Sourcing the right venue for your event can be a daunting task. With so much choice and endless search engine results, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Now might be the perfect time to think about consulting a venue finding expert such as Brief2Event. To get you started, here are the company’s top tips for finding your next event venue.
1 Identify your needs
This might sound like an obvious point, but before you begin you really need to consider what you want your venue to deliver and what impression you want to give those attending.
Do you want a formal, corporate space to discuss important issues, a bright, energising space to generate ideas and promote creativity, or a luxurious feel to reward?
You might want a venue that reflects the industry you’re in, the topic you’re addressing, or a venue that delivers a subtle message such as “this company is really technologically advanced” or “this company is traditional and historical”.
You’ll also need to consider how much space you’ll need, your approximate numbers, how you’d like to seat people and what equipment you’ll have.
2 Choosing your event date
You may not have flexibility in your event dates, but by considering a non-peak date or day of the week could really pay dividends. Looking at a Monday or Friday for example will often mean lower prices and more chance of availability, whereas holding a corporate event in August in some cases can reduce the spend by up to half depending on the location! Venues also often have empty space around school holidays and before/after bank holidays, so if you’re budget driven you may want to consider going for these.
3 Knowing your budget
Having an idea of your budget before you begin your venue search really is essential. Not just for the obvious reasons, but also to save enormous amounts of time looking at unrealistic options. Giving an accurate budget will help the venue to build a package that best fits your needs and will ensure they focus on the elements that are important to you.
Working with a venue finding agency such as Brief2Event to secure your venue will increase the buying power of your budget, as they will have strong relationships with a range of venues already in place. They will also have teams of experienced events staff and rate negotiators.
4 Selecting the best location
Location is one of the most important factors for any event. It can impact on everything from supplier access to event attendance and overall success. You need to consider a range of transport modes and costs, plus proximity to accommodation (if not onsite). It is also worth remembering that in a location such as London it might be worth travelling a few extra tube stops to get a more suitable venue and where rates will be more competitive.
A venue finding agency will be able to advise you on rate fluctuations between locations as well as access and suitability as they will have most likely visited the venues in the area.
5 What facilities do you need?
Make a list of the facilities that are essential and desirable for your event. Free wifi, accessibility, natural daylight in the event space, and car parking are often important considerations for most events. Knowing what you need from the start will avoid disappointment at a later stage, for example if you find out there’s a daily charge for internet access after you’ve set your heart on a particular venue.
6 Consider research and time restraints
With so many ways of searching online, you’re bound to have a wealth of venues at your fingertips and you’ll undoubtedly want to undertake research into which are the best options. But where to start?
Venue sourcing and checking rates and availability can be extremely time consuming and often frustrating and confusing. You’ll need to contact each venue separately and then collate all the incoming quotes, calls and emails into a side-by-side comparison to be able to make an informed choice.
This is where you may want to enlist the help of a free venue finding agency to do all the hard work for you. Companies like Brief2Event specialise in matching client briefs to venue options and negotiating hard on budget. They will undertake all the venue contact, make recommendations based on other events and work hard to seek out the very best venue for you. You’ll also receive one document with all the information you need on each venue.
7 Get recommendations
Whatever your event it’s important that you chose a venue with a reputation for delivering successful meetings and events. If you haven’t used the venue before it’s a good idea to look at their previous events, perhaps via social media or even review sites. If you are using an agency to assist with your venue find you will be able to draw from their experience and recommendations. In-depth venue product knowledge is in fact one of the main benefits you will find when working with a professional venue finder such as Brief2Event.
8 Visiting venues
The size and importance of your event will determine whether you need a site visit. Event agencies will often arrange these on your behalf and agents such as Brief2Event accompany all client appointments where possible.
If you’re looking for the perfect venue for your next event and would like to access Brief2Event’s free venue finding service for corporate events, please call 01202 400850, or email info@brief2event.com. You can also visit the website for further information at brief2event.com.
