Venue managers face stiff competition when it comes to securing new event business. Winning return clients isn’t easy either — even when organisers have repeated locations for years on end. The reality is that expectations of event planners and attendees are evolving so rapidly.
For many venues, loyalty to a location (or brand) is no longer enough to keep clients coming back. Earning repeat business and referrals to new clients requires something else: a reputation for the venue being an ideal partner to event organisers.
The best events result from collaborative, productive partnerships between event organisers and the hospitality professionals they choose to work with. Regardless of event size or scope, successful partnerships tend to have five core components in common.
1. Location Alignment
Failed event partnerships sometimes start with false advertising. An eagerness to win clients may motivate venue managers to overstate capabilities or overpromise on resource availability (for things such as food and drink service, audiovisual assistance, check-in help, or onsite coordination).
Integrity is at the core of every successful partnership, so venues must market their offerings appropriately.
Locations should always be a fit for the event size, attendee expectations, market demographics, and the capabilities needed to pull off the show. And if an organiser needs extra hands that the venue can’t spare, being straightforward about that will help ensure the event budget is allocated appropriately to cover all necessary resources.
2. A Clear ‘Why’
Every event exists for a reason. And venue managers should respect that reason as more than “just” an opportunity for the property to win business.
Understanding an event’s point and purpose is one aspect of defining location alignment and audience fit. But when it comes to partnering with an event organiser, the significance goes deeper than that.
Event organisers are judged on their ability to satisfy an event’s point or objective (such as a fundraising goal or membership increase) and support the organisation’s larger purpose or mission. When venue managers understand the “why” behind events — and collaborate closely with organisers to ensure they deliver on it — their partnerships are more likely to succeed.
3. Quality Content/Experience
A high-quality, right-fit location and meaningful purpose help make an event memorable. But ultimately, it’s the experience itself that attendees keep with them long after they leave.
Quality content and immersive experiences can transform an event from kind of memorable to (potentially) unforgettable. Entertaining attendees is one approach: 43% of planners in Cvent’s 2018 Global Planner Sourcing Report cited live music and entertainment as their top strategy for building memorable experiences.
But quality experiences aren’t exclusive to large-scale things like concerts and keynotes. Small-group workshops and meetups have unique content considerations, too.
Organisers typically have clear ideas about what information or opportunities they want to share with attendees. Venue managers should invest in understanding what those are, why they matter, and what makes them meaningful to participants. Those insights boost the likelihood that attendees walk away wowed by the experience.
4. Tech That Augments
Earning “wows” from a crowd can have a lot to do with technology. Events are getting more and more digital every day — with things such as mobile-app agendas, social media integrations, and livestreamed video becoming practically commonplace.
Of course, we’ve all been to events where technology tends to distract from the content. IT issues and audiovisual problems can happen at even the most well-planned events, for example, but they disrupt audience members out of otherwise immersive experiences.
Successful events use technology to enhance the experience, rather than detract from it. Studies show that event technology adoption can increase attendance by 20%, increase productivity by 27%, and decrease costs by as much as 30%.
Venue managers should help planners find the right balance and aim to execute on the organisers’ vision in a manner that leaves attendees with a lasting, positive impression.
5. Post-Event Engagement
The best events don’t end when the onsite part is over — they create momentum that continues. Effective organisers craft follow-up strategies to keep attendees engaged well after they leave the venue.
Event partnerships shouldn’t end when the curtain comes down, either. It’s important for hospitality professionals to nurture their relationships with planners. Showing a sincere interest in how attendees enjoyed the event and how well the organisers’ objectives were met helps solidify a partnership.
From there, it’s about keeping the lines of communication open and earning a reputation for consistent excellence. Becoming known for hosting collaborative, productive events is what helps a venue win valuable business again and again.
For more on partnering with event planners, download our eBook What Makes An Event? 8 Things Every Hospitality Professional Should Know.
