Amenities to Consider When Booking a Venue for Your Seminar

Many business sectors rely on in-person seminars. If your business relies on growing leads and partnerships through seminars and trainings, that means it’s time to start considering how to develop and host a seminar that will maximize attendance and produce the results you are striving for.

You should consider the KPIs by which you will measure your success. We can’t define these for you, as they vary from industry to industry and company to company.

But what we do know is that it also matters where you host your event. If your event space doesn’t have critical features and amenities, your event may prove to be a source of frustration for your guests and a waste of your time and resources..

What features does your event space need to have for your seminar to succeed?

No one enjoys running into hiccups or technical difficulties that undermine the hard work you put into your presentation. To be prepared, you’ll want to know you’re working with the best amenities available to pull off your event seamlessly and smoothly. Attendees will be far more likely to make the jump from interested party to client or partner if it’s clear that you’ve anticipated their needs.

Consider the following amenities when preparing your seminar, and what you will need to provide your attendees with an enjoyable event. The amenities you should consider when deciding on an event space are described below.

First, there are event space amenities which are critical to ensuring your presentation goes smoothly.

• Internet Access: Your presentation will almost certainly incorporate videos or other media hosted online. You should also pay close attention to whether the space offers wireless Internet access—this is very commonplace now, but some spaces still rely on wired Ethernet connections.
• Projectors & Projection Screens: If a seminar space has these available on site, setting up for your presentation will be much simpler, and you won’t have to worry about transporting equipment. Ensure that any on-site equipment can be connected to your laptop or other media devices you’re bringing.
• Wireless Audio System: If a space provides wireless microphones and speakers which are integrated into their presentation systems, you can further reduce the amount of equipment you’ll need to transport, as well as your setup time.
• DVD System: While much of your media is likely online, you may still rely on DVD media as well. Given that most laptops no longer have DVD drives, you’ll want to ensure that the site has a DVD system integrated into their projector systems, otherwise you’ll need to bring a DVD player and the necessary connectors.
• Print & Ship Center: Having a print center on-site will allow you to prepare print materials at the seminar location, and reduce the materials you’ll need to transport. In addition, if the facility has a shipping center, you can quickly ship marketing materials, products, and other items to seminar attendees.
• On-Site Support Team: While you may have technically capable people on your staff who will be with you for the presentation, an on-site support team will have a better understanding of the event space’s various presentation systems, and will be better equipped to help you troubleshoot any issues.

Other minor amenities you may want to inquire about include laser pointers, whiteboards, smart televisions, and other items which may complement your presentation.

There are also amenities that are must-haves if you want to keep your attendees happy.

Obviously you want to make sure your event space has what you need to pull off the perfect seminar. But you also want to ensure that your attendees are provided for and comfortable. Neglecting the basics can undermine the positive impression you’re seeking to make.

Amenities that your attendees will care about include:

• On-Site Parking: Booking a facility that doesn’t feature parking will mean that your attendees will have to handle the logistics and cost of finding parking, and possibly, having to find transport to the event.
• Coffee & Snack Service: You definitely don’t want attendees losing their focus because they can’t get their caffeine fix or are feeling hunger pangs. A facility with coffee and snack service means one less thing to worry about bringing with you and setting up.
• Catering Service: Some facilities partner with local catering companies, meaning you don’t have to worry about evaluating and selecting a catering service, and ensuring they make it to your venue on time.
• Clean Bathrooms: This may seem obvious, but few things leave a more lasting negative impression than poorly maintained bathroom facilities. Don’t be afraid to ask a venue for photos of their facilities to ensure your guests will be pleased.

If you have questions about booking a room for a training or seminar, or what to consider when choosing an event space, Business Central is here to support you. Feel free to contact us about any inquiries you may have!