Things To Consider When Choosing An Event Venue
Ahh… there’s an event scheduled to take place and you’ve been assigned the role of planner/manager/co-ordinator or any other fancy name, ...
https://newshelmng.blogspot.com/2015/10/things-to-consider-when-choosing-event.html
Ahh… there’s an event scheduled to take place and you’ve been assigned
the role of planner/manager/co-ordinator or any other fancy name,
uh…strategist? It’s one thing to be a seasoned event planner (although,
even they still have to put in work) but if you happened to just be
strolling along the office hallway and got drafted to chair an ad-hoc
event planning committee, then I guess you’ve got your work cut out for
you.
Planning a successful event is hard work, and so that all your hard work doesn’t come to waste, here are some things you should consider when selecting a venue:
1. Type of event: Needless to say, the ambience of the venue needs to be in tune with what the event is all about. Corporate seminar at the beach, anyone? It’s an extreme example but you get my point. Also, having at least a rough idea of what activities will take place at the event won’t hurt.
2. Number of attendees: Yes, I know you were expecting no more than 200 people but 250 showed up, it happens. The idea is to always try to get a place that can accommodate at least slightly more people than the upper limit of your estimated number of guests. If it’s a public event and you can’t afford the extra space, clearly state the number of spots available from the get go.
3. Type of Guests you’re inviting/hoping to attract & Image you’re looking to portray: Ranging from social status to age, you may want to tailor your venue choice to suit these purposes. Will there be kids present at the event? Make sure the venue is well designed to accommodate them. Also, is there a certain Image you might be looking to portray? Choosing the right venue(s) for your events can do wonderful things for your brand.
4. Cost/Budget ratio: At the end of the day, everything has to be tailored to suit your budget. In as much as you want to have a rocking venue, the quality of food and music should not suffer as a result.
5. Location: If the people attending live within a particular vicinity, picking a venue close by is of the essence. If the event is to be attended by people from varying locations, a centralised location is ideal. If people will be required to travel, having good hotels/guest houses close to the venue is a great idea. Also, accessibility is very important. You don’t want people having to employ the services of a GPS, a compass and an okada rider before they find it. Also, can guests PARK their vehicles conveniently? The venue itself may not have great parking but if you can find other surrounding facilities that can serve that purpose, that will suffice too.
6. Services & amenities that come with the venue
Some questions to ask are:
a. Does the venue come with good catering services? (emphasis on good)
b. Can you choose to come with your catering team or must you use theirs?
c. Is there a cleaning crew available or do you have to assemble yours?,
d. Does the venue come with good audio visual equipment (projector, quality sound system, etc)
e. Does it have good chairs, tables, decorations (in case you’re looking to save cost and can’t pull it off yourself. Of course, you would have to consider if it matches the theme of the event).
f. Are the Bathrooms selfie worthy?
7. Management issued venue conditions: There could be some restrictions as to what you are or aren’t allowed to do at the venue. Be sure to have these explicitly pointed out so as to avoid unpleasant surprises.
8. Acoustics: Basically, these are the qualities a room possess that determine how sound travels through it. It’s very important that the quality of sound at your event is on point. No echoes please.
Planning a successful event is hard work, and so that all your hard work doesn’t come to waste, here are some things you should consider when selecting a venue:
1. Type of event: Needless to say, the ambience of the venue needs to be in tune with what the event is all about. Corporate seminar at the beach, anyone? It’s an extreme example but you get my point. Also, having at least a rough idea of what activities will take place at the event won’t hurt.
2. Number of attendees: Yes, I know you were expecting no more than 200 people but 250 showed up, it happens. The idea is to always try to get a place that can accommodate at least slightly more people than the upper limit of your estimated number of guests. If it’s a public event and you can’t afford the extra space, clearly state the number of spots available from the get go.
3. Type of Guests you’re inviting/hoping to attract & Image you’re looking to portray: Ranging from social status to age, you may want to tailor your venue choice to suit these purposes. Will there be kids present at the event? Make sure the venue is well designed to accommodate them. Also, is there a certain Image you might be looking to portray? Choosing the right venue(s) for your events can do wonderful things for your brand.
4. Cost/Budget ratio: At the end of the day, everything has to be tailored to suit your budget. In as much as you want to have a rocking venue, the quality of food and music should not suffer as a result.
5. Location: If the people attending live within a particular vicinity, picking a venue close by is of the essence. If the event is to be attended by people from varying locations, a centralised location is ideal. If people will be required to travel, having good hotels/guest houses close to the venue is a great idea. Also, accessibility is very important. You don’t want people having to employ the services of a GPS, a compass and an okada rider before they find it. Also, can guests PARK their vehicles conveniently? The venue itself may not have great parking but if you can find other surrounding facilities that can serve that purpose, that will suffice too.
6. Services & amenities that come with the venue
Some questions to ask are:
a. Does the venue come with good catering services? (emphasis on good)
b. Can you choose to come with your catering team or must you use theirs?
c. Is there a cleaning crew available or do you have to assemble yours?,
d. Does the venue come with good audio visual equipment (projector, quality sound system, etc)
e. Does it have good chairs, tables, decorations (in case you’re looking to save cost and can’t pull it off yourself. Of course, you would have to consider if it matches the theme of the event).
f. Are the Bathrooms selfie worthy?
7. Management issued venue conditions: There could be some restrictions as to what you are or aren’t allowed to do at the venue. Be sure to have these explicitly pointed out so as to avoid unpleasant surprises.
8. Acoustics: Basically, these are the qualities a room possess that determine how sound travels through it. It’s very important that the quality of sound at your event is on point. No echoes please.
