© Event Captain 2007
When you’re considering the venue for your seminar, keep these 7 things in mind every time:
If you’re hoping to lure upscale clients or business people to your event, you’ll need to hold your seminar in a comparable facility. It may seem financially attractive to rent a classroom, or rent a room at an inexpensive restaurant, hotel, or even the local library, but remember that the place you select is a reflection of who you are, how successful your business is, and how successful the seminar is.
Before you sign on the dotted line, do your homework and find out what else is going on at the venue at the same time as your potential event. Sales meetings and rallies often have shouting and loud applause that could distract your audience. Weddings and large parties could have disc jockeys or bands that could distract your audience if they are audible through the walls.
Other things to look for are remodeling or construction in the venue. You don’t want any hammering, drilling or other noises nearby, in the hallways, or in the room to distract people while you are doing your presentation, especially if you are planning to record or video tape your seminar for future use.
Remember, new venues might seem attractive, but beware of hidden problems. Service may not be up to speed yet, and construction still may be in progress.
Before you select your venue, make sure the venue can accommodate your needs. Decide how you want you your room to be laid out before hand, have an idea of your attendee count, and inquire about room accommodations. Popular seating arrangements are: classroom style or narrow tables with chairs. Either is suitable for people to take notes and have coffee or water. If you are planning a meal, half-round tables are best or seating around half of a round or oval table work well so no one needs to turn around to see a speaker. If you are trying to hold the largest number of people in the smallest room that you can, and you aren’t having much to drink, you could seat people theater style, with rows of chairs without tables. This would work if you have minimal materials and people do not need to juggle large binders of handouts or other materials.
If you are planning breakout sessions, check to make sure other rooms are available and make sure they are the correct size. Remember to plan the seating arrangements, refreshments or water, and audio-visuals for these rooms also.
Be sure you make your technical requirements known to your venue in advance so they are prepared to accommodate you, if they can. Remember, you can probably set up an easel, screen or projector at almost any venue. But if your presentation needs Internet access, be sure it is available in your seminar room or breakout rooms. If you are planning to sell products in the back of the room or in the hallway leading to your room, you may need access to phone lines or the Internet, as well as numerous electrical outlets to run credit card machines.
If your seminar runs a full day or more, you will need to break for meals. If you are providing them, review the catering menu before booking the venue. Find out their standard group meals and ask about tailored menus and food substitutions. Remember to consider the different dietary needs of your audience. If you are not providing meals, be sure restaurants are within a short walking distance. If people have to drive or walk a long distance to get food, chances are good they will not return to hear the rest of your presentation.
Be aware that other events at or near the venue may limit parking in the area. If there are a lot of local commuters who are planning to drive, be sure you select a facility with plenty of available parking. (I attended an event once when the valet couldn’t even park my car because there were absolutely no places to park.) Also be sure the time of your event allows people to bypass any traffic problems.
If the majority of people are flying in for your event, hold it near a major airport that has frequent flights from and to a variety of destinations. In this case, a hotel would be the best choice so people can stay at the same location as the seminar. Events can also be held at large convention centers, but consider providing shuttle buses to the event from the hotel or make sure public transportation and parking are readily available.
If your event is several days long, or it starts early in the morning and lasts into the evening, your participants will need a place to stay. If you are using a hotel, find out if there are enough rooms available for your participants, speakers and staff, before booking the venue. Arrange a special rate if you book rooms in bulk, and find out if they can accommodate any special requirements your guests may need, including Internet access or fax machines in the room, room service, or facilities for the disabled.
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