As we all know, when it comes to organising events there are a million decisions that have to be made. From catering through to goodie bags and badges, there are a ton of things to think about. The venue choice is a significant consideration and something that can make or break an event. So, in today’s blog post I’ve listed 10 points to consider when visiting a new events venue. When you are looking around the site think about each of these points and remember to ask the right questions so that the venue works for your event.
10 points to consider when visiting a new events venue
- How many people are attending, a reasonable estimate should suffice. At this stage, you should be looking at the rooms to make sure the guests won’t be too cramped etc.
- How many meeting rooms you require and how each room will be used (main conference room, break out rooms, formal dining etc.)
- How many bedrooms you need and if any VIPs will be staying that require a larger room. The price point for this can be negotiated.
- What is the food like? The venue should offer either a menu tasting or a free lunch so that you can sample the quality of the food. Can the venue cater to the number of delegates attending?
- Will your event consist of any team building exercises – is there enough space at the venue for what you want to do?
- Is the main conference room light and airy? If the delegates are going to be in there all day is there enough space for them to move around. Can they all see the screen /presenters?
- How are the staff at the venue treating you? Are they well organised? Are they taking pride in showing you the venue? Are they amenable and willing to negotiate? If there are only negative answers to these questions, you probably shouldn’t be working with them.
- How does the venue flow? Will your delegates be able to move around the place easily between sessions, break-outs and refreshments? Is the venue so big your group may not get attention from the staff or too small that the team can’t handle the number of guests you have? The overall size of the venue, not just meeting rooms, is essential also.
- Don’t get sidetracked by parts of the venue that you won’t use. Yes, the place may look fantastic for a wedding, and the salesperson will want to show you that picturesque view, but that isn’t what you are there for.
- Don’t write the venue off if it is a bit unusual or not quite what your delegates expect, sometimes these are the best places to hold events.
For more posts on events management head over to our event planning section of Practically Perfect PA.
