Organising a conference, symposium or other business event is not something you do lightly. Good event organisation means having a well thought-out plan and making many choices. Think about the speakers, the marketing, the suppliers, the programme, you name it. But it all starts with choosing the right conference venue. The right venue strengthens your event and can be the deciding factor in whether or not to attend. With this checklist, you will know what to look out for.
- Capacity and layout
- Surroundings
- Accessibility
- Technical facilities
- Staff and permanent contact
- Catering
- Overnight
- Image and originality
Capacity
First, of course, you want to be sure the congress location can handle the right capacity. A congress is of various sizes and can unexpectedly scale up considerably. So it is wise to know what your options are in terms of capacity.
Besides the number of guests, the layout is also important. Perhaps your conference will have several sub-sessions going on at the same time. You then want to hire several rooms with enough capacity for each session. Last but not least: soundproofing from each other.
Surroundings
What kind of environment would be ideal for your event? Do you want an urban setting with large corporate buildings around you or do you prefer a secluded spot on a farm? Do you want to be close to the lively city centre and have many restaurants nearby? Or do you prefer the modern business look of a busy business park? The choice of surroundings is important not only for the look of the event, but also for the facilities available in the area. Keep in mind that the surroundings are also related to the next point: accessibility.
Accessibility
Some come by bike, others by public transport or travel by car. How does your target audience travel and where do they come from? If people come from all over the country, then a location in the middle of the Netherlands is nice. Especially if it is easy to reach by public transport and car. Also check the parking facilities, at Jaarbeurs we have more than 3,000 parking spaces in Utrecht. It would be a shame if guests find out at the end of the conference that their car has been towed away because they were parked in the wrong street.
Technical facilities
In terms of facilities, you want to check a few points extra carefully. Technology is one such point: will presentations be given using a screen? Are questions allowed in between and do you need a loop microphone? You need to be sure that you hire the most modern technology and that you can use Plug & Play. After all, you do not want a room full of people to have to wait until the screen finally switches on. It is also nice to know that you are dealing with experienced technicians. These people know what to do, can give you good advice and can switch quickly if unexpected changes occur.
"You need to make sure you can use a space Plug & Play"
Staff
Organising everything around the conference is stressful enough. Let alone personnel. When the congress venue itself arranges staff to make your tasks easy, it saves you a lot of work. In addition, will you have a fixed contact person to help you with all your questions? Someone who comes up with good ideas to make your congress even more successful? With good event support from the venue, a congress runs more smoothly. Something always goes differently than planned and a contact person can respond or think along with you. And that gives you a lot of peace of mind.
Catering
To prevent everyone from slipping away to the nearest cafeteria during breaks, good catering is a must. This is not the case at every venue. In fact, sometimes you have to provide this yourself. So always check carefully whether you can use the catering. And if so: does the quality meet your standards? In addition, what is served? Are different options offered? And are there alternatives for people with specific requirements (e.g. vegetarian or gluten-free)? Check in advance whether you have a say in the catering and whether the venue is willing to think along with you. That way, you can make snacks and drinks a real part of your event.
"The right snacks and drinks enhance the atmosphere at the conference"
Overnight
Perhaps the conference lasts several days, or you have visitors coming from far away. In that case, you want to make sure there are accommodation options in the area.
Venues often indicate this on their website, but it is always good to ask. In fact, sometimes they make arrangements with hotels so that guests can easily book a hotel to stay at.
Image
This last point is often overlooked. Yet it is crucial if you want to attract the right target audience. After all, the image of the conference venue is associated with your organisation. So you want to make sure you organise your congress at a venue that matches your own brand. For example, do you want to project a business image? Then a modern and urban location will fit in much better than an old monastery building. Is a topic such as sustainability increasingly on the agenda within your organisation? Then it might also be smart to see how the event location deals with this.
Account manager Fleur
Want to know more about Jaarbeurs's conference rooms? Contact me for all the possibilities. Or come along and experience the many possibilities of our conference venues for yourself.
jaarbeurs+31(0)30 295 58 81
