities they found from the market research they were also able to create the following value proposition to achieve the overall goal of the project.

This value proposition statement that came from the research was as follows:

‘Weddings at The Lancaster Arms provides second-time couples in the Leicestershire area the opportunity to have their special day in a relaxed setting with a personalized touch and service. The recently refurbished inn offers a unique setting inside and out; so perfect for your special day no matter the weather. Our team will create a special day that you and your guests will not forget in a hurry; putting the wedding back into your special day; so, you are able to reminisce and visit for years to come.’

Why did you choose to work with Ask Zoe?

The main reason we choose to work with Zoe was down to the relationship built with Ania in the local networking opportunities that took place online during the pandemic and due to her experience in the sector and attention to detail by visiting the venue prior to starting this project together.

What was the process and how have you benefited since working with Zoe on a 1:1 level?

The process was simple to follow and in detail, as we had two virtual appointments and one in person. This was to ensure the desired objective was achieved and the brief was understood. Zoe was also on hand after the research and report were completed to ensure all of our questions were answered and we were supported in our decision to launch Weddings at The Lancaster Arms.

We would say this project was beneficial as we now host weddings in our venue with up to 150 guests and we hosted four weddings in June 2023, with great feedback and we look forward to welcoming others to our venue in future months and years to follow.

What results have you seen so far?

Return on investment since working with Zoe on this project has been the successful launch of Weddings at The Lancaster Arms and attracting further interest than initially expected and our weddings reach up to 150 guests and we hosted four weddings in June 2023; which is more than we initially expected but very pleased with the results and feedback from our customers.

What would you say are the main advantages of working with Ask Zoe and would you recommend their services to others?

Experience, knowledge in the sector, and the relationship created. We’re super pleased with the amount of event activity we’re generating at the moment and believe our work with Ask Zoe helped catapult this in a positive way.

I highly recommend Ask Zoe to help you grow your business.