Whether you’re planning a corporate conference, a wedding, a trade show, or an intimate gathering, understanding the subtleties of venue sourcing is very important. To help you maximize your event’s ROI, we’ve put together everything you need to know about event venue sourcing – from identifying your event’s goals, researching potential venues, conducting site visits, negotiating contracts, and keeping up with the latest industry trends.
This all-inclusive guide will take you through the complex process of event venue sourcing, providing you with knowledge and tools for making informed decisions that will set your event up for success.
By the end of this article, you’ll be empowered with all you need to know to ace the venue-sourcing process with confidence and precision.
Understanding Your Event Needs
Before you can start your search for the ideal venue, you need to know what your event specifically requires.
This foundational step will inform all the decisions you make throughout the sourcing process.
Define Your Event Type and Purpose
Begin by clearly stating the nature of the event you are planning and its main objectives.
A professional conference focused on networking and the sharing of knowledge?
A product launch to be used as a platform for buzz and media attention?
Perhaps an award gala: a function to celebrate achievement?
The nature of your event will determine the ideal venue.
Estimate Attendance
The more accurate an estimate you have of your expected attendance, the better. This number will help you size venues and is a factor to consider with catering, seating, and other logistical considerations.
Tip: If you are unsure, opt for a slightly larger space that can scale, if needed.
Determine Your Budget
Your budget will be the biggest decision in choosing your venue. Make sure to account for all possible fees within the venue, including:
- Rent
- Minimum catering requirements
- Audio-visual equipment
- Staffing and services
- Insurance
- Decorations and setup
Remember, not all venues are equal and may hide additional charges; so be sure to ask for an itemized breakdown of possible charges.
Consider Your Audience
Think about who the ideal attendee is, for your event. Their demographics, interests, and expectations will guide your choice of venue.
For instance, a hip, digitally-savvy crowd might appreciate an edgy, non-traditional space, whereas a corporate audience, perhaps more formal and conservative, might want a traditional hotel or conference center.
List Your Must-Have Amenities
Write down a list of absolute musts your venue has to have. For example:
- Minimum square footage
- Specific room types (for example: breakout spaces, green rooms)
- Technical capabilities, including high-speed internet and built-in AV systems
- Accessibility features
- Parking capacity
- On-site catering
Determine Your Ideal Date and Time
Having a flexible range of dates may open your options, but when working with a fixed date in mind, it could reduce your options for the available venues.
Other considerations are season, day, and time, as these can determine the availability of venues and their pricing.
Types of Event Venues
Understanding the many location choices will enable you to match your event needs to the correct venue.
This chapter covers typical event locations:
Hotels and Resorts
Advantages:
- All services under one roof: Accommodation, catering, and venue
- Experienced staff with knowledge of event and guest management
- Centrally located with easy access to transport
Disadvantages:
- Maybe be on the expensive side
- May not allow extensive customizations or branding
- Less flexibility with the use of external suppliers
Convention Centers
Advantages:
- Good capacity for large-scale events
- High-quality facilities and equipment
- Multiple break-out rooms
Disadvantages:
- Tends to lack warmth
- Are often less functional without additional decoration
- Can be very rigid and formal
Unique or Historic Venues
Advantages:
- Can establish memorable and impactful experiences
- Can reflect certain chosen themes or brand identities
- Tend to photograph well and bring a richness to event experience
Disadvantages:
- Lack some of the conveniences of newer venues
- Can impose harsh restrictions on alterations or decor
- May need more internal planning
Academic Venues
Advantages:
- Often more affordable
- Good for educational or academia-focused events
- Usually well-equipped with technology
Disadvantages:
- May have limited availability during the academic year
- Can feel less luxurious than other options
- Might have strict policies on alcohol or late-night events
Outdoor Venues
Advantages:
- Creates a natural, friendly, outdoor setting
- Can accommodate a large number of people can be seated
- Usually less expensive than indoor venues
Disadvantages:
- Weather factors, so backup plans must be prepared
- Rental of tents, chairs, and portable toilets
- Not ideal for audio-visual arrangements
Virtual and Hybrid Venues
Advantages:
- Accommodates a wide, global audience
- Ordinarily, way more cost-friendly compared to most event formats
- Offers wide range of flexibility and scalability
Disadvantages:
- Demands a strong technology infrastructure
- Minimal personal connect, present in face-to-face events
- Maintaining attendee engagement is more challenging
Researching Potential Venues
Once you are clear about your needs and the types of venues, you can begin your search.
Below are some tactics for finding appropriate venues:
Online Venue Directories
Online platforms to search for venues. Platforms like EventUp, and Venuefinder.com will give you filters based on location, capacity, or amenities.
Social Media and Review Sites
Through Instagram, you get some visual overviews of the venues, whereas, on Yelp or TripAdvisor, you can get reviews from previous clients who hired them.
Industry Networks and Recommendations
Tap your professional connections for referrals. Sometimes, colleagues, vendors, and industry organizations are good sources of insider information about excellent venues.
Convention and Visitor Bureaus
Local convention and visitor bureaus are a gold mine for finding venues. They usually have extensive listings of venues that exist in their jurisdiction, along with local incognito in which to add.
Site Selection Companies
Professional site selection firms have large databases of venues and can often gain better rates through their industry contacts.
Virtual Tours and 360-Degree Videos
Most venues, today, offer virtual tours or even 360-degree videos of their spaces. This is an effective way to get a feel for a venue without having to embark on an initial on-site visit.
Key Factors to Consider When Sourcing Venues
As you search through potential venues, keep in mind the following factors of utmost importance:
Location and Accessibility
- Easy access to airports, public transportation, and hotels
- Ample and convenient parking
- Accessibility for all attendees, including accessibility for persons with disabilities
Capacity and Layout
- Sufficient space to comfortably accommodate your expected attendees
- Flexibility within the space to handle various components of your event (e.g. main session, breakouts, networking area flow of traffic from one area to another
Technical Capabilities
- Quality and capacity of in-house AV equipment
- Internet bandwidth and reliability
- Lighting options and controls
Catering and Food Service
- Quality of food and variety
- Flexibility to accommodate special diets
- Servicing capabilities for beverages and alcoholic beverages, if applicable
Amenities and Services
An on-site coordinator
- Security measures and staff
- Facilities for cleaning and maintenance
- Availability of business center
Ambiance and Aesthetics
- Overall outlook/feel of the venue
- Supports the theme or brand of your event
- Natural light and views the in venue
Cost and Value
- Transparency of price
- Services included, services not included
- Value for your money compared with others
Safety and Compliance
- The venue has emergency procedure
- It adheres to local safety standards
- It has insurance requirements
Environmental Practices
- Energy conservation measures
- Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle programs
- Green product usage
Site Visits and Evaluations
After you have a list of leads, start visiting the venues. Here is how to get the most out of your venue tours:
Prepare a Checklist
Create a checklist of all elements you should assess. This will ensure you do not miss something critical during the visit.
Visualize Your Event
Walk through the space. Ask yourself how your event will flow. Consider the flow of the event, how the attendees walk through the event, placement of key elements, and overall atmosphere.
Ask Detailed Questions
Specifically, do not be afraid to ask questions about anything unclear. Some main areas to inquire about are:
- Flexibility in room setups
- Policies on outside vendors
- Noise restrictions
- Timeline for setup and teardown
Meet the Team
Try to interact with the staff involved in your event, the events coordinator, catering manager, and technical support.
Review Past Events
Request to see pictures or videos of previous events that are of the same caliber as yours. That might inspire you to leverage the venue to its fullest potential.
Test the Technology
Test the Wi-Fi, AV equipment, and every other technological gadget and software you intend to use at the venue, if possible.
Check Accessibility
Make sure all parts of the venue are accessible to all stakeholders, including patrons with accessibility issues.
Consider the Surroundings
Don’t forget the surroundings. Are there restaurants nearby that you can send people to for offsite dinners? Is the neighborhood safe and aesthetically pleasing?
Negotiation and Contracting
After you have chosen your dream venue, it’s time to negotiate the contract.
Here are some key points that will help you through this critical step:
Know Your Leverage
Know the size of your group, the time of year, and the possibility of hosting subsequent events -All these can be leveraged in negotiations.
Be Clear About Your Needs
Do not wait for reservations to be lost to argue about your needs. You should explain all your needs upfront.
Read the Fine Print
Read every one of the fine print items of the contract and call out any trick terms that seem unclear: cancellation policies, attrition clauses, force majeure.
Negotiate Beyond Price
While a good rate is great, also negotiate value-adds such as complimentary rooms, upgraded amenities, and maybe some attrition flexibility.
Put Everything in Writing
In addition to the written contract, get all agreements confirmed in writing, including verbal promises.
Procurement Professional
If you are an event planner who will be hosting big or complex events, consider consulting a procurement professional who can help negotiate venue contracts.
Technology and Virtual Options
Venue selections and operational activities today play a significant role in the event through modern technologies:
Hybrid Event Capabilities
The venue must be able to accommodate both the live attendees and the virtual attendees. These may include:
- Live streaming quality
- Interactive facilities for remote attendees
- Space for management of the virtual component
Virtual Site Visits
Pre-screen venues using virtual site visit technologies instead of time and cost of travel.
Integration with Event Management Software
Choose venues that are compatible with your event management software preference to ensure seamless planning and implementation.
On-Site Tech Support
Find venues that can accommodate on-site tech support to help resolve issues instantly.
Sustainability in Venue Sourcing
Over the past years, it has become a critical factor in sourcing venues; those considerations include:
Energy Efficiency
Identify venues with energy-efficient lighting, heating, and cooling operations.
Waste Management
Assess venues that have an effective recycling program and composting.
Locally Source Operations
Pick venues that source their produce and products from local vendors.
Green Certifications
Identify venues that have third-party recognized green certifications, such as LEED or Green Key.
Transportation Impact
Secure venues that are accessible by public transportation to reduce the carbon footprint created by the event.
Working with Venue Sourcing Professionals
If the complexity of the event makes it worthwhile or there simply isn’t time, consider working with venue sourcing professionals:
Types of Experts
- Site selection companies
- Destination management companies (DMCs – Venue-sourcing event planning agencies
Advantages of Professional Venue Sourcing
- Access to large databases of venues
- Chance to negotiate and leverage industry connections
- Saving time and cost
- Knowledge of the local surroundings
Choosing the Right Professional
- Pick a professional who has experience with your type of event.
- Get recommendations from them and listen to responses received from former clients.
- Ensure that they understand the specific needs of your brand and your dream event.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Avoid these blunders in venue sourcing:
Not Considering Hidden Costs
Always demand that all the possible costs are broken down so that you will not be having surprises.
Premise Based on Aesthetic Value
Though a venue needs to have beauty, its functionality is just as, if not more, important.
Not Considering Expansion Plans
Never choose a venue without first considering possibilities for expansion, in case the function exceeds what was projected.
Forgetting That It Is an Opportunity for Branding
Consider how the venue can add your event or company brand.
Forget the Attendee Experience
Always consider events from the attendee’s perspective when reviewing venues.
Future Trends in Venue Selection
Here are some emerging trends in event venue sourcing:
More Emphasis on Health and Safety
Venues that demonstrate an interest in or dedication towards the latest health and safety measures remain in high demand.
Rise of Non-Traditional Spaces
Distinctive, photo-worthy venues become more popular creating memorable experiences.
Integration of Virtual and Augmented Reality
VR and are AR used for virtual site visits, as well as for an enhanced experience on-site.
Focus on Sustainability
Eco-friendly venues, in addition to providing an eco-friendly practice, will become standard rather tha bonus us.
Personalization and Flexibility
Venues offering a high degree of customization in space as well as experiences will continue to be relevant.
Conclusion
The venue is one of the crucial steps that can determine whether or not to make your event a hit. You will be able to find the right place for your events by considering the needs of your event, further research reflecting on all the key factors, and knowing the industry trends.
From an intimate gathering to a large-scale conference, the tips discussed in this guide will give you confidence in the sourcing of your venue.
Venue sourcing is a strategic process and the suggestions and information provided here will help you find that perfect venue for your next event and create an unforgettable event experience.
Frequently asked questions
Event venue sourcing is the discovery and securing of the best place to hold an event. This is a very important step because sometimes getting it right or wrong will make all the difference in attendee experience, logistics, and even the success of your event.
Location, capacity, and amenities will most likely play an important part. But don’t forget the cost, accessibility, and availability in choosing the venue. Another thing you need to check out on the venue is the layout of the venue, as well as its ambiance since they might have some restrictions that may affect your event.
Understand the pricing structure of the venue, make comparisons of multiple options, and be flexible with your dates for the event. One can use the motivation of long-term partnership and off-peak scheduling as a way of negotiating for a lower rate.
Platforms, such as EventUp, and Spacebase, offer filters, reviews, and contact information to simplify venue searches, allow you to compare venues, and request quotes and manage communications.
It would pay to source venues at least 6-12 months before your event. This gives you plenty of time for negotiating, visiting the venues, and finalizing contracts; high-demand venues will require even earlier considerations.
