So you have a great idea for a seminar or training workshop, but have you discovered the best venue? Before you answer that question, you need to figure out what your desired outcome is, and what tools you need to reach that outcome. Simple questions to ask might include:

  • What are the goals of the workshop
  • Who do you want our workshop to reach
  • How will you get attendees there
  • How many people should you expect and does the venue have the capacity to accommodate them
  • How long should the workshop be
  • What is your budget for the workshop

Once you have defined the goal and scope of your workshop or seminar, you need to establish where you want to hold it and why you want to hold it at that particular venue. The primary factors in choosing your venue could be location, cost, available dates, capacity and built-in amenities. Your priorities could be different from other businesses and organizations seeking space to hold a seminar or workshop.

Plan in Advance

The best way to ensure you get the dates you want for a particular venue is to plan in advance. You don’t want to be stuck with a last minute option where the venu doesn’t suit the needs of your training seminar.

Location

The last thing your attendees want to do is have a difficult time getting to your meeting. A good seminar location will provide easy access to transportation and parking, so it’s worth looking into a central downtown location where there are frequently running trains, buses, streetcars, and an abundance of parking options.

A prime location will also enhance the atmosphere of your seminar and will promote a higher level of engagement amongst attendees. Guests will feel more motivated to come to a prestigious downtown location, rather than coming to a smaller town. With various coffee shops, restaurants, and bars nearby, guests can easily take a lunch break without needing to go too far from the seminar building.
If you’re organizing a multi-day workshop with out-of-town attendees, you may want people staying overnight in the same hotel together, as free time in the evening often becomes important bonding time. You will be surprised how much attendees will talk about the information they retained from the seminar and will be more aware and inspired the next day. If this is the case, you will want a location that has a lot of hotel and motel options nearby.

Room Layout

So you have found the perfect location and venue for your next event. Now you need to start thinking about the room layout and in particular the seating style. Before you book that venue, be sure that it offers various seating styles and is flexible to the needs of your seminar or training session.
The simplest seating style is a theatre or cinema configuration, with chairs aligned in consecutive straight rows that all face toward the front of the room. But what if your session requires desks and internet access? Then you should look at classroom-style seating. Other types of meeting room layouts include the boardroom style with one long desk in the middle of the room and the U-shaped style where desks are arranged in a U shape.

Amenities Tools and Professionalism

You should also consider the professional atmosphere that you need to project. A hotel ballroom may sound and look good on paper, but does it have the backup and support that an office business centre with meeting rooms offers? Consider the things you might be forgetting. A hotel may not be able to get you those things you need at the last minute, whereas an office business centre has a multitude of tools available, such as:

  • Printers
  • Photocopiers
  • Fax machines
  • High-speed WIFI
  • White Boards
  • Flip Charts
  • Projection Screens
  • Software Support

Having access to all these tools will ensure that your event runs smoothly. Additionally, Telsec provides you with amenities such as a cafe and lounge area that promotes a sophisticated tone to your meeting.
Before you book a venue for your seminar or training session, physically visit your top choices. Yes, they may have great photos or videos on their website, but actually visiting the venue will give you a much better idea of it will work for you and your attendees. Ask the host about parking, transit, local amenities, and what your guests should expect at the facility.

Book a tour with Telsec offices today to see how we can help host your next event.