Finding the perfect venue space to impress the clients, managers and team members can feel like a minefield! With so many different venues to choose from, ranging from city properties, countryside manor houses to coastal beachfront venues, it can be difficult to find exactly what you’re looking for, especially if you’re struggling with time and need to work to a tight budget!
That’s when our fabulous Findmeaconference team step in!
With a wealth of experience and so much knowledge about venues and organising events, they take the stress out of searching by presenting you with a proposal of three different venues matching your requirements. The service they offer lasts from your initial venue or event enquiry to pre-event support and post-event feedback. And the icing on the cake is their knowledge and wisdom doesn’t cost you a penny! The Findmeaconference service is completely free to use.
We recently caught up with the Findmeaconference team to see what tips they would give to someone who’s in the early stages of thinking about an event, meeting, conference, training day or corporate celebration.
Meet Jennie from Findmeaconference
Jennie has been an important part of the Findmeaconference team since it first opened its doors – or went live online and in the call centre – in 2001. And with so much experience in the corporate events industry, she knows just what to look for and consider when planning your next event.
Jennie’s Top Tip 1. Consider alternative locations!
There are many popular destinations in the UK which are great for hosting events, but sometimes it’s important to consider alternatives as they will save you money! London and Birmingham are exciting cities which offer lots of choice, but there are other popular cities and towns which have cheaper day delegate rates, such as Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester, Northampton and Milton Keynes.
Jennie’s Top Tip 2. Keep up-to-date with busy areas.
Something which can save a lot of time before deciding on a location is to check what other events are due to take place. You wouldn’t want to organise an away-day in Wimbledon when all the world has arrived to watch the tennis; not only would this have a big impact on rates and availability, it would make transport and parking difficult. But if your heart is set on Wimbledon, then plan for your away-day to take place at a quieter time when you can be confident of getting your chosen venue without blowing the budget.
Jennie’s Top Tip 3. Reduce cost where possible.
If it’s not the wedding season, consider hosting your event on a Monday or a Friday and for residential stays, Sunday nights tend to be more cost effective . Rates are also generally lower during the school holidays, so this may be a prime time to book your event.
Coastal resorts are also usually cheaper locations in the winter months and if you’re thinking of organising a residential stay, sharing rooms can be a way to considerably bring down costs.
Meet Mary from Findmeaconference
Mary has been part of the Findmeaconference team for the last 17 years, so you can be confident your conference enquiries are in expert hands! She shares her three top venue finding tips for event organisers:
Mary’s Top Tip 1. Consider transport links.
If your delegates are travelling by train it can be really helpful to check main line stations to ensure plenty of trains are running throughout the day and then opt for a venue not too far from the station to save money on taxi fares. There’s a good choice of conveniently located member venues on the Findmeaconference website!
Mary’s Top Tip 2. Knowing your venue requirements is key!
Before submitting your enquiry, it’s really important to make sure you know what you are expecting from the venue space. For example, the size of space, on-site facilities and the services available, such as a catering team and dedicated event coordinator. It is then our job to ensure we find you a venue which supports all the facilities and services you need for your meeting or event!
Mary’s Top Tip 3. Have a budget in mind!
Having a budget already in mind allows us to know what we’re looking for and what’s available within your budget – we can then send over a selection of options all within the correct price category and then it’s simply up to the event organiser to decide which is the best fit!
Meet Amy from Findmeaconference
Amy has worked for Infotel Solutions Ltd (the parent company) for five years, four of which in the Corporate Reservations team. Today, she is the newest member of the Findmeaconference team and has worked alongside Jennie and Mary for the last year. Amy shares some detailed tips for finding the best venue for your next meeting, conference or corporate celebration.
Amy’s Top Tip 1. Ensure the venue has clear branding for corporate guests!
If venues offer in-house signage for the reception, lifts and rooms, this can be really helpful for delegates and corporate guests attending the venue for the first time! For big events, such as gala dinners, award-ceremonies and party evenings where a large number of delegates are due to attend, picking somewhere that has clear signage and makes finding a room, restaurant or cloakrooms easy will really help with the entire event running smoothly! This also applies to outside signage of the hotel – the easier to find, the better and less stressful delegates will be when they arrive.
Amy’s Top Tip 2. Consider technical support for your event.
Some key points to think about during the booking process of a venue, regardless of the size of your meeting or conference, is the technical facilities and support the venue offers. Everyone relies on working WiFi, will this be available for hundreds of delegates logging on at the same time? Will you need a screen and projector or more complex audio equipment such as microphones and speakers? If a venue provides this support, it will definitely make the event experience much easier! It is also a great added bonus if the venue has an on-site technical support team just in case something doesn’t work!
Amy’s Top Tip 3. Have your preferred layout in mind!
Consider the layout of your event and how that will accommodate the amount of delegates attending the meeting, conference or exhibition. For example, if you are looking for a small one-to-one interview, ensure the venue and room you choose gives you the correct space required – it may be a boardroom layout that you require so ensure you add those details to the booking enquiry and then I or Jennie or Mary can confirm this is the layout you need.
From football stadiums, golf courses and cricket clubs to museums, castles and academic venues, our Findmeaconference team have access to over 10,000 UK venues and will match your event requirements to a pitch perfect venue!
With Jennie, Mary and Amy focussed on saving you time and money – and reducing your venue searching stress – put them to the test the next time your thoughts wander towards another meeting to organise! You can contact the team from Monday to Friday, from 8:30am until 5:30pm on 01775 843411, or alternatively submit your enquiry via our website here.