Selecting the Best Venue for your Event
Getting the best venue can either make or break the success of the event. Everyone who attends is relying on your choice. Its a difficult task even at the best of times, but if venue occupancies are running high it can be even harder! There are several tricks to look for and it is very easy to get this wrong.
It’s not enough to find the perfect venue, it also has to be available. The longer you wait to make reservations, the more limited your options become. Make early plans and backup plans as well. Keep track of any reservations you make and the penalties involved if you have to cancel.
You probably already have an idea where the general location will be. Several things to take into consideration are the travel requirements to the event, if you guest will need transportation to the venue, as additional transportation can increase the cost, leaving you to cut back in other areas such as entertainment, food or drinks. Central city venues can be more expensive, but country venues can be very different. Take these variations into account when you are considering your location.
The style of the venue is important in that it needs to be in line with the ‘brand or ‘feel’ you are looking to establish. Venue types vary enormously from the standard chain hotels, where you can expect a certain level of service, to the more radical local options which lend themselves to a more out of the ordinary event. The style of the venue and the price often come hand in hand so it may be necessary to juggle the budget accordingly. Don’t forget that whilst some basic venues may seem cheap, decoration costs can escalate the budget significantly!
The venue you select will be largely dependent on your budget. Prices are all over the map and vary seasonally. You will have a hard time negotiating a price if you are only planning one event. But there are ways to improve your negotiating position. Find out more in our recent article on the art of negotiating venue rates. Remember to factor in additional costs for setup times or eating accommodations.
Will you be arranging accommodations for your guest? If the venue has bedrooms you need be sure you are not carrying too much liability. A reduced attendance could cost you dearly. If no bedrooms are available you will have to decide if the accommodations are going to be your responsibility, as this can become quite a challenge. Its often helpful to outsource the process of accommodations to companies that offer this service for free.
It is clear that this type of room that the venue has is a practical factor that needs considered. If you are holding a conference, how many break out rooms will you need? Will they allow you to use the bar or lobby? Its usual to set up a visit to the site so that you can judge if the venue is suitable.
Trawling through the internet can be one option for finding the best venue, however there are a number of free venue finding services which take away the pain of the process. They can offer a free service as the hotel will pay them a small commission and they will inevitably also manage to get a better price for you!
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