If a business virtual tour has been sitting on your to-do list this year, there’s a deadline you might not have thought about. Once the Christmas decorations go up, I stop shooting tours of shops and customer-facing spaces until they come down again in the new year.
So if you’ve been meaning to get one done, now is the time to book. Here’s why the timing matters, and how to get the most out of the shoot.
In short
- Once the Christmas decorations go up, I stop shooting tours of shops and customer-facing spaces until they come down in the new year.
- A tour stays in use for years, so a Christmas tree in it dates the tour from day one.
- Offices, warehouses and workshops that don’t decorate can be shot any time.
- You can add a floor plan at the same visit.
In this article
Why a tour and tinsel don’t mix
A photo on your socials can be seasonal. It does its job for a week and scrolls away. A virtual tour is different. It sits on your website and your Google listing and keeps working for years. The tours I shoot usually stay in use until the next renovation, relocation or refit comes along.
That’s why timing matters. Capture your shop in December and you’re showing a Christmas tree to customers in June. It dates the tour on day one, and it tells people the content is old before they’ve taken a step inside.
Nobody wants a virtual tour with tinsel in it.
Which spaces this applies to
Not every business is caught by this. It mostly applies to anywhere customers walk through the door and the space gets dressed up for the season.
| Type of space | Likely to decorate? | When to book |
|---|---|---|
| Shops and showrooms | Yes | Before decorations go up |
| Gyms and fitness centres | Often | Before decorations go up |
| Cafés, restaurants and venues | Often | Before decorations go up |
| Offices, warehouses and workshops | Usually not | Any time |
The window is open now
From now until your decorations go up is a good window. Your space looks the way it does for most of the year, and the end-of-year rush hasn’t hit yet.
After that, I wait. The decorations come down, staff come back from holidays and the space settles back into its normal look. Miss this window and the next good one is well into the new year.
What to have ready on the day
A 360 camera sees the whole room at once, including the corner you usually forget about. A little preparation makes a big difference.
Shoot day checklist
- ✓Clear benches, counters and desks of anything you wouldn’t want a customer to see.
- ✓Turn on the lights you want shown, and replace any blown globes.
- ✓Set up your signage, displays and stock the way they look on a good day.
- ✓Decide whether staff will be in the tour or out of it, and let me know before I arrive.
- ✓Think about the time of day. Plenty of businesses book before opening or after close so the space is empty.
Add a floor plan while I’m there
If you’ve ever needed a floor plan of your premises for a fit-out, a lease, an insurance policy or a valuation, it’s worth doing at the same visit. I offer floor plans and CAD through iGUIDE alongside my tours.
The two work well together. The tour shows people what your space looks like, and the plan shows how it all fits together.
See the work before you book
I’ve been shooting commercial premises for over a decade, and I was a Google Street View Trusted photographer from 2015 to 2024. You don’t have to take my word for the rest. The client logos on my virtual tours page are real businesses, and each one links through to the tour I shot for them. Have a look around and see what you think.
Common questions
My business doesn’t put up decorations. Does this still apply?
No. If your space looks the same in December as it does in March, I can shoot it any time.
Can my staff be in the tour?
Yes, or they can stay out of it. Either works. Let me know before the day so I can plan the shoot around it.
How long will my tour stay current?
Until your space changes in a way customers would notice. That’s usually the next renovation, relocation or refit.
Can I get a floor plan at the same time?
Yes. I can capture your floor plan through iGUIDE on the same visit as your tour.
Book before the decorations go up
If you’d like your tour shot while your space still looks like itself, get in touch and I’ll find a date that suits you. The sooner you book, the more dates there are to choose from.
Book a virtual tour