How to Choose a Training Venue (Part 1)
The right venue can make or break the delegate experience. We share some tips to ensure that you can find the venue that’s perfect for your next training session.
1. Accessibility
Make sure your venue is easily accessible by car, train and by plane (if you have international delegates). Ensure it’s easy to find and well signposted too. If you make their journey as easy as possible, delegates will be more likely to arrive on time, which in turn ensures that the training starts on time, and they will arrive unflustered, calm and ready to learn.
2. Free onsite parking
Delegates love the ability to simply drive to a venue and park, without the need to navigate the town to find the nearest multi story car park. Onsite and free parking ensures that your delegates don’t have to spend ten minutes scrabbling about for change, or having to take 15 minutes to register for the car park payment app. Free onsite parking also gets rid of the additional stress delegates than have when rushing out to feed meters. And there’s no rush at the end of the day for them to then get back to their car before the meter runs out.
3. Great food
Bad food can really let down an otherwise amazing training session; Our sister company Lime Venue Portfolio recently conducted their Big Food Survey which found out that 45% of all event feedback is now based on food and beverage, indicating a 5% rise since first surveyed 10 years ago. This is a slight but very significant growth, more so when set in context that it was ahead of crucial aspects such as ‘content’ which equated to 27% of event feedback, and ‘location of the venue’ which accounted for 18% of feedback.
Don’t let bad food spoil an otherwise brilliant day; ensure your venue serves a range of options that are well presented and made from quality ingredients. Ensure that thought has gone into menus to ensure the delegates aren’t filling up on stodgy pasta and coming back to the training needing an afternoon nap! The dreaded post lunch energy slump can be avoided with the right food.
4. Good onsite accommodation
If your training lasts longer than a day, your delegates will be much happier to stay on-site, rather than the fuss of having to find their own nearby accommodation. At the end of a long training day, delegates greatly benefit from staying onsite rather than having to trapse to a nearby hotel. Onsite accommodation also means that delegates are more likely to stay for post-training networking, are able to enjoy dinner together, and then further bond over breakfast too.
5. Natural light and well being
Make sure that the rooms you have booked have lots of natural light. Natural light is said to increase productivity, energy levels and promote calmness and health. You may also like to consider the available green space at your venue; suggesting that delegates have a 15-minute walk around the grounds as part of their lunch break will ensure they return refreshed and ready to learn. Consider the benefits of taking elements of your training outside too – your delegates may benefit from having their coffee break outside in the fresh air for example.
We hope that you enjoyed reading our pointers, read part 2 of how to choose a training venue here. Our knowledgeable team are happy to help and to discuss your training venue needs, please contact them on: enquiries@thevenuescollection.co.uk
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