What to Look For In an Off Premise Events Space

Whether you are planning a training seminar or a business conference, hosting a presentation for potential investors or unveiling new marketing strategies for important clients, choosing the right venue for your event is critical to the success of your gathering. Off premise venues offer more flexibility and greater services than can be found at most business headquarters. Finding the right venue will help you to send a positive message to employees and clients alike. Namely, that yours is a company intent on professionalism and geared for success.

Matching the Venue to the Event

First it is necessary to determine the type of event you are planning. This will help you decide on the kind of event space you will need. Business conferences and training seminars require a structured environment, preferably with multiple rooms or partitioned areas that can be used to isolate smaller groups for workshops and discussion groups. If you are courting potential investors or clients, you will want a more attractive venue that is comfortable and elegant. Presentations for clients and investors should be held in an environment that is clean, inviting and decorative, offering ample space for mingling, networking and enjoying refreshments.

Setting a Date for Your Event

Before booking any venue it is also important to have the dates and times for your event set and finalized. Having this information at your fingertips will make auditioning possible venues much easier. Availability is a large factor in booking any off premise event space. During peak times it may be harder to find the venue you require, so set your dates, and plan ahead to secure the space that will best suit your needs.

What Can the Venue Offer You

As you consider different venues for your event, it is important inquire as to what the prospective event space has to offer. In some respects, size does matter, and you will want to be sure that any venue you are considering can comfortably accommodate all of your guests. It is also important to match the size of the space to the size of the group. You want to avoid booking large gatherings into cramped quarters, as this leads to restlessness amongst your group. Equally, smaller groups gathered in overly large spaces tend to leave guests fidgety and uncomfortable. When auditioning any event space, be sure that it adequately suits the size of your group.

Before booking any venue, you will need to know what facilities are available. Look for the event space that can provide the necessary A/V equipment needed for any presentations, including sound systems and video capabilities. Also, don't overlook the mundane when auditioning prospective venues. Take note of the rest room facilities, available parking and ease of access for all of your guests, including those that may have disabilities or mobility issues.

Decor considerations will largely depend on the type of event you are planning, and a good event coordinating service should be able to offer room dressings to match any contingency. If you are hosting a presentation for investors you may want a more refined decor for your venue, with matching tablecloths and tableware, and accompanying room decorations. Training seminars, on the other hand, will demand a sparser environment. A good event space should be able to provide both, depending on your needs.

Consider Your Catering Needs

Whatever manner of event you are planning, you may want to consider offering some level of refreshment as the day progresses. Once again, the type of refreshment will largely depend on the kind of event you are hosting. All day training sessions benefit from a few breaks during the day, and offering a catered lunch helps to keep your employees on site, and private events space serves to keep the momentum going. Full scale presentations for clients and investors also benefit from offering refreshments, and catered meals or an attractive buffet helps to make potential clients feel relaxed and welcome. When considering an event space, find out what they can offer in the way of catering services. If they can not supply the level of refreshment choices you need, it may be time to consider another venue.

Reputation is Everything

Finally, before making any final decisions regarding a venue, you should investigate the event service itself. Find out what their reputation is in the business community. Ask their representative about their experience in the field, and find out how long they have been in operation. Remember, a poorly run event hosting service will ultimately reflect poorly on you. Potential clients, investors or employees will remember this as your event, not the hosting company's.


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