Venue Sourcing Guidelines · IRL Event Studio

Venue Sourcing Guidelines

yo yo yo yo yo sup everyone! happy monday!

Quick one here.

We've been doing a lot of venue sourcing right now (since we signed a few new clients recently) and I'm currently in the THICK of it, sending out RFPs to hotels, talking to venue owners from Peerspace, checking out Airbnb/vrbo options multiple times per day. It's a little bit exhausting lol.

But! Venues are crucial. They are the foundation of a great event/experience, so it's important to be thorough. Here are a few quick-fire tips to make your venue sourcing a bit easier!

Ask for pictures of previous events. This will give you an idea of what things could look like if you are going to host your event there. Make sure the pictures represent an event of a similar scope/size

Ask for an itemized estimate. This will allow you to see what costs what. For example, one potential option we are looking at has a lot of additional charges (stage, backdrop, mics, extra rooms, outside vendor fees, etc.) so make sure you know what each line-item is gonna cost! That way, when you customize things, you know what to keep/drop.

Hop on a video call/facetime with the owner or manager. This will allow you to see the space with your own eyes, ask clarifying questions, and get a feel for the layout. Very helpful. If this isn't an option, look for the venue's instagram/facebook or a virtual tour option. Anything to get more than just the pictures on the listing.

If the estimate comes in high, don't be afraid to negotiate. If you feel like they are overcharging you, ask what can be done to make the price fall within your budget.
@Andy Monroe
is the king of negotiations so maybe he can drop some of the sauce below!

That's all I got for right now, without rambling on or making the list too long 😹

Anyone coming up on an event and in the venue sourcing stage? How's it going?

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