Choosing A Business Conference Location
When planning a professional conference, a traditional boardroom just won’t do. If you’re going to impress clients or investors, you’ll need to choose the perfect venue. And it’s all about location, location, location.
From the destination to the onsite offerings and budgetary issues, these 4 factors can help you select an ideal host site. So where will your next conference take you?
Near Or Far
If you’re hosting local clients for a meeting, it seems silly to travel a great distance, but many business conferences involve flying in partners from all over the country – or the globe. When choosing a venue, then, one of the first considerations should be the destination. Hosting meetings in an appealing destination can increase attendance and improve event outcomes. After all, no one wants to fly to Detroit or even London in the middle of winter when they could spend a meeting in Miami or Brisbane.
Size and Style
To choose a venue for your next business conference, you need to have a sense of how many people are going to attend. After all, you don’t want to seat a dozen people in a room meant for fifty; such an arrangement makes it seem like you’re had lower than expected turnout. No, you need a space that suits the size – and the style – of your meeting.
There are basically two different types of meeting settings: large and traditional or small and intimate. For large meetings, you want a facility that reflects your brand and can comfortably accommodate a big group. This includes securing rooms, setting up catering, and supporting multiple breakout sessions or other conference activities. These types of facilities are fairly standard among modern hotels, but other options include university conference centers, catering halls, and even coworking spaces.
Formal, intimate meetings call for a different sort of meeting place, especially if you’re hosting important guests. For such meetings, look for private spaces with sit-down dining and formal service. When you want to close a deal or develop a high-value partnership, the aesthetics and service at the venue should reflect your commitment.
Tech Troubles
Conferences are consistently plagued by technology issues. It’s a common issue anytime someone tries to use unfamiliar systems. When choosing a venue, then, you not only need to be certain that they have the technology you require, such as a suitable video conferencing system for remote attendees or speakers, but also that there’s technical support in place in the event you struggle with the tools. It may cost a bit extra, but you’ll be glad there’s someone there to troubleshoot if you have any tech troubles.
Building Your Budget
Finally, you can’t choose a conference venue without factoring in your budget. For example, many venues have food and beverage (F&B) minimums. Does the venue want you to spend an enormous amount of money for the food? Then it might not be the right fit. Similarly, if your space options aren’t to scale with your attendance, you’ll want to move to a venue with a greater diversity of space options.
The right venue is vital to making your professional events a success, so take your time selecting a space. After all, this isn’t just about space, it’s about relationships and how to take your business to the next level. Hosting a conference requires a lot of work and planning, so you should consider trying a conference app solution for creating a successful conference with minimal effort.
