Be it a high profile corporate conference in central London, a company training weekend in the Cotswolds or a charity dinner at a quaint pub in Edinburgh. One thing is certain, it is the actual venue that will make or break your event. One challenge, however, is executing the search to find that ideal location that may consume a lot of time. Venue finding agencies come in handy with their skills, tools and access to areas all over the country to find you the perfect location.
What Is a Venue Finding Agency?
A venue finding agency is a professional service that will source through, shortlist and book a venue on behalf of a client. Agencies tend to work with larger teams and networks unlike the independent venue finders thus they are able to tow a number of projects simultaneously as well as attending to events nationwide mainly in the UK.
They hear cases under:
- Getting to know your goals and needs to host the event.
- Undertaking research on places available via industry databases and direct contact.
- Narrowing down the most appropriate ones, specification and the cost.
- Bargaining good prices and concessionary deals.
- Organising bookings and communicating with venues up to the delivery of the event.
The Reason to Hire a Venue Find Agency:
Extensive Coverage:
Agencies also have facilities throughout the nation, which implies that they could locate various venues in both big cities and remote areas, including cultural centres in Glasgow and conference facilities and coastal resorts in Manchester and Cornwall.
Negotiation Power:
The advantage is that agencies, due to the large amount of bookings they arrange, are usually in a better negotiating position with venues who can offer them lower rates, free add-ons or better contract terms.
Specialist Expertise:
Different agencies have team members who specialise in certain kinds of events- corporate conferences, exhibitions, weddings, or incentive trips, so you get the best of recommendations.
The process of how Venue Finding Agencies work:
Although the procedures are somewhat different, most agencies coincide in their structure:
Consultation You discuss the purpose of the event, date, guest list, budget and any features you must have.
Research – The agency will use their internal databases, network of suppliers and contacts in the industry to find you the venues meeting your requirements.
Shortlisting –They will make a filtered list often with photos, floor plans, options in packages and costs disaggregated.
Negotiation – This is whereby, through relationship and experience, the agency can negotiate a good deal.
Booking and Coordination – After you decide, they check the booking, and may assist in logistical matters regarding the venue.
Categories of Events Covered:
Agencies which specialise in venues are used to accommodate a wide variety of events:
Corporate- boardroom meetings, training days, conferences, awards events.
Private- weddings, milestone events and exclusive dinner.
Public- trade show, exhibitions and cultural festivals.
Hybrid- live and online events.
Examples of Cities in UK:
The agencies are able to match venues to your requirements in the UK:
London –Mayfair has luxury hotels, East London has industrial-chic, all great options for product launches.
Birmingham – Central conference centres having huge capacities of national meetings.
Edinburgh- Castle-view banquet halls and historic meeting rooms that are best suited to host top end meeting functions.
Manchester –Technologically enhanced contemporary venues that accommodate hybrid events.
Bristol – Innovative waterfront conferencing and network areas.
Leeds – Located, convenient, and multi-use venues in the region of corporate affairs.
An Alternative To Agency Venue Finder:
Although the role of both is to give you the right space in which to hold your event, they do have differences:
Agencies – Typically the teams are larger in size, they have a wide scope, and capacity to organize numerous and large events in different venues.
Independent Finders- Smaller in scope generally with a highly personalised, boutique service and may have a niche orientation.
Agencies are the more viable alternative in case of large corporations or organisations hosting various events at different locations in the UK because of their speed, resources, and reach.
Sourcing Beyond Sourcing:
A lot of venues finding agencies will have:
Visit set ups – to enable it you have to check out shortlisted premises practically.
Flow of events planning- enabling you to maximise space to achieve a quality experience by the attendees.
Supplier suggestions- catering, staging and decor.
Contract management- making sure there are terms and conditions clarification.
Pro-Tips on working with a Venue Finding Agency:
Be specific with your goals early on- it will make the agency that you use to search more effective.
- Provide a realistic budget – to make shortlists fiscally friendly.
- Be certain about wants, as in the case of AV capabilities, breakout spaces or outdoor areas.
- Be flexible- in certain instances, a facility that is not in the original place you had picked out may be more suitable and have better prices or amenities.
Benefits to Corporate Clients:
Venue finding agencies can also serve as an extended partner to companies that are conducting several events every year. They:
- Keep well documented records of past activities so you can perfect future searches.
- Assist in ensuring that quality is the same in all locations.
- Negotiate packages that involve several events to save money on an annual basis.
Conclusion:
Venue finding agencies should not just book a venue, but be your strategic partner in order to make successful events. Having contacts in every part of the country and the knowledge of the industry along with their negotiation abilities, they make it easy to get the ideal venue, they can even save you money, time and even stress. If you are holding an event in London, Edinburgh, Birmingham or leisurely jaunt in the countryside, working with a reputable and well established agency means you receive the space that you need and a space that surpasses your expectations.
