TheMarketingblog

Research : 25% of event professionals do not visit the venue before their event

A new survey has found that more than half of event professionals see managing meetings through rose-tinted glasses.

The study of 300 UK PAs, corporates and event bookers, by central London venue Park Crescent Conference Centre (PCCC), found almost a quarter of those quizzed had organised events at venues they didn’t visit before their event.

The research, which examined the top errors committed in the industry when selecting a venue, found that 50 per cent of those surveyed who ran events that didn’t go to plan made the mistake of assuming things would ‘just happen’ at a venue.

On the list of top blunders, 57 per cent revealed they didn’t read the small print, while almost half of those surveyed said they knew someone who had arrived onsite without a plan. 40 per cent admitted they were not diligent enough when looking at a new venue, while over half (60 per cent) admitted they didn’t focus enough time on the format of their event.

“I know event professionals are hard pressed but nothing beats a good site visit,” said Mathew Beech, marketing and communications manager for International Students House and PCCC.

“However, with today’s technology and a venue that is willing to be 100 per cent transparent about its good and bad points, you can normally work round this.  “My advice is always to use the professional skills and in-depth knowledge of the professional in-house team throughout the planning stages so that mistakes can be easily avoided.