Corporate events are among the biggest expenses a company will make. Unlike payrolls, investments, and system upgrades, company events are inherently branded and their success or failure will often have far-reaching effects inside and outside the company.
That is why event planning is more important than your usual workplace gatherings or meetings. The responsibilities of the organizer and venue owner are more intense than your usual soirees. For example, corporate event venues in New York City are highly competitive often due to the clientele and business situated around the area.
With that in mind, you should decide early on the things that you want (or don’t want) in an events place before you book the venue. While there are general rules and guidelines to follow in order to do this, the following are what you should be very careful about:
Is your event indoors or outdoors?
This isn’t just so you can check whether or not it’s going to rain that day (although of course weather forecasting is critical to planning any event); it’s also to make sure you have the proper permits needed to host an event.
If you’re holding an indoor event, permits are generally something discussed with the venue that you’re looking at, and can be adjusted based on the expected number of guests, activities planned, and so on. But if you’re holding an outdoor event in a place like Times Square, you’ll need to get special permission from the Office of Citywide Event Coordination or the Management’s Street Activity Permit Office.
Is there adequate parking spaces for your guests?
One of the easiest things to overlook is the possibility that a majority of your guests will be arriving via car (New York traffic gridlocks aside), so choosing an event venue that can accommodate a reasonable amount of vehicles can go a long way.
If they have a valet parking system in place, it would be better as your guests can leave their cars in safe hands and be fully invested in the event that you’ve spent so much time planning for them.
Are they equipped with all the technologies that you need?
Finally, don’t forget to ask for a list of equipment the event place has. Good event venues will give you a list once you ask for it; better venue owners or managers will walk you through and give you a thorough explanation of the capabilities of their events place, from the small necessities such as mics all the way to the exact dimensions of the stage.
When choosing a place to host your corporate event, it’s important to keep the basics in mind but it’s also a good idea to make sure the people and equipment you’re working with offer the quality and convenience that your company deserves.
These events don’t happen every day, and who you’re partnered with will determine their success or failure. Your best option is to work with the right people and book the best event venue you can find in the area.
