Finding the Right Venue for a Corporate Event

So you’ve decided to host your first live client event. It’s exciting, but there are so many details to consider. One of the biggest is where to hold your event. These are a few of the things you need to think about when looking for a venue to put on your corporate event.

Who Will Attend?

Before deciding on a venue, you need to understand who will be attending this event and where they’re coming from. For example, if you run a neighborhood association and want to have an off-site, it’s probably best to choose a venue that is right in the community and has ample parking. That way attendees can walk, take public transportation or drive themselves. On the other hand, if you’re looking to draw several out of town participants, look for a well-known venue near the airport. You don’t want your visitors to arrive to your event late and frustrated because their cab driver didn’t know where to go.

What Surrounds the Venue?

A great venue for a multi-day event will be surrounded by restaurants, shopping and other activities. This helps you as the organizer because you don’t have to plan every minute of the event for the attendees.  Instead, you can add something like, “dinner on your own,” which leaves plenty of time for them to network and you to prepare for the next day. Having your event in a desirable location may get someone who is on the fence to attend because they can stretch their dollars and make it a dual trip: the conference and a mini family vacation, leaving their spouses and children to explore the city during the day and family time before and after the conference.

What Does It Cost?

When adding up the cost of your venue, don’t just think about renting the meeting or banquet rooms. There may be other added costs you need to account for, like catering. Some places only allow you to use their caterers rather than bring in your own vendors.  If you have special audiovisual needs, that may not be included and incur an added cost, too. Do you need to put down a deposit, and if so, how far in advance do you need to make it?  Lastly, if for some reason you have to cancel, do they offer full or partial refunds?

Who Has Used This Place Before?

If you don’t know where to begin looking for a venue, ask a friend. The venue will always put its best foot forward when trying to win your business. To understand what really happens during an event, ask someone who has hosted there before. One person looking to host an event in Florida was pleasantly surprised when he asked a friend about her past experiences with venues there.  His friend stated, “We were looking to have a corporate event in Palm Beach Gardens, and I couldn’t have been happier with what we found.” When talking about the venue she chose, she noted the beauty of the place’s marble floors, the access to a full service kitchen, and the state of the art audio visual capability.