You are called in for a meeting with your boss and they announce that you are responsible for hosting a corporate event. Suffice it to say, you may be feeling a bit nervous, and that’s totally normal!
Hosting a corporate event is no small feat, and, for businesses, it can often highlight the success of the company and showcase their brand and image. Or, it could be an event to attract clients or even be part of a product launch.
Either way, you are likely worried about getting this right and the first hurdle to overcome is the venue. How do you choose the right venue for this corporate event? Here, you will be walked through how to do just that, helping you to start your planning on the right foot.
Accessibility
When it comes to corporate event planning, you need to pick a venue that is accessible to your guests.
Yes, this means ensuring that there are ramps and lifts if it is a multi-purpose building, but also, you need to check that the venue is accessible via public transport, especially if you have a large guest list. Don’t book a venue that is in the middle of nowhere, and, if you are expecting international guests, try to book a venue that is close to an airport. This will ensure higher attendance rates and will prevent stress among your guests.
Also, venues in city centers tend to be in close competition with multiple other event venues and will likely be able to offer you more discounts.
Size
How big is the venue? And going back another step, how many guests are you expecting?
You need to get the guest list and RSVPs sorted at least six months before the event, so you can start looking for a venue that can comfortably house everyone who is going to be attending. This will also impact the tech equipment that you need, the catering options, and even the number of guest speakers that you hire in order to make the event successful. So, get the guest list drawn up, get the RSVPs out, and be sure that the venue has a margin of error that will accommodate an additional fifty guests if needed, just to be on the safe side in case of last-minute attendees.
Catering
Speaking of catering, you should always ask if the venue provides in-house catering or if you have to book it yourself for the event. In most cases, it will be the latter, meaning that you need to ensure that the venue is accessible to a catering team prior to the event.
This then leads to a lot of secondary questions that you need to enquire about: How early on the day of the event will you (and the catering team) be allowed access? Are there set rooms or spaces for food to be set up? Is there an on-site kitchen where the catering team can unpack? Does the venue come with serving staff, or do you need to hire them in as part of the catering package?
In the event that the venue can provide catering staff to cook and serve the food, always check the pricing and don’t assume it comes with the rental of the space! On-site, or in-house catering can be costly and you don’t want to go over budget.
As before, get everything in writing, and when sending out the invites, be sure to ask for any food allergies and other dietary requirements that your guests may have. Try to choose a set of continental foods, with gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options as standard, and then work with the catering team to ensure any other food requirements are met.
Budget
Going back to that meeting with your boss, when they handed you the reins of planning the event, they would have given you a budget, too. It sounds obvious, but stick to the budget! If you have to go over it, make sure it is completely justified.
To break the budget down, account for the rental of the venue, the catering, any guest speakers, the hiring of tech, and, of course, the marketing. Ideally, the venue will cost the most, followed by the catering, the guest speakers, and the marketing, usually with tech rental being one of the lower costs.
Also, when booking the venue, the guest speakers, and the caterers, get everything in writing! Verbal contracts are not ideal, and can be an open door for businesses to apply additional fees.
Sustainabilty
It is no secret that companies that opt for sustainable options are going to tick a lot of boxes in the corporate world.
If you are looking for a venue in which to host your corporate event, one tip that can impress your guests (and your boss!) is to look for one that offers sustainable features. There are a few ways to do this.
You can search online for venues that have green certifications which only recognize businesses that have an extensive approach to sustainability. This will also ensure that the venue meets high standards of energy efficiency, as well as waste management. If you aren’t sure, just ask during the booking and narrow down the finalists based on their sustainability commitment. This is always a good look for business!
Reviews
OK, so it is no secret that when it comes to booking a venue, the website can be a bit misleading. Thus, it is advised that you engage in a visit before booking and, to make sure that the staff at the venue won’t cause more stress, be sure to also check the reviews.
Have other companies who booked the venue found the staff easy to work with? Were there any red flags raised that you need to investigate, such as faulty wiring or poor acoustics? If possible, you can even reach out to other businesses and colleagues to get references on ideal corporate event venues to help narrow your search, based on first-hand accounts.
Yes, having to plan the perfect corporate event can be daunting, but by choosing the right venue, you are halfway to it being a successful turnout for the business you represent.
