Never throw the right event at the wrong venue. Your choice of venue can be the determining factor in whether or not your event is a success. And, considering that your event is an outward expression of you and your brand, you cannot afford to overlook this crucial selection.
Your ideal venue needs to meet or exceed each of the following parameters:
1. Location
Your event venue must be accessible and in a convenient location. Even the most serene and beautiful setting cannot make up for a stressful commute there and back
*Planner Tip: If you have found the perfect venue, but its not convenient, look into transportation options for your guests
2. Capacity
Know how many people your event venue will comfortably seat. No one wants to be crowded into a room especially for extended periods of time. Also, you don’t want a venue that is too large either. As Goldilocks would say, you want a venue that is just right.
3. Technology
Many entrepreneurs either underestimate their technology needs or make uncorroborated assumptions when negotiating with a venue. Your guests do not want to sit around while you struggle to find a computer or have to flag down a maintenance person to get a longer extension cord. Technological issues are easily prevented when requirements are clearly outlined and planned for accordingly.
4. Food and Beverage
You want your attendees to be comfortable and satisfied, and food and drink go a long way to make this happen. You should provide for plenty of food options to satisfy a variety of diets, while at the same time serving the most delicious food and beverages your budget allows. *Planner Tip: Remember to ask about dietary restrictions on registration forms
Event Planners Ensure the Perfect Venue
Professional event planners are skilled to help you select the perfect venue for your event. They have experience with hundreds of venues and know first-hand which venues will meet your needs, and which will not. They know how to research, evaluate and book the ideal venue. Further, the relationships they have cultivated with venues and vendors enable them to book hard-to-get venues and negotiate costs far below what you can get on your own. It is not uncommon for an event planner to book a venue that was previously “unavailable.”
Planner Tip: Provide as much information as possible (in an organized and concise format) so your first round of proposals provide you with as many details and prices as possible, eliminating all the time going back and forth filling in the blanks.
Having an event planner do all the legwork, negotiate with the venue, handle all the back-and-forth phone calls and nitty-gritty details up to and including the event itself, frees up your time to do what you do best - wow your guests with your brand and content.
Not only will your event planner take crucial planning tasks off your to-do list, but she will also find the best way to stretch your budget to deliver the event of your dreams.
There is nothing more powerful than an event to boost your brand and your legacy. But an event executed poorly can do equal harm.
A professional event planner knows to never throw the right event at the wrong venue. And her expertise in turning a room into a “Wow” experience will transform your event from a one-time offering to something that’s talked about for years to come.