Thousands of events take place across Germany every year. According to the statistics portal Statista, there were just under three million across Germany in 2016. These include numerous trade shows, conferences, congresses and corporate events - and the trend is rising.
In 2015, companies already invested almost 40% of their marketing budget in events. However, B2B events in particular are associated with intensive work and high budgets when it comes to event planning. Accordingly, a lot of time and, above all, manpower is required.
This makes it all the more important to bundle the available capacities and use them efficiently. For some planning points, companies, agencies and event departments should therefore consider which organizational points could be outsourced or managed with external help. Location scouting, for example, is an important part of event planning that can be handled quickly and efficiently with the help of external providers.
But how do you find the right provider? The right portal? And at the end of the day, the right and suitable event location? We at Event Inc will show you why event portals not only make the location search easier, but also offer you real added value in the planning process.
The relevance of the right event location
The event location is the figurehead of every event: Does the event location match the motto of the event, what is the aim of the event? Is the event location also suitable for the guests? As a first step, organizers should therefore consider what and, above all, who they want to reach with their event. A clearly defined target group is essential! Develop a vision for the event. What is the purpose of the event? Before making a decision regarding the event location, you should first take a close look at the participants. The most important thing about the location is that it has its own identity that matches the event itself. The right location for a conference should therefore be selected according to different criteria than a birthday or photo location. The following key questions can serve as a guide when choosing a suitable location: Where should the location be? How many guests are expected and where are they coming from? What equipment is required and what budget is available?
Discussing specific requirements for the event location is crucial to success
At the beginning of the event planning process, think carefully about what requirements your concept places on the event location and then make an informed decision. The above questions can help you with this.
A conference requires a different location and equipment than a Christmas party, where the focus is on a good DJ system and various catering options. The right location is also particularly important for the after-marketing effect. Spectacular event locations are more likely to be remembered than inconspicuous event rooms that have already been booked in previous years. Of course, it is important for the company to find the perfect location: Here, everything from the infrastructure to the look and size must be perfectly matched to the event concept. There must be enough event space for the guests, as well as enough capacity and space for the service providers who are responsible for the catering or entertainment, for example. To ensure that the location chosen in advance does not turn out to be a flop, it is essential to arrange a viewing in advance. This will give you a better feel for the location and you can also be sure about the seating and furnishings.
Location portals
Location portals not only help in the search for the perfect venue, but also offer a wonderful all-round service from the initial search to the first contact via personal location scouting. A location portal gives the customer the opportunity to get an idea of the locations available. They can use certain filter options to narrow down the search for a suitable location. Furthermore, it is possible to request or option several locations and also request other service providers.
As a B2B customer, some portals also offer special B2B benefits. At Event Inc, for example, business customers have access to a 24-hour feedback service, a larger selection and personal location scouting. Each business partner is assigned their own consultant who takes care of the entire location search and booking process. Even if the location is already taken, an alternative can be found immediately with the help of the consultant. You can also get advice right from the start. The consultants know the portfolio inside out and know which types of event can be held in which location.
Quality feature of location portals
Before deciding on a portal, it is important to check what the portal offers and whether the service is actually free of charge. Some providers see themselves as a marketplace that actively mediates and establishes contact with the location - others merely list the event rooms and the customer then makes contact themselves. In this case, the portal does not act as an intermediary and no further services can be requested. Important criteria when making a decision are, for example, the selection of locations on offer and the versatility of the offer. In which cities is the offer available? What categories are there and how is the portal's service structured? Who takes care of the booking process with the location? With whom do you pay? What filters and categories does the portal offer? Customer feedback is also particularly important: Especially in terms of performance, feedback from the locations and the processing between the customer and the location.
Sarita Lensch is an event editor at Event Inc. The Hamburg-based company is the leading marketplace for the procurement of event locations in German-speaking countries. Based in Hamburg, the start-up cooperates with over 5,000 partners from the most important metropolitan regions in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In addition to a premium service, Event Inc is characterized by personal and free event consulting.
