Key Considerations In Choosing The Right Event Space

Choosing the ideal space to host an event can be fraught with be complexity. On the up side, the world of event management is chock full of choice but that doesn’t mean the process of finding the space appropriate to your type of event is an easy ride.  The amount of variety on offer in terms of location, facilities, staff and right down to visual appeal – can be overwhelming and it’s important to stay focused on what best suits the needs of the event itself. Attending a wedding in a corporate auditorium makes about as much sense as holding a conference on a stairway laced with bouquets.

Here are some factors to take into consideration.

Size:
Suppose you are hosting the launch of a business to a variety of potential clients and promoters at an estimated headcount of 300. You’ll want to be sure the space is large enough to accommodate that number of guests comfortably enough that they have room to move and circulate and get to and from any catering and information posts, but not so big that they are lost in the space, giving the appearance that not enough people were interested enough to turn up.

Versatility:
How is the space going to be used?  Does it offer all the components needed to accommodate audio visuals, speakers, entertainment, catering, seating for presentations and ambient space for meet-and-greet and circulating?  Is an outdoor area needed, a quiet room for press interviews, a digital station? Will multi-levels be needed? What opportunities are there for dressing the space ? Use imagination but keep the purpose of the event at the forefront of your vision.

Catering:
Again, match the catering “theme” to the proposed event.  The more innovative the offering behind the event, the more you may want to be adventurous in the menu you offer.  What is passed around on a tray or served on a plate at an event always says something about the vision of the people behind it. Likewise, if you want to be more cut-to-the-chase and less about the frills, bear that in mind with the food items you select. It’s worth putting some thought into it. An important consideration is for how long do you actually want your customers focused on eating? The length of the canapé menu should take that into account and your catering staff will need to be briefed in when to serve and when to sweep up the napkins.

Location:
If the event is attracting a substantial number of out-of-towners, proximity to transport connections and hotels is the number one priority.  Location needs to be appealing in other ways too. If you want to engage a crowd, putting them in a characterless box at the side of the motorway clearly isn’t the way.  They have taken a day at least out of their busy lives and depending on the event, they may even be hoping to get a taste of the atmosphere of the city itself.

These days every event relies heavily on technology and the event hosts need to be fully confident of full provision of everything needed and that there is no question that there will be any glitches on the day.
It is essential that attention is paid to providing a team of professional staff in all the areas needed and that you have enough staff to ensure things run smoothly.

Details like parking and accessibility are crucial. Your most important aim is to bring as many people as possible to the launch or celebration of your product or idea and to make it easy for them to do that, and then continue to wow them with the style and organization of the event itself.  You will make your mark by showing your welcome, your imagination and your attention to detail.

If you’ve ever planned a wedding or big family reunion, you’ll know that event planning falls into the category of Most Stressful Life Events. For that reason, there is major value in employing a world class event planner who should have the experience and expertise to cover off every detail above and can save you valuable time and money in the process.  Convention centers, for example, offer fully equipped, versatile venues that can cater to individual needs, and have a dedicated team of experienced staff who can connect you to the networks you need to be connected to and focus on delivering exactly the event you want to deliver.

Author Bio:
Chris Thompson is an experienced hotel manager and event planner having worked around the world in many hotels and conference venues… these days Chris enjoys sharing his experience through writing about business and travel.