You might not think it, but venue finding is a skilled service – it’s not simply a case of finding a conference or event venue that can hold the right number of people and hoping for the best. Let’s face it, anyone can make a venue look good on their website. But offering a service where we visit venues to check them out, where we know every group is different, with unique needs, and knowing instinctively which venues would suit them, comes from years of experience and know-how.
Asking the right questions, not being afraid to delve into uncomfortable issues like hidden costs, knowing how to negotiate (or ‘haggle’ as we professionals call it) is all part and parcel for a seasoned venue finder, and just having that person on your side is enough to make your event planning a lot easier.
It’s not just about the different groups and their varying needs though – it’s about different markets too. The sort of venue that might be right for the launch of a new media product for example isn’t always going to be the right place for a conference of traditional legal professionals. And needs vary across the seasons too. Finding summer venues with outside space in urban landscapes is hard, and even tougher at country venues during wedding season! But it’s all about knowing the best places to look, and finding those secret spaces that only people with years in the trade know about!
The other big thing people forget is HOW LONG IT CAN TAKE!! Often groups will use the same venue year after year – partly because they love it, but often because finding something else can just be too daunting. Without first-hand knowledge of venues, the only way to ensure you’re not wasting your time is to go and have a look – which then, if it’s not the right place, is exactly that. Wasting your time. Hours of searching and checking followed by fact finding and site visits can be slashed off your timesheet if you find the right venue finder.
Finally of course, the fact that it’s free is what they call a no-brainer, isn’t it? You tell someone what you want, they go away and come back with tailor-made options just for you, and it costs you nothing? Why wouldn’t you want that? That’s right there in the list of ‘too good to be true’ wonders. But it’s true – you can have all this knowledge and know-how, and it can cost you absolutely nothing.
Got an event? Need a venue? We have account managers who deal with you personally – you don’t fill out boxes and wade through lists of venues, we offer a professional, personal service.