We often get asked ‘what do venue finding agencies do?’ If you have been tasked with planning an event for your company, then you already know what a time-consuming and somewhat daunting task this can be. So, to answer the original question, what Conferences Group do is to take some of that responsibility off your shoulders.
We have a lot of experience as a free venue finding agency, and so will consider things that you may not have thought about – such as:
Venue Suitability
- Does the venue fit your companies’ corporate image?
- Does the venue promote the right impression for your particular event?
- Will the venue appeal to your target audience?
- Will the employees at the venue contribute to the attendee’s experience in any way?
Venue Location
- Is the venue easily accessible for those who wish to attend?
- Are there road/rail/air links near to the venue?
- Is the venue location suitable for any excursions, events or shows that have been planned?
- Is the venue quiet, close to accommodation and in a good area?
Venue Availability
- Is the venue available on the dates you need it?
- Are any additional extras you require, such as audio/visual equipment, available on the dates you need it?
- How flexible are you if the venue needs to change the meeting dates for some reason?
Venue Size
- Is the seating capacity within the venue suitable for your needs?
- Are the meeting rooms of a size that will provide a comfortable experience to your attendees
- Are the venue’s meeting rooms well laid out? Do they offer a clear view of the speaker for all attendees?
- Does the layout of the venue allow attendees to move around freely without any bottlenecks occurring?
Venue Facilities
- Does the venue have a variety of rooms you can use, including an auditorium if necessary? Does it have small rooms you can use for breakaway sessions?
- Can the venue offer additional extras such as stationary, whiteboards, a projector and so on?
- Does the venue offer Wi-Fi access? Do they have a photocopying service? Can they make laptops available if you need them?
- Can they provide food and beverages throughout the day?
- If you have attendees with dietary needs, such as Vegans or those who are Gluten Free attending – can the venue cope with this?
- Does the venue have enough parking spaces to fit all the attendees comfortably?
- Are the rooms you will be using within the venue temperature controlled and well ventilated?
- Is the venue accessible for attendees with disabilities?
- Is there a bar or restaurant on site for after conference drinks and networking?
- Do they have sports and leisure facilities such as a gym or a pool?
- Is the venue able to offer accommodation – if required?
Venue Costs
- Does the venue cost fall within the budget you have for this meeting?
- What type of rates does the venue offer? Is it a 24 hour per delegate rate, individual room hire rate or something else?
- Do they offer any discounts? Can the price be negotiated on?
- Does the overall cost, including any extras you have added, compare well with other options or offers? For example, would it be cheaper to have the attendees stay somewhere else, rather than on site at the venue?
- Are there any hidden costs to the venue?
- Is a deposit required to hold the venue? If so, when does this need to be paid?
- When does the final cost of the venue have to be paid?
- What is the venues cancellation policy? Will you receive a full or partial refund if you have to cancel?
That is a lot to take into consideration, right? Which is just one good reason why you should use a venue finding service for your next event. Here are some more good reasons why:
- We have knowledge of and experience with hundreds of venues, and are skilled at placing the right event at the right venue
- We can save you lots of time, all you have to do is give us the brief and we take care of all of the venue searching and negotiating for you
- We have great buying power, and as we have built up good relationships with the venues we work with we are in a position to negotiate you a better deal than you may be able to get yourself
- We have already assessed the venue on your behalf, and can provide you with ideas based on your needs and personal preferences
- We can shield you from all of the chase-calls you tend to get from venues when you are making booking enquiries
- We work hard to make sure everything is included in the price that you see from the venue, so you are not hit with any surprise hidden costs such as food and drink or hospitality requirements further on down the line.
- If you have a short lead time before our meeting, we can source you somewhere suitable fast
- Best of all, we offer all of this at no cost to you. Yes, our service is free!
At the end of the day, you want to get the most out of your meeting, and to do that you need to use hotel booking agency to ensure the venue you choose adds to the experience of those attending.
