Planning an Event or Conference - 1
- Before You Start
Whether organising a conference, team building or corporate entertainment, in order to find the most suitable venue for your conference your organiser needs to know everything! At this stage we know that the detail of the event is unlikely to have been finalised but an outline of the proposed itinerary – with the following detail - is essential to ensure that you get the right venue, in the right location – and at the right price.
How Many Guests?
It’s an obvious question but an essential one – how many delegates? A hotel with 70 bedrooms may offer availability if you are a group of 50 but not to a group of 60 as they will be restricted in filling their other rooms. You don’t need to be accurate at the initial planning stage but should be within a variance of ten per cent.
If you can guarantee a certain number of delegates, some venues might offer exclusive use. Beware though – a long lead time is essential as you need to guarantee almost full occupancy and invariably some small bookings will already have been taken for your date. For non-residential meetings or events Stately Homes and Unusual Venues are invariably taken on an exclusive use basis.
Pre-event planning needs to consider who the delegates will be, how many should be invited, and how many are expected to attend. Knowledge of these elements are essential for budgeting. You also need to consider whether there will be special guests or media representatives who need special facilities, overseas delegates who need interpreters or VIP's who may need additional security.
When Should I Book the Venue?
It is important to book the venue as early as possible as otherwise arranging other factors will be difficult, if not impossible. Make sure you book your venue as soon as you have your date confirmed and then work backwards to establish a timetable of events. Whilst some clients like to source their own venue, others use professional help to decide on a venue. A venue finding company can offer a speedy and often free service, as their commission is paid by the venue rather than by the client.
Obviously an exact date with possible alternative dates is ideal as flexibility will give you more options and a better likelihood of obtaining the ideal venue. Whenever possible we’ll put forward the ideal venue on the ideal date, but on odd occasions you may have to choose between the ideal venue on a suitable date or a suitable venue on the ideal date! If you are specific about the date you will have less flexibility … particularly in the prime months of June, July, September and October or when you have a short lead-in time.
The format and duration of an event are important factors and will have an effect on availability. An event requiring several syndicate rooms, a main auditorium, exhibition space and separate dining facilities will have a much more restricted range of options than an event for thirty delegates needing a single room with theatre-style seating.
Timing
Timing is a key consideration, both to allow adequate time to plan the event and also to make sure delegates are able to attend. Holding an event during a busy work period or during the holiday season could have an effect on attendee numbers.
Where?
Who’s coming and where are they coming from? Will people be travelling by plane, trains or car? Does the venue therefore need to be easily accessible from the tube, a main-line station, an airport, or a motorway? These are all important issues which will help you decide on the location for your event.
Why?
What is the purpose of the meeting – an incentive might require a different style of venue to a top-level management retreat, a training course or a sales conference.
You need to consider whether delegates will be listening and passive, or if a high degree of participation, perhaps involving team building or outdoor activities will be involved as this will impact upon the type of venue you require.
What Space Do You Need?
Do you just need a single room for the meeting or do you need breakout rooms in addition? Do you need different rooms for different sessions as they need different layouts? Do you need private dining on one or more nights?
The Layout
It may seem straightforward but there’s a lot to consider as different layouts require differing amounts of space and this will dictate the size of room you need. The layout is essential to set the style of the meeting and it is important to get this right to ensure that the event runs smoothly on the day. See below for the different room layout options.
Natural Daylight
Not all conference rooms have natural daylight. It is a selling point of most venues but needs to be clarified at the booking stage of the enquiry.
Team Building Activities and Corporate Entertainment
If you are planning team building activities - either indoor or outdoor - during the event it is important to consider this at an early stage as each venue varies in terms of the activities that can be done on site or locally.
If your event is going to feature corporate entertainment it is important to check out suitable acts to ensure that they are right for your event. It is also vital to ascertain what technical support they will need such as sound, lighting and staging. At KDM we know from experience what can be done, where it can be done and what is needed and that experience is all part of the KDM service.
Speakers
If the event or conference features speakers, check what facilities speakers will need such as a laptop, internet connection, data projector or assistance with preparing their presentation. Always send out a running order in advance so that everyone involved knows what is happening.
Your Budget
An issue about which a lot of people are coy in the mistaken belief thinking that revealing it will put the price up. It is important to consider this at an early stage remembering that in addition to the headline accommodation rate you might also need a budget for room hire, wines, speakers, staging, audio visual equipment and entertainment.
And whilst at KDM we will always try to spend your budget, we will always make sure that you get the best value out of every penny.
