(ThyBlackMan.com) When planning an event or business meeting, there are several factors that come into play. The ideal date, catering option, time schedule, and the number of invited attendees are some of the things you need to consider. All these heavily rely on the choice of venue. The venue of your choice may determine some of the above factors. This means that it is essential to determine a venue before you start planning for the conference. How do you determine the right place to hold your event?
Location
To maximise event attendance, choose a venue that is easily accessible. For a local event, consider a venue within your locality. The venue should be close to most attendees’ homes or places of work. However, if most attendees will need to travel to the event, make sure that you choose a venue that is easy to locate and access. You can help with accessibility by providing a GPS map to the venue.
Parking
Does the venue have sufficient parking or a valet parking service? Most business conferences are attended by a large number of guests. A perfect conference venue should have ample parking for attendees. However, some venues may lack a large parking space but hire a nearby parking facility.
Capacity
What is the capacity of your preferred conference venue? If your estimated event size is 300 people, a 250-person capacity venue would be too small to host the conference. It is advisable to select large conferences venues for all your business events. A 400-people capacity venue would be perfect to hold any kind of business conference.
Services and amenities
The ideal services may depend on your conference needs. If the event will be a one or two-day event, choose a venue with accommodation services. Does the venue offer catering services? What kind of food and drinks does it offer? If you are planning a large conference, you might need to enquire about AV facilities. Are there microphones and speakers available onsite?
Cost
Lastly, choose a venue that is within your planned budget. Most conferences have a budget. The budget includes venue hiring cost, food and accommodation. The best time to start searching for a venue is at least 5-6 months before the conference date. This provides ample time to budget for the conference and find a conference venue that is within your budget.
As the year ends, most businesses are planning their AGM conferences. Have you thought of where to host this year’s conference? You may be planning to invite investors and sponsors to an open business forum? Make sure that you find a perfect conference venue to comfortably host your invited attendees.
Staff Writer; Aaron Brown