4 things to consider when choosing a conference venue
Hard to choose a venue?
It's not always an obvious choice one faces when it's time to select a facility for the conference. There are a wide range of options for venues and facilities, and the choices are endless. In other words, it can easily become tricky to decide, which is also perfectly understandable.
A good idea, therefore, may be to start by reviewing what the goal and purpose of the conference are. If the ambition is to include outdoor activities in the agenda, it may be appropriate to plan for a slightly longer conference with plenty of room for this, while a one-day conference in the city can be effective and time-saving as the location becomes more central and accessible.
Today there are conference facilities that offer complete packages with accommodation, which paves the way for fantastic opportunities to plan for more varied content that extends beyond just meetings and lectures.
It is important that the group feels taken care of during their stay, so many times a slightly smaller, but above all a more personal, option can be better.
At Hooks Herrgård, we offer plenty of activities both indoors and outdoors in a strikingly beautiful environment. For many years, we have hosted large and small groups from all over the country and have extensive experience in organizing successful conferences.
To choose the right conference facility with good foresight, you should consider:
The practical aspects
When you do your research and look at different conference facilities, a good tip is to use a checklist to ensure that the facility and venues meet all points.
How many participants are expected, what is needed in terms of food and entertainment, what activities are desired, and what transport options are available to get to the facility. With this information in front of you, it will be easier for you to determine whether the conference facility you are looking at will fit or not.
But first and foremost, it is important to look at the practical matters. That a larger conference requires more planning goes without saying. It is also necessary to have larger venues, where you need to ensure that the right technology is in place so that a larger group of participants can both hear and see properly.
Planning the day according to goals and purpose, as well as making the right priorities to facilitate the day, is important in order not to waste valuable time.
Service during the conference
Once you have found a suitable facility that seems to work well practically, it's time to review the range of activities, which are usually needed during a conference day.
This category also includes food and everything around it. Many conference facilities can assist with all meals, but some facilities do not have the capacity for this, and you may need to look into catering.
Other services worth considering relate to the venues. Review how, for example, the furniture is arranged and what technology is available. Rearranging furniture should not be necessary, but if you have any specific requests, this is something that the staff on site should be able to assist with.
Preliminary booking for good foresight
Perhaps you already know the exact number of participants, or perhaps it is still uncertain, and you need more time to gather feedback from everyone. Once you have found a conference facility that meets your checklist, you can always make a preliminary booking until you can confirm the number of participants.
The conference facility in question will then inform you when you need to finalize the booking and the correct number of participants. This is so that the facility can plan for your stay and everything it entails in good time.
Transport to and from the facility
An important aspect to consider when planning the conference is what options exist for getting to and from the conference. Keep in mind whether the conference involves overnight stays or not.
If you want to gather the whole group at a location with poorer connections, it may be necessary to arrange common transport. This also creates a natural meeting point for everyone to travel together afterward. It is also common to let participants carpool in their own cars. Review how long the travel time is and then make a decision to carefully create a lovely and energizing conference experience down to the smallest detail.
For if there is anything that the small details do, it is to contribute to the larger picture.
Benefits of planning the conference outside the city:
Changing the environment can be both inspiring and energizing
Conference facilities outside the city usually offer plenty of space for larger groups
You avoid issues with parking spaces and parking times
It is very suitable for longer conferences that include team building, corporate training, and outdoor activities