08 Sep Five ludicrously Important Questions to Ask a Venue When You Plan Your Event
In a late survey conducted by Park Crescent Conference Centre on 300PAs, corporates and event bookers they asked what mistakes they felt they had made when choosing a venue.
Interestingly 50% of those surveyed, who ran events that didn’t go to plan, made the mistake of assuming things would ‘just happen’ at a venue whilst over half (60%) admitted they didn’t focus enough time on the format of their event. Nobody knows the venue better than the in house events team so use their expertise. If budget is a problem they will know the inside tricks to save costs at their venue. These questions are your holy grail when communicating with the venue!
1. Deliveries and collections– Where and when is your material and equipment being delivered? 40% of those surveyed admitted they were not diligent enough when looking at a new venue. Clear labelling and advance warning solves most of these logistic problems.
2. AV and Maintenance– Is this available on site? And if so, who is your contact for the day? At PCCC we offer an AV support service and equipment on site. Always check if this is written into your events package or if it is an additional cost?
3. WiFi -How much bandwidth do you have access to on the day? Internet access should be at the top of your agenda. If your event gets busier than expected and a larger number of people are trying to connect to WiFi, you may face a problem. Ask if you can buy in emergency bandwidth on the day?
4. Rehearse– Who does what on the day? A week before the event, set aside time to run over everything with your team. This will give you the chance to iron out any creases, liaise with the in-house team and ask more questions which may not have been discussed over emails or by phone. Agree responsibilities.
5. Always read the small print– Do you know what you are signing? A staggering 57% surveyed revealed that they didn’t read the small print! Take time aside to read the small print even if it is 100 pages long!