Episode 38: Eleven questions to ask when looking at venues

Venues

Feb 28

I am often shocked at the number of venues that don't have basic information on their website, such as guest capacity or pricing. That means you need to reach out to those venues just to see if they would fit your audience or budget before you start talking about details.

When researching venues, half the battle is knowing the right questions to ask. Here are eleven questions to ask when looking at venues.

**I consider it a given that you're going to find a venue in a location that works best for your target audience. I recommend starting your venue search 6 to 12 months prior to your event.

Eleven questions to ask when looking at venues

1. What is your capacity? Even if the information about capacity is on the venue's website, here are a few things to keep in mind.

a. Venues will often list the capacity of reception or theater style seating, which is their max capacity.

b. A seated event with banquet or round tables will hold much fewer people than reception or theater style seating.

c. Be sure to factor in other elements of your event such as your check-in or registration table, a silent auction, games or entertainment.

d. Don't forget to include the number of volunteers at your event when determining total capacity needed.

2. What is the rental fee, and what does it include? This question alone should open a much larger conversation. Venues will vary greatly on what is or is not included in the rental fee.

3. What dates do you have available in________ (month or timeframe you want to host the event)? Don’t get stuck on one date. Give the venue several options. Keep in mind that certain times of year will be more expensive than others, and weekends are always going to be more expensive than weekdays. You may want to explore date options as it relates to your budget.

4. What are my catering options and what is the food & beverage minimum?

5. What are the parking options for our guests? Parking can be a huge issue with some venues. Venues in metropolitan areas may not have parking or might have arrangements with local parking lots or ramps. Some will recommend that you contract with a valet service. Is the venue on or near a major public transit station or hub?

6. What accommodations can you make for guests with accessibility needs?

7. What are your AV or audio visual capabilities, and can we get a price sheet?

8. Is WiFi available and is there a cost? You want to make sure you have ample Wi-Fi available for your guests, especially if you're hosting an online auction or your guests will be using their phone in some way.

9. If we sign with you, will you find a diagram of our layout? This should be a given but there are venues that don't have the software or capability to create a diagram and you should know that upfront. Your layout should show you the layout of all elements of your event so you can see the flow. The diagrams should also include pillars or any architectural elements that may impede sight lines and, ideally, include where outlets are.

10.When can we load in and set up for the event? If you are able to set up early, find out how secure your space will be for the timeframe that you're not there. Some venues will lock your space and not allow anyone in it until you return. Others will require you to hire a security guard while you’re not there.

11.Can we set up a block of courtesy rooms (hotels)? or Are there any hotels nearby? This is not necessarily for out-of-town guests or a multiple day event. If you're hosting an event for adults where drinking is involved, it can be nice to give guests the option to stay overnight at or near the venue so guests don't have to worry about having a designated driver or using ride share.

That’s it. These are the eleven questions to ask when looking at venues.

Listener Action Item

Write down the list of questions above to keep as a reference when researching venues. You can also download the list here.
If you're looking at several venues and want to make an apples-to-apples comparison, you can put the venue criteria that matters most to you in a spreadsheet so that you can see at a glance what each venue has to offer. I call it a comparison grid.
If you've gone through the list of questions with a venue and you like their answers, ask the venue to place a hold on your preferred date. You likely cannot make the decision on your own and will need committee or board approval. If the approval process takes a while, make sure you stay in contact with that venue, so they know you're still interested. People will often place holds on spaces and then never follow through. So make sure the venue knows you're definitely still interested so they don't book your date and your space by mistake.

Now that…sounds like a plan!