We all want a positive relationship with our event venue. Building a bond and having that understanding from both sides helps facilities a productive relationship which will inevitably make all lives easier throughout an otherwise stressful process. So, how do you work best with your venue to maximise the outcome of your event? Have a read of our advice below.
Here at Hippo Events our ethos is to be ‘proactive, not reactive’. It’s about thinking ahead and answering questions before they are even asked. It’s a key skill. Be proactive and place yourself in the position of the venue. Envision what requirements they will need; an agenda, F&B details, if there any speeches during your dinner, the length of those speeches, what your signage should read etc. Provide them with all this information; it’s help both you and the venue.
Before anything else though, try to give the venue a bit of background information on your event and ensure they feel invested. Tell them about your event, the background of it, who is involved, who is attending, why it is taking place etc. This would instantly portray the importance of the event and they can share your passion for making it successful. Background knowledge is also key as it helps the venue propose suitable options for you based on what they know. Remember, they aren’t mind readers.
It’s human nature to think of oneself first; what we want, what we need and how we feel. But relationships involve more than just yourself. If you get an email or a reply from your venue that you don’t understand or that bothers you try to take a step back and understand their side of the what’s and why’s of an email or call. Usually there is a very valid reason why you cannot block a fire door, or they cannot offer something complimentary that you want. Ask them why and they will explain. Try to understand and remember that they too are a business and have to have commercial awareness.
With that in mind, we would always recommend you keep up the communication regularly and with clarity. If there’s something you don’t understand then ask, and try to provide the venue with too much information rather than not enough. Seldom do we hear complaints of ‘I know too much’ compared to the common ‘I don’t know what’s going on’. Communication is 100% the key to success and we cannot stress that enough. When organising an event at Hippo, communication is our number one priority. This links to being proactive, mentioned above.
We are in a relationships business after all, so try and build and nurture relationships to make them flourish. Take the time to build that relationship in a positive way. You get out what you put in. Relationships grow organically so give them time and invest in them. When it comes to negotiation and flexibility individuals are more likely to want to help if they have a strong rapport with you.
Why not also ask their advice? Remember that they know the venue better than you ever will, after all they work there, so they are best placed to offer solutions. The amount of events they would have seen or done at that venue is far more than yourself, so they know what works and what does. Don’t underutilise or underestimate their knowledge.
Be realistic with your expected response times. Now, this is a hard one as everyone has different expectations, but be mindful and realistic. Fundamentally it’s unfair on anyone to send an email and expect a reply within an hour. If it’s that urgent can you not simply call them? Email is used too much nowadays for conversations that can be done over the phone instantly. Venue staff have busy schedules with meetings, site visits and live events occurring on a daily basis. Often away from their desk detailing a realistic response time for your queries aids them and manages expectations on both sides.
Also, don’t forget, in today’s world of never ending emails, try to remember to use their website and brochures Use Their Website And Brochures if you have any questions that are likely to be on there anyway. Capacity of a room, a floor plan, how many bedrooms does the venue have, closest train stations etc. It’s all generally on there. We are all guilty of not reading through these documents in great detail, but it’s certainly worth spending the extra minutes. Familiarise yourself with each document, know what it contains, as it may have the answers you’re looking for.
Most importantly of all though, show appreciation. A first impression is just as important as a last. Following your event, take the time to write and thank them for their efforts throughout both the pre-planning and on-site elements of the event. A small touch goes a long way. The venue and their staff are more likely to remember if you say thank you than if you don’t. Keep your relationships positive, it’s only to your advantage should you ever use the venue again.
Hippo offer Event Project Management and Global Venue Finding services. Contact us today on 01372 460 100 or events@hippoevents.co.uk to see how we can assist.