Wed Jul 26, 2017
Connect. Relate. Explore.
Meeting planners look for ways to enhance their meeting, but at the end of the day the basics still apply. You want to hold your meeting in a compact location where attendees can feel connected, create an environment where attendees can relate, and choose a location that allows for exploration.
How can you create an environment for visitors to connect, relate and explore? By finding the perfect venue that answers the important needs of the attendee.
CONNECT:
- Find a location near a majority of the U.S. population; allowing for easy, affordable access, whether attendees drive or fly.
- Make it walkable. Choose a location with a compact, easy-to-navigate footprint.
- Keep all your hotels within safe, easy walking distance to hotels.
- Locate a venue that offers a compact floor plan; good wayfinding and contiguous meeting spaces.
- Guarantee state-of-the-art technology services. With today’s digital initiatives, you can’t offer digital support that’s almost there. Attendees want to connect with each other, to you and the world around them whether it’s through your meeting app, on social media or simple email communication.
RELATE:
- A vibrant, walkable city with restaurants, nightlife options and destination shopping allows for attendees to mix and mingle before, between and after events.
- Your venue choice must provide casual, flexible spaces. Not just inside the meeting room walls, but in the public space as well. Get creative with your room sets. Provide lounge seating instead of a classroom or theatre settings. Learning and connecting has risen to a much higher level so don’t let your guests down by planning the same old hollow square.
EXPLORE:
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- Whether it’s for a team building activity, networking opportunity or an opportunity for visitors to learn the culture of the destination, your location must be approachable. Choose a destination that boasts an outstanding lineup of arts, entertainment and cultural attractions.
- Does your venue really reflect the city it’s in or is it just a box and a name? Local artwork throughout the building, local food purveyors, or a venue with Certified Travel Ambassadors that can answer most any question about the city will all make the experience more memorable.
Next time you’re shopping for an event venue, look for a place that connects attendees to each other, to the surroundings and offers ways to go beyond the typical meeting. For example, the Spectra-managed Duke Energy Convention Center lies within 500 miles of 60 percent of the nation’s population. The center is within blocks of top-rated restaurants and other attractions. It features innovative design and up-to-date technology.
Michelle Hopewell is the Marketing Manager at the Spectra managed Duke Energy Convention Center, located in Cincinnati, Ohio. She also serves as a Regional Marketing Director in the Central division of Spectra Venue Management. Click here to book a meeting, or call 513-419-7300.
