Choosing the perfect venue: 5 things to look out for

Picking the right venue for your conference, meeting, team away day, or whatever the next work get together will be, is not as easy as it may sound, but we we have just the right tips for you when searching for The venue. Read on for a few handy tips on finding that perfect venue!

1. Figure out the must haves

It’s a good idea to have a list of requirements you know will be essential to make the event run smoothly, what that perfect venue must have. This could include available space, location, storage or anything else that you may think it’s important for the comfort of your guests and event staff.

When planning your event and identifying possible venues, you must already have a list of things you are or aren’t willing to compromise on, no matter how amazing a venue is.

Once you have that list you can start eliminating venues that don’t fit your requirements, even if the venue is dreamy. If it lacks certain essentials, you can strike it from the list.

2. Venue & brand

Another important element when choosing your perfect venue is that it should always match the image of your company. Whatever venue you go for, ensure that it reflects your ethos, your core values and what you and your team stand for.

You always need to make sure the venue and your company give the impression of the branding you are aiming to convey. Bear in mind all aspects of the event: what kind of attendees will you have?, what will the topic of the event be?, if it’s an informal meeting with a lot of content to digest, the delegates are going to need to be comfortable and in an inspiring atmosphere with soft furniture.

Everything you pick for the venue needs to be in line with the branding you have built for your business, so no detail is ever too small!

3. Event budget

Your budget will have a huge influence and impact on the decision you make. The budget will dictate what elements of the venue you can compromise, what elements you’ll need to cut back from and which you’ll need to strike completely off the list.

Essentially, your event budget will assist you in defining how far you can go with your planning and what to include or leave out.

It can really narrow down the thousands of venue choices out there, so it’s an integral part of the venue choosing process. It’s important to know exactly how and where you are going to spend the budget.

4. Venue location & surrounding areas

How easy it is to access this venue? Are there any works happening in the surrounding areas that make the access difficult? Is it a rural or urban location? How peaceful or busy are the surroundings? These are just a few of the questions you may want to ask yourself when looking for a suitable venue. Most of the times, this detail is overlooked but location is just as important as the venue itself.

Your venue location can either make or break your event, so a good idea is to visit the area to ensure it checks all the important boxes!

It’s always a good idea to check out any roadworks or construction in the area that could affect the journey the delegates make to the venue. If you are planning an event that requires peace and quiet on the day, for example, unless you have exclusive use of a venue, you may be affected by something happening in the room next door. So, always check!

5. Technology & facilities

Another especially important aspect is ensuring all technology is up to date and functional for your event. Depending on the kind of event you’re planning to deliver, a large part of the entertainment or even the event content itself may depend on modern and reliable equipment and technology.

The available technology should be able to maintain a high quality level throughout the event to ensure your guests’ comfort and meet their demand, no matter the size of your event!

Strong Wi-Fi is an absolute must when it comes to a large conference, for example. If there are loads of different streaming on and 400+ people trying to get on the venue’s Wi-Fi all at the same time, it’s important your connection is quick and that it works. There’s also nothing worse than the screen packing up, or the projector not projecting halfway through a presentation. So, up to date AV is a must for a smooth event!

Looking for your perfect venue?

We have been in the events industry for over 25 years, organising some amazing experiences for businesses just like yours. If you’d like to get something, put together for you and your colleagues, just get in touch. Organising unforgettable experiences is what we do best!