Choosing the right venue can be a daunting task and knowing how to choose one is critical to any event. The best approach to finding a good venue involves extensive internet research for locations in your preferred area. Before you start, you should carefully lay the foundation of your search. It might take a little more work but investing time to learn how to find the perfect venue is smart and cost-effective. You don’t want to book a venue too quickly, only to find out it’s not a good fit. It’s not always guaranteed that you’ll always find the perfect location for your event, but taking the time to refine your search plan, you have a higher chance of success.
Here are some tips to begin your search for the best fitting venue and location for your event. By having a more clear and focused direction behind your research will secure the opportunity of having a highly rated venue and strengthen your overall event.
What to consider before you start searching for event venues
Having the right location and venue can make a difference, regardless of what your event is about. Here are 10 things to consider before you start looking for an event space.
1. Accessibility – By having a venue with a location that is easy to get to and has quality attractions just outside the venue, you will be able to maximize your event attendance.
2. Hotels – Having hotels nearby is a plus, especially for your guests who are coming from out of town. If there aren’t any convenient hotels, you might want to consider setting up a shuttle service from your venue for your attendees.
3. Timing – Ensure that the venue will be available for the dates that you are considering. It will be more difficult to book the venue if the venue is experiencing its peak season at the same time. It will also be difficult to navigate traffic and provide extras like VIP lounges.
4. Image – What is the vision of your event? Consider the image you want for your event and if it will fit into the space of the venue. Make sure that the venue aligns with your event brand and appeals to your target audiences and key stakeholders.
5. Budget – consider your budget and how much you are willing to spend on the venue. Before you even begin your search for a venue, make sure that you have established an event budget and make sure that your team comes to an agreement with it.
6. Staff – Pay attention to the attendee-to-event staff ratio. Ensure that you have enough staff to serve your guests and that everyone is aware of their responsibilities and expectations for the event. Also, keep in mind that you have enough staff for different tasks like event promotion and day-of coordination.
7. Equipment – Consider what additional equipment you might need to use at the venue, especially if you need to set up presentations and panels. Also, know what presentation components you’ll need and be sure to include the correct set-up capacity in your plan.
8. Branding – If you wanted additional branding options, be sure to consider signage and marquee space availability at the venue.
9. Technical – Some conferences have technical requirements. Your guests will appreciate if you set up charging stations, WiFi, and onsite tech support.
10. Food and beverage – If your event is going to have food and drinks, you should think about whether you prefer to bring in outside vendors or have on-site catering.
How to conquer your venue search
There are many tools and resources available to make sourcing your event space easier. Here are some tools to consider:
1. Splacer – The event venues on this platform are more design focused. Splacer was founded by architects so you can expect each listing to offer beauty and functionality that you might want for your next event. All submissions to the platform are thoroughly reviewed by their team for approval.
2. EVENTup – Event organizers can use this platform to browse, connect, and book spaces for conferences and events. The platform helps you discover spaces in all major cities. Their website is easy to navigate and will make going through hundreds of choices quick and easy.
3. Venue Review Tools – If you haven’t personally visited a venue, it can be hard to make a decision or know if another organization has hosted an event at that location. many options out there and it can become overwhelming. There are several websites out there that review venues and employ the power of the digital word of mouth. These websites can help you get a feel for an event venue without having to go there. Websites like Google Maps and Yelp are useful in finding venues by reading reviews from other people who have hosted events.
You can also speak to your network and talk to people who have previously thrown events, and which venues that have used. True recommendations are sometimes better than finding venues online. Reach out on social media platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook
Be competitive
You must have a competitive edge if you want your event to be successful, and you should check out where other events are being held. Aim to create a unique event space which will lead to a unique event experience. You should select an event space that aligns with your target audiences brand vision and a location that emphasizes local pride and showcases local businesses or culture.
Have a clear vision
It’s important to have a clear vision and end goal for your event. To do so you should plan out your event step by step before you begin to book locations. Many spaces will ask for a pre-event deposit which you won’t be able to get back if you decide to change your venue. By having a set out plan, your search for an event venue will be much easier. Set specific, measurable, actionable, reasonable and time sensitive (S.M.A.R.T.) conference goals when choosing an event venue.
Interior design
One thing that will really pull together your event is how to decorate the venue. Consider lighting and furniture and make sure it fits the mood and theme of your event. Creating a mood board can help envision the event before you start planning the decor.
Finding the right event venue is never an easy task. With the right resources and planning, the task of searching for a venue might be easier than you thought. If you’re looking for a great event venue in Toronto, Château Le Jardin Event Venue function hall is the place to go. With over 38,000 sq. ft. of beautifully appointed function space, the event venue provides fine catering services for all types of events, including but not limited to, weddings, anniversaries, conferences, seminars, and holiday parties! They even have event coordinators, highly trained staff, entertainment and decor services to ensure that your party will be what everyone is talking about for a long time. To learn more about our venue, contact Le Jardin here.
