Choosing the right venue for your event is never an easy task—there are so many factors to take into consideration—how do you know you’re covering all of the bases? You can have a great event planned, but if the venue isn’t right for it, the event can end up being a grand disappointment, not to mention an expensive one.
Strategic site selection is critical to an event’s success. The environment is key to the experience, so don’t cut corners in evaluating potential event spaces.
Here’s what you need to think about when considering venues for your next event:
Get started early
The more time you have, the more likely you’ll find the venue that’s perfect for your event and your budget. If your event happens every year, as soon as it’s over, it’s time to immediately begin planning for the next.
Make the Most of the Event Space
Rather than trying to crowbar your plan into a particular space and make it work, think about how you can maximize what the space already has to offer. For example, are there lots of small rooms? Then perhaps breakout sessions would be a perfect way to capitalize upon this offering.
Go for cost effeciency
No matter what your budget for the event is, you're likely to need to look for bargains. Think strategically about cities and venues and the other major events they hold throughout the year, as well as tourism patterns. Off-season is when hotels are especially eager to schedule events and offer you great deals.
Pay attention to your attendees
You might be able to get a great rate at a hotel on the edge of town, but if it’s not easily accessible to guests, or it’s far from the airport, they’re going to feel inconvenienced. This means they may not want to attend in the future, regardless of how great the event was.
And don’t neglect the amenities. Attendees are there for the event itself, but that doesn’t mean they don’t care about the food or the perks. They do.
Be specific about what you’re seeking
Before you begin touring facilities and seeking proposals, know exactly what you are looking for and what you expect of the event. This can help you to narrow your search and to be specific with venue personnel.
Dig into the details
If you aren’t sure of the many questions you need to ask a venue before selecting it for your event, ask a colleague who has planned a similar event. Never take anything for granted. Having all details and terms worked out long before the event will save you stress and headache.
Keep great records
If your event is annual, it’s easy to forget, year to year, the name of that great caterer or which transportation service you used. Having specific details, names and data documented from year to year, such as what services you used, or how many people attended, helps you make your event better every single year.
Get valuable input
There is no information more important than the experience of other event planners or conference attendees who have used a particular venue. What did they think of it? How were their needs accommodated? Were there any pitfalls? How were they handled ?
Remember, with Nodily, you can see where people are holding events all over the world. Connecting with other conference attendees or event planners to get the inside information on the best venues and locations saves you time, money and helps to ensure the success of your next event. Reach out with Nodily.
