Speaker 1: Hey everyone, welcome to Coffee Talk with On The Edge Events. I am Kyra and I am co-owner of On The Edge Events and I am waiting for my business partner Alice. She's going to jump on with us here in a second and we're going to be talking today about how to choose the right venue for your event and what are the main factors that go into that. So we're going to talk about conferences, retreats, and we've come up with five points that we really use on every RFP to kind of determine what event you should be, what venue you should be choosing for your event. So adding her now. Hey, good morning. Hey Alice. Good morning. How are you? That's just good. How are you? Have a good weekend.

Speaker 2: It was good.

Speaker 1: It was good. It was busy. But, um, in a nice, relaxed, organized way, so a lot going on, but not too much rushing. How was yours?

Speaker 3: It was good. Always good to have a nice, relaxing weekend. Weather was good. Fall like finally. Oh, good.

Speaker 1: Yeah, I know. I love that. So I was filling everyone in that we're going to be talking about venue selection today. So that's an exciting topic because, um, I think that's basically the most important thing you can do in planning an event is choose the right venue.

Speaker 3: Absolutely. Yeah. It's a critical component of what we do. Yeah. Yeah. So I think, you know, we have like those five keys that we always try to follow.

Speaker 1: Yep, absolutely. And so, um, if anyone hasn't seen the description, the five keys we're going to go over today are capacity, location, uh, technological components, so your AV availability, um, food and beverage and the wow factor. And so, you know, infused within all these five components is your budget. Um, you're going to make sure that goes through, but it's not its own separate component kind of is the overseeing umbrella of everything that you do. Um, so let's start with capacity because that's a big factor when choosing the right venue is to kind of know your event and know how many people you're going to get there. And even if you don't know how many you're going to get, you want to know your goals and you want to be realistic and you want to change those goals over the years. So, um, finding a venue that has the right space for you is really important because you certainly don't want it to look empty and you don't want to leave people out, right? Because you are spending a lot on your event and you want a lot of ticket sales.

Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly. I mean, you know, when we talk about capacity, it like it sounds simple, right? But it's one of the most crucial things about it because like, yeah, like you said, it's you don't want it too tight where you can't move around and you don't create that movement in the room. And then you don't want it so large where you sort of get lost in it as well too.

Speaker 1: Yeah. Yep. And capacity is going to kind of be the determining factor in all of your event contracts as well. So right now we're talking about large events, but we'll talk about retreats too in a second. So if you have an event with, and you're expecting, you know, 400 people, you're going to base pretty much everything on that. You're going to base your room on that and your room comes with a fee attached to it. So whether you pay that meeting space fee out of pocket or you pay it in another way, like with your food and beverage or with your hotel rooms that are booked, your capacity is really important. So, um, you know, you need to come up with a formula that's going to tell you what the right amount of rooms to block are. You know, you don't want anyone to not be able to stay overnight, but you also don't want to overcommit because then you're going to get stuck in a situation where you have to pay for those extra rooms. So that all has to do with how many people are coming to your event as well. And the ratio of people that kind of spend the night.

Speaker 3: Right. You know, I always think like we always want the right atmosphere because then that generates the energy, right? We are all about generating that energy for an event or a workshop, whatever kind of event it's going to be. It's all about the atmosphere and the energy that you're creating around it.

Speaker 1: Yeah, I completely agree. And even, you know, for retreats, um, capacity and, you know, maybe, maybe in this, um, in this capacity, I'm misusing the term because, um, but your space and retreats is super, super important, perhaps even more important because with a event, you can, you know, a large event, you can sell out and you can rearrange the room and you can change your seating style. But with a retreat, you're trying to create kind of an intimate workshop environment. And so you really need to make sure that your guests are feeling taken care of with their room space and that in your workshop room or meeting room or outdoors, wherever you plan to have your sessions or kind of powwows, whatever kind of retreat it is, you need to make sure that that space is going to be conducive to that.

Speaker 3: So yeah, exactly. Completely agree. Yeah. So the second component with that goes along with just the location. It's like, we always say location, location, location, and even, you know, my husband's a builder too. We always, when we talk about housing and selling and that sort of thing, we always talk about location, location. It's all about location. Well, it's no different than an event or a retreat either and workshops fall into that too. But location, it's, you know, you want to pick it where for one, it's like really convenient or the clients that you are attracting for them to come to as well. And I think sometimes that's overlooked also because a lot of people really are flying into events or retreats, you know, because it's, it's like the destination is what appeals to them as well.

Speaker 1: Yeah. I think the, the things that people overlook are the me factor, you know, like I'd like something close to my home and I think this area is beautiful, but maybe it's not really easy to get to, or it's very expensive for people to travel to. You should really be doing your flight estimates from your three major cities and on your West Coast, East Coast, Midwest to make sure that the flight prices are okay. When you're going to a retreat, people tend to be, want to travel more and even a conference, they want to travel. They want to see someplace new, but don't confuse that with always having to have this out of the way, kind of difficult to achieve location because there are a million places that are really unique and we'll talk about that another day, but right in the US or right, you know, very easily accessible in a tropical location, but there are some really unique venues and cities that you would not expect. And if you do the advertising, right, and you get people excited about where they're going, that's, that's a huge selling factor and you can save a lot of money too.

Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly. Cause I think, you know, when you and I are looking, especially for a retreat, sometimes water is a draw for people as well, depends on what kind of atmosphere we're trying to create and what kind of retreat that is. But then for a live event, when you're talking about a lot of people that you're incorporating, maybe some after hours activities, like we're looking for that rooftop lounge too, right? That creates that atmosphere and it might be overlooking like a certain place. So I think there's so many different elements in that location. Yeah.

Speaker 1: I think you just have to know your audience. Like do you have the kind of audience that's going to want to go out at night and go to dinner and bar hop and do all those things and maybe shop during the day? Do you have an artistic audience that's going to want a lot of museums, maybe some nearby things to do? Do you have an agricultural audience that loves like farm to table and health and stuff like that? I mean, there are so many different factors. So you know, everyone loves a blue ocean, but I think there's just a lot more that goes into location. And especially when you're really trying to pin down what your audience is going to like and balance it out with your needs for the actual event as well.

Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly. And then the third component, I think that when we look at a venue is definitely the tech and not technological component of it as well.

Speaker 1: Yeah, if you want a headache, then try negotiating AV. Yeah, that's so true. So like if you're just starting out and you find a venue that offers like a screen right in the room and stuff, that's such an awesome thing to have. Or if you know, you just need a little screen, you're doing a workshop. But once you get into your larger AV, you've got a lot of different components. So like, do you want to use their AV company? Do you want to bring in someone from outside? If you're bringing in someone from outside, there are a lot of rules and regulations that go with that. So that's definitely a big.

Speaker 3: And like the sound quality is so huge, right? It's like we were talking to somebody last week that they said they were at an event and they had like wired microphones, like I can only take you somewhere. So it's like, you know, like you don't even think about sometimes like mics. It just makes a huge difference too.

Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah. That was funny. It's like the person could only go like halfway across the stage and they got stuck. If you've got professional speakers speaking at your event, they like to move.

Speaker 3: Yeah. And I think also that we're really, really good at is knowing that the clients that we have, we're really, really on point with making sure that that room is marked with their logos and their branding, like clients know who they are and it's, you know, their logo and whether we have a step and repeat for them or whatever that consists of.

Speaker 1: Yeah, that's really branding is really important and you want a company and you know, a lot of the hotel companies are very, very talented as well, but you definitely want to get different quotes and opinions because not only will it help you negotiate and get more for your money, it'll help you to kind of see what's available and out there. So you have, you know, possibly your event only needs the basics right now, but you have a goal and you know where you're going with it. So you can kind of say, you know, can we add a little uplighting here? Can we go to the next level this year and what will that, what will that do for me? So, and then the other thing that I just want to bring up quickly, it's kind of a very small thing about the tech companies that was like hotel companies just love their podiums and you really, most of the time you don't need or want that podium. So don't let them bully you into it because your speakers want to move around. They want to engage in that thing. We'll just stick them right there.

Speaker 3: Yes, exactly. Yeah, that's so true. Yes. So then our fourth component is what people always leave every event talking about, right? It's our food and beverage. So, you know, if you have people full and fed, they're going to be happy, but I think that's a critical element that we do deliver to our clients too, because, you know, your food and beverage can take a huge chunk of your budget and us working with the onsite, you know, just the coordinators of the onsite event and when we work with them, it's like they're able to help us stay within that client's budgets as well.

Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it's really important. Food and beverage is probably the most important negotiation tool that you have when you're booking a venue, like especially a hotel, because what they're looking for, so every meeting room from like a logistical standpoint, and then we'll talk about, you know, we're talking about fun food and beverage stuff today, but from a logistical standpoint and choosing your venue, every meeting room, every meeting space that you're going to book has a fee that's mentally attached to it with the hotel. And so they have kind of a number in their mind that they've got to meet in order to give you that room. And that can be met in two ways. It can be met by the amount of rooms that you book, hotel rooms in your audience, or it can be measured out, well, and it can be measured out by your food and beverage minimum. So the thing to understand is that your food and beverage minimum is the minimum that you're allowed to spend. So it doesn't necessarily reflect what you're going to spend, and it does not include like your tax and service charge. So what your sweet spot for food and beverage is going to be enough money where it's still in your budget and you're providing what you want to provide for your guests, whether that just be coffee or like full meals all day, and is going to be able to allow you to negotiate that hotel meeting space almost to zero. You know, some places will charge a fee, a meeting space fee as well, but your goal is that zero number. So the balance between what you can spend on food and beverage and that meeting space being waived is like your happy sweet spot. And the best thing to know about that is that your food and beverage is something where you're getting something for your money, right? Instead of just the meeting space, you're actually getting something that you can provide and enhance the experience. So you want to increase that food and beverage minimum as much as you can afford, if that will help you get the meeting space down to zero. And then the other side of that, the fun side is obviously just choosing the best food for your audience.

Speaker 3: Yeah, the right combination, right? That means everything really, selecting the right combination of the menu and the food for that audience. Just like you said, healthy and actually the healthier you eat, the more you stay awake in the afternoon anyway.

Speaker 1: Yeah. And go ahead and ask when you're looking at contracts and stuff, say, is your food good? You know, are you guys known for your food? And there are ways, you know, in any hotel to read between the lines and choose the right menu. So you don't, you know, even if maybe they're not the best, then if their reputation isn't great for food, I would stay away from chicken or anything that's going to get dry. If they're known for their food, get creative and go ahead and do what might be their specialty, something local, something that's a resource to the area is always a good bet.

Speaker 3: Yeah. A lot of variety. We can sample ourselves for them.

Speaker 1: Yes. Absolutely.

Speaker 2: Let's sample every dessert you have now.

Speaker 1: No, I'm sorry. Not that one. Please bring me another. Yes, our clients are gluten free, but we'll just try the chocolate cake just in case. So yeah, it's definitely, food is definitely a big factor for each event, but we've learned to kind of read between the lines of the menus and see what might be a good fit.

Speaker 3: Exactly. Food goes all across the board too. It's like even when I was, you know, even for our weddings, ours or kids or whatever, it's like, what is the main thing people remember? It's the food. It's the main thing at our event, retreat. And, you know, I remember somebody coming to me because I make sure that, especially at our retreats, that the food is amazing. That's what they remember most. But I remember one girl coming to me after the retreat, she's like, oh my God, your food is so good. Last retreat, it's like, I felt like I was starving to death and there was like no food around. I'm like, yeah, you know, people have to be fed and happy. They remember that, right? Yeah.

Speaker 1: And as a coordinator, I think that's like one of the best compliments you can get because it's, people kind of see what you're doing around and stuff, but mostly like the main reasons that are there is like the content. So you really don't have much to do with that coordinating. So it's always nice to get a compliment about the food because you're like, yes, I picked that.

Speaker 3: I went over that. Right. When you're enjoying the food, because that's where you network so much too with other people that are at events, right? That's like where the magic happens, actually. Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 2: The fifth component is the wow factor. So I feel like... Kind of makes me want to do like jazz hands. Exactly. Wow factor.

Speaker 3: When people see a venue that has especially like been advertised on social media, or they maybe have read about one of their restaurants that might be happen to be nearby or in that venue, that is a huge like wow factor to it. It draws people to it and they're like, oh yeah, I've heard about that place. Yeah, that would be nice to go, you know? So just the wow factor of maybe it has circulated on social media a little bit as well. Yeah.

Speaker 1: Yeah. That's a great point. And that's something you can kind of provide too with your marketing and kind of focusing on the areas specific things. So one big thing that I always recommend people do is hook up with your local CVB for whatever area you're booking. And that's your kind of your tourism meeting group in that area. And they have all the information on the area. They can tell you what there is to do around and that can really help with your marketing and getting people there. And I think the wow factor too, it changes depending on your audience. Like I have, you know, Mesa, Arizona was like amazing because it was like this farm to table experience. And we went on this tour of all these different farms in the area where they're really like nailing down. They basically like started the farm to table movement, but that's not going to be as exciting for a conference of 500 people that are indoors most of the time. So maybe your wow factor is more like you have a walkable area where there's like excellent dining and activities and stuff to do. Or maybe it's the hotel itself. If you're really pinned down to that hotel, then you want some kind of modern touches or classical touches, if that's what your audience likes. But things to do within the property so that people don't have to leave too much if there's not a lot of time. So yeah, wow factor can change, but exactly.

Speaker 3: I love that. That gets me so excited for our topic for next week too.

Speaker 1: Yeah, me too. Definitely excited. So next week, we're actually going to talk about some unique venues that we have been to that we've seen some cities we've been to that you would be like, what? I didn't know that they had that stuff or cities that are obvious, but we've been to a really cool venue there. And we're going to talk about that from a retreat aspect and a conference aspect. So that'll be a really fun topic to discuss.

Speaker 3: Yeah, I look forward to it. So that's why we gave you guys the five components today, because it just sort of rolls into what we are going to bring to you next week about where Kira and I have posted some events, retreats and workshops that may be of interest for you if you're looking now and if you're looking for 2020 to start thinking about your own event, your workshop retreats, because

Speaker 4: it does take actually some time to plan it out, get it out to your audience. So. Sorry about that. I know. I was like, what just happened? So sorry about that.

Speaker 1: But yeah, if you guys I didn't finish up what you were saying, Alice, I just wanted to mention, if you guys have an idea for a topic, feel free to drop it in the comments or any kind of questions about our topic today. We're happy to answer that.

Speaker 3: I was just telling them it's so important to get that time period, make sure that you're allowing enough time to plan out the retreat and event.

Speaker 1: Yeah. Oh, definitely. Yep. So thank you, everyone, for being on today, and we will see you next week. All right. Sounds good. Bye. Bye. Bye.