42 . Glasgow Business August 2015
Continued from previous page> >
particularly when choosing a luxury product like Cameron House, are more emotional: does the venue fit with your brand, with your audience and will it support you in achieving the objective of the event? Te answers to these, less tangible, questions will sit alongside the practical aspects to help in the overall decision making. “However, no mater how
convenient, or well priced or suitable a venue might be, people still ‘buy people’ in the events industry. “Te professionalism,
knowledge and atention to detail experienced by clients during the booking process will play a big part in the ultimate selection of the correct venue. Also, the friendliness, organisation and professional delivery of excellent service by the venue staff during your event will ensure that a client’s event exceeds all expectations and supports the business in delivering their key messages.”
Tick the right boxes for booking
Apart from location, what other factors do you need to take into account when you look for the perfect venue? Here are some tips...
BUDGET
Calculate how much you have to spend on your venue before you go out to view
it, not afterwards. That way you are more likely
to stick to what you can afford and resist the temptation of splashing out on a location that does not justify its expense for your needs.
FACILITIES
Check the facilities before you sign on the dotted line, to make sure the venue
really does have all the resources you require for your meeting or seminar.
Membership of an organisation such as the IACC (International Association of Conference Centres) demonstrates that the venue has met a certain standard and can be trusted.
SERVICE
You can get a good idea of what the service will be like on the day(s) that you
are holding your event by the way in which the venue team responds to any of your enquiries. When you first get in touch, you should always be offered a site visit to give you a chance to see the venue and decide whether you like it or not, and whether it will fit your requirements. If the service you get up front is good, there’s a better chance it will fit the bill on the big day.
DO A RECCY
If you like the sound of a particular venue, make sure and carry out a thorough reccy
before you book it. Go prepared with a checklist of what’s most important to you for your event, and don’t allow yourself to be
distracted once you’re there. Make sure you gather all the information you require about the facilities before you leave.
MAKE THE VENUE APPROPRIATE
The purpose of your meeting should dictate what kind of venue you are going
to choose – is it for a serious corporate get-together, or more of a fun event? Choosing a venue which is inappropriate to the circumstances of your meeting is potentially disastrous.
HAPPY STOMACHS
Even if other aspects of the venue are in any way disappointing, the
main talking point can often be the food and drink on offer. Arrange a tasting session to check that the food is of the right quality, and
remember to offer a choice of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options.
THE RIGHT SPACE
Set out with a good idea of how many people will be at your meeting or
conference before booking any venue – there’s nothing worse than having a huge room with only a handful of people, or having too many people crammed into a confined space.
A COMFORTABLE BED
If your meeting involves customers or stakeholders travelling from
further afield, make sure your venue has good quality accommodation with all the facilities you would expect, or that there is somewhere recommended close by.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52