If you have just been asked to arrange an event for your company, how do you go about finding the right venue to suit your needs? You will need to find the right environment to not only accommodate your event but to enhance the attendees’ experience. How do you begin?
What Is The Brief
When it comes to finding a venue an event planner should first take a closer look at the brief that they’ve been given. There are a number of important elements within the brief that you’ll need to confirm, as otherwise, you won’t be able to find the right location to host the occasion. You’ll need to address the following three questions:
- What are the goals that need to be achieved by the event’s end?
- Who will be attending the event?
- Why is the event taking place?
The answer to these three questions will help you to choose the right corporate event venue for your need.
What Type Of Event Are You Hosting?
The type of event is essential to getting the venue right. A conference, for example, may need a very different environment to an awards dinner or product launch.
Depending on the type of your event, the venue atmosphere could have an important role to play. For example, you could choose a simple venue for an event which is low key, but if you’re planning an event which is designed to impress, you will probably want to opt for a more elegant and sophisticated setting.
How Many Guests Are Attending?
When arranging any type of corporate event hire, you’ll need clear attendees numbers in order to ensure guests have the most comfortable experience possible. You don’t want to have everyone crowded into a room that is too small or, conversely, having a handful of delegates spread out over an enormous space. Once you know the number of people and the type of event, you’ll be well-placed to determine a seating plan.
The Date And Time of The Event
Knowing when the event will be held is key to arranging the perfect venue. The more notice you have and the more flexible you can be, the easier you’ll find it to arrange the venue you’ve chosen. Of course, you’ll also need a clear idea about the length of the event. Will it be held for just a few hours, an evening or for several days? All of this will have a major impact. For example, at a multi-day event, you may need to arrange accommodation and therefore a hotel could be a good choice of venue.
Catering Requirements
You may need to arrange food for many types of corporate event. The nature of that food, however, will vary to suit the occasion. A breakfast meeting may only require coffee and pastries, whereas an awards dinner may require a full sit-down three-course dinner and a conference may require a casual lunch-time buffet to be served. You’ll need to determine whether the venue can provide the appropriate food and drink or whether external caterers will be required.
Which Facilities Will Be Required?
When choosing a venue for a corporate event, you’ll need to plan for any facilities which may be required. These, again, will vary depending on the nature of the event. For example, you may need to think of such basic necessities as arranging parking for all attendees, or more complex requirements such as entertainment for a corporate party or corporate event equipment for audio visual needs for a conference or presentation. Many venues will be able to meet those needs, but in some cases, you may have to source your corporate event equipment or find suitable entertainment from elsewhere, and this will require advance planning.
How Big Is The Budget?
The final element to keep in mind when arranging any corporate event hire is the budget that is available to you. At the end of the day, staying within your financial limits is paramount. When you’ve added up all of the costs you’ll then be able to select the right venue that ticks all your boxes but which also won’t exceed your budget.
