If you need to organise a corporate event, then you need to know how to find the best venue for that conference, meeting or networking session. The venue it’s held at is likely to affect your event more than any other factor, so it’s an important decision to get right! That’s why so many companies use a professional venue finder.
Who can attend, whether or not they can stay over and the kind of catering available will all be determined by the venue you choose. Your venue will also affect the date on which you can hold the event, as it may be a question of availability.
Whether it’s a face-to-face meeting between just a few colleagues or the full-scale annual company conference, here at Venue Finder Pro we like to think we know a thing or two about finding the most awesome venues!
So here are some pointers. When you need to source a venue, thinking about these key factors should get your grey matter ticking over very nicely.
6 essential steps to finding the best venue
1, The date
Is the event date fixed, or can it be set according to venue availability?
It may be that the date for the conference, meeting or event you’re planning is set in stone. Or it might be a moveable feast. Either way, the date will have a huge bearing on which venue you can book.
The best venues can be booked out many months or even years in advance. So whoever has decision-making power should think very carefully about whether or not there’s any flexibility there.
If you need to book an event in the near future on a set date, it’s likely you’ll be last in the queue when it comes to great venues. And surely no one wants that!
2, The location
Where will the event take place, and is the location easy to get to?
2, The location
Where will the event take place, and is the location easy to get to?
Location, Location, Location. Yes, it’s the name of a popular UK TV show. But it can also mean everything when it comes to booking event venues.
Where is the conference or other event to be held? Before making a firm decision, do bear in mind how people will travel to the venue. A gorgeous venue in the middle of nowhere is no good if people who need to use public transport cannot actually get there!
Good transport links can mean the difference between who attends and who doesn’t when it comes to event venues. And that can mean the difference between success and failure when you want to pull off a show stopper of an event.
If attendees will be driving, it goes without saying that the venue should offer sufficient parking for all their cars.
See our post on how to find a venue near me.
3, The capacity
How many people can the venue accommodate by day and by night?
3, The capacity
How many people can the venue accommodate by day and by night?
The venue’s capacity is next on the list. How many people can the venue hold, in total? And how many in each space? Are we talking theatre or conference style?
There’s lots to consider when it comes to capacity. Not least overnight accommodation for anyone who won’t be travelling home after each day’s events, where this applies.
So you want to find a venue with sufficient space for the kind of event you want. And you need overnight accommodation for X number of people. Don’t forget the difference between the number of rooms and the number of people – unless you know they’re willing to share with someone they know well. Not everyone will be happy about bunking up with a stranger!
4, The catering
Does the venue offer the kind of catering you want, and can they cater for every guest?
4, The catering
Does the venue offer the kind of catering you want, and can they cater for every guest?
Everyone who comes to an event will expect to be fed and watered throughout. Whether that’s a breakfast meeting with casual, continental style fare or a gala dinner comprising multiple courses.
Does the venue provide the catering, or is it outsourced? If they say the latter, then put them on the spot by asking what they could – and would – do if the caterers failed to deliver.
As well as catering for the numbers, the right venue should also be able to provide the kind of catering you’re looking for. From sandwiches for lunch to a decadent afternoon tea, what sort of catering ticks all the boxes when you imagine the event taking place?
Being able to cater for large numbers doesn’t necessarily mean a venue can cater for every guest, either. What can they do to accommodate special dietary requirements or to provide food that will keep attendees sharp rather than nodding off during the afternoon?
5, The equipment
What sort of equipment is required, and can the venue supply or accommodate this?
5, The equipment
What sort of equipment is required, and can the venue supply or accommodate this?
Most conferences, meetings, socials and networking events will require some kind of equipment. From a notepad and pen on each table plus a flipboard in the meeting room, to a huge screen that even those sitting at the back of a vast space can see.
If you do require any equipment, can the venue supply this? If so, is there an additional cost? And again, is this provided by them, or by a third party who could fail to deliver on the day?
Think about furniture too. If the venue claims they can seat 500 in a large indoor space, will there be 500 chairs for attendees to sit on, or do these need to be obtained from elsewhere? What are the acoustics like within the rooms, and would any extra equipment improve sound?
6, The style
Does the venue reflect the company and its workforce – and will attendees like it?
6, The style
Does the venue reflect the company and its workforce – and will attendees like it?
Last but by no means least – consider the impression you want to give. Shallow it may seem, but attendees are far more likely to remember an event that took place in a space they fell in love with.
A modern company with a youthful workforce is probably going to want a venue to match. Ditto a more traditional business with employees who are older than average. If branding and style are important to the organisation, then for goodness sake make sure you pick a venue that reflects that image and ethos!
If all this sounds like a lot of hard work, why not call in the professionals? Here at Venue Finder Pro our free service can pin down the perfect venue for your next event, saving you time, money and stress in the process! Find out more today about what a venue finder can do for you, or get in touch with us right here.