Choosing an event center for an event is one of the key moments when planning an event. The main thing is to have something to choose from. In this article, we will try to write a step-by-step guide on how to choose an event venue. Before you start looking for a venue , you need to clearly define the following points: the event budget, the number of visitors, the format and type of the event.
When To Book A Venue ?
To book an event venue, the ideal time frame is a minimum 5/6 months. In this case, you can consider that the chosen date is carved in stone. Your time management and setting intermediate deadlines in preparation will dance from this stove. In addition, this is quite enough to conduct a competent marketing promotion of the event. Three factors come to the fore:
- Type of the event
- Number of guests, and
- The time of the event.
For example, if we are talking about a corporate event for a large team, when the approximate dates and probability of holding it tend to 100%, you should book the event space 6-8 months in advance. Or if it is some kind of recurring event, a specialized annual conference, which implies time for announcement, then it is also worth booking the premises as early as possible.
But the reality is such that it is extremely rare for anyone to start choosing a venue six months in advance, not to mention a specific choice. The matter is further complicated by the fact that the number of premises capable of hosting more than 300 guests can be counted on the fingers of one hand.
Specific Advice: If you want to hold an event before the New Year, it is worth booking a venue in May-June, and if you want to hold an event, for example, in December, you should book the venue in May-June.
If these are not the so-called golden dates, or you are not sure that the dates will not change, then you should not do this six months in advance: you need to consider that the venue will ask for an advance payment after some time, and it will not be returned if your plans change.
How To Optimize Time When Selecting A Site?
There are several useful tools available around the world to help you find your way around. We recommend contacting your local sources or using online services. At the moment, specialized services that would combine data on area, plan-scheme, capacity, etc., do not work. The opposite situation is pleasant, but an exception.
Moreover, the situation with the official sites is also sad: often they do not provide the necessary information, the user has to try hard to find even contact information on these resources. A request for additional information can take 2-3 days, which is unthinkable for business. Only long-term cooperation, experience and knowledge of local sites saves.
So, you are ready to find the perfect site for your event. Let’s look at the following major key factors that we are asked to keep in mind.
Price
The budget for the event is a very important criteria when selecting an event center. So, you need to find a venue that is adequate in price, so that there is money left for food, drinks and the entertainment part of the event. The fact is that you can shift the date, so that a little can help here. Certain days of the week are cheaper.
Yes, this is also true for the USA market: Monday through Thursday, prices are different from Friday through Sunday. In practice, you should try to rent the venue on the date that is convenient for the customer, and if possible, you can reduce the rental cost by moving the date – so you have to think, calculate, and discuss.
There are some other ways to reduce costs: you can probably agree on increasing the check for food instead of increasing the rental cost. It is better for your guests to be well-fed than for you to overpay for the rent.
Location And Accessibility
Convenient location means different things in different cases. If we are talking about a specific and compact group of visitors, then proximity to their place of residence and work will make sense.
When it comes to visitors from other regions, the most obvious solution is to choose a site closer to the airport or hotels. The best option is when all visitors are accommodated at the event venue. No need to rack your brains over the lack of parking spaces. No one will be late or get lost.
This time, it is not about location, but rather about convenience for your guests. Many novice event organizers forget that people are different. They choose, for example, a family format and do not care about the availability of special rooms for entertainment and relaxation.
First of all, you should think about the visitors and use common sense. So, you need to be very careful when choosing event organizers to get the best event planning services from them. We are going to share some important guidelines with tips on “Wedding Venue: Guide to Choosing Your Dream Place” in this blog post.
If there are children at the event, you should definitely think not only about what to do with them, but also about their safety and comfort – a conference hall in a business center will not suit you. If the event gathers a business audience, then hold it in the city center. If we are planning for a corporate event, you should find a suitable venue outside the city in terms of equipment and are ready to spend money on logistics – hold it outside the city.
If the venue is located on the outskirts, keep in mind that both the organizers and guests will spend a lot of time moving from the city center to its outskirts, stuck in traffic jams. This will automatically reduce the attendance of the event and increase transportation costs. So, we advise you to first calculate all the risks, taking into account the specifics of the event, and then make a decision.
Capacity
Usually, you know in advance how many guests will attend your event. It is unlikely that you will forget to specify such an important parameter as the capacity of the room. But, just in case, we remind you. Firstly, it is incredibly difficult to accommodate 500 people in a hall designed for 250 seats. Secondly, there are fire safety rules and regulations that the owner of the building must comply with. Here it is also worth calculating the minimum required amount of food and drinks. So, you must include this indicator in the planned calculations.
Foods & Drinks
When calculating the amount of food and water, you need to consider several factors. First, the number of guests. Second, the type of event. Third, the duration. So, for a 3-4 hour conference, in addition to tea and coffee, you will need 0.3-0.5 ml of still water per person.
You should calculate the amount of food according to the same principle – how many guests, how long, what kind of event. A person from the industry or an experienced event agency will help with competent calculations. Remember one thing: the tastier and more you feed – the better, everyone loves to eat. A well-fed client is a satisfied client and vice versa.
Already during the preparation process, the parameters of the venue will be wedged into many decisions. Each time, the choice can be a little scary: what other factors should be taken into account, what should you pay attention to?
Interior
You should pay particular attention to the décor and design of the premises where the event will take place. The architecture of the building and the interior decoration already express a certain idea, which should ideally be in harmony with the idea of the event. Obviously, you can select different premises for a company exhibition or a director’s anniversary. The rule here is: the less the interior and the site itself correspond to the ideology of the event, the more time and money you will spend on their design.
Even if you are looking for a venue in advance and have time to thoroughly prepare, at the initial stage you have the vaguest idea of what specific activities your event will include. What will be included in the official part, what in the unofficial part, what needs of guests and the team will arise during the event?
In order to ease the agony of choice, it would be nice to have a plan, a diagram of the building on hand. It is worth visiting several locations to see with your own eyes where the entrances and exits are, how to arrange tables and chairs, where to deploy equipment. Up to whether the sockets are conveniently located, where you can charge the equipment.
Why is the layout of the premises important? Because, knowing what and where, you will be able to manage human traffic. Where do most visitors gather? Near the registration desk? At the entrance to the hall? Keep this in mind when choosing an event venue. Because the comfort of your guests will depend on how you arrange tables, stands, promoters.
Will you need a stage, do you need a bar, an indoor demonstration area? Let’s add that it is possible and necessary to surprise guests with non-standard solutions. And don’t be afraid of setting up a site that is not intended for a specific event: first of all, you need to pay attention to what this step will mean in terms of marketing indicators, traffic, passability, and image. Carefully calculate all the pros and cons before making a choice.
Find the perfect venue for your next event!
Service and maintenance
Appearance is good. But you also need to consider the service that the landlords of the premises are ready to offer. Pay attention to the following things:
- Catering Service
Is there a kitchen in the building and are the owners ready to provide your guests with food? If so, then you can often save a lot. You will only be calculated on the cost of prepared products per person without an additional fee for services. Venues without their own kitchen may have contracts with a catering company or a café.
You should clarify this point, otherwise, you can place an order yourself through your contractors. In the West, such venues often have contracts with companies that supply catering services. It is good if these are reliable and responsible suppliers. If not, problems may arise.
Catering makes an important contribution to the overall impression of your event. If the landlord imposes his supplier on you, and you doubt his integrity, it is better to refuse the services of both.
- Overall Decoration
Are there chairs, tables and equipment in the building that you can use? In the case when everything you need can be found on site, you save a lot of time, money and nerves. Make sure all of this meets your requirements. Check in advance whether the room has audio and video equipment, or whether you will have to bring it with you.
Does the building have a team of installers to install the equipment and a team of professional cleaners? If so, rejoice. This is not as common as it may seem. Otherwise, you will have to form your own team of handymen.
Acoustics
Have you ever been to an event where you have to shout over each other, strain your ears to hear anything? Doubtful pleasure, isn’t it? It’s all about the acoustics of the room. Simply put, this is the parameter that is responsible for the propagation of sounds inside the room. Low ceilings create an atmosphere of coziness. But if the room is crowded, the noise level goes off the charts. Huge spaces will echo, or, as architects call it, re-vibration.
Usually, the parameters of the room are very important that you must consider. But you can, for example, provide for the possibility of using the courtyard for informal communication. You can prepare a canopy in advance.
With the help of sound and light, by choosing harmonious colors, you can increase the height of the ceilings, the volume of the room, make it so that the space can “breathe” comfortably. If you find a good team, personnel, and also consider all the factors that we wrote about – any room can be turned from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan.
