9 Essentials for Selecting a Meeting Room
Your meeting or event location can help make or break your success. The location
you choose sets the stage and creates the right environment for the action
to happen. Budget, of course, plays a major role. Using your own internal
conference room saves money, but ask yourself, is it really the right place
to meet? In essence, you need to think about a place that minimizes disturbances,
offers comfort and convenience, meets your equipment and space needs, and
projects the right image.
When it comes time to pick that right location for your meeting,
pay attention to the following nine characteristics of the room
or rooms you're considering and use the questions as a checklist
so that you make the best possible decisions.
1. Space: Will everyone be able to fit comfortably into the
room after you set up the chairs, tables, aisles, a stage, or
other presentation area, and any audiovisual equipment you need?
If you're a novice in this area, definitely ask for advice from
your venue contact.
2. Temperature: Does the room have air conditioning or heating?
What control do you have during the meeting in case body heat
causes temperature to rise uncomfortably? Unfortunately, windows
aren't a good substitute for air conditioning because they let
in outside noises and distractions along with fresh air (which
may not be so fresh). Many large facilities have temperature
controls that are centrally located, and you may be hard-pressed
to find a happy medium between the Artic and the Sahara in the
individual meeting rooms.
3. Lighting: How much control do you have over the room lighting?
Can you make the room dark enough for the audience to see images
projected on a screen? Can you make it light enough for participants
to take notes and not fall asleep?
Ideally, you should be able to control and dim individual lights
in the meeting room. If you can't control the lighting, you can
arrange to have venue management unscrew specific bulbs ahead
of time to achieve the desired effect for your event. This is
particularly important for bulbs that shine directly above or
onto a screen and wash-out images.
4. Sight lines: Will you be unable to seat participants in any
areas of the room because of a column, low ceiling, or other
impediment obstructs their view? You can best glean this type
of information from a site inspection. You can't rely on room
specifications to give you this data. However, if a site visit
isn't possible, grill your contact with specific questions so
as to avoid any on-site surprises.
5. Potential distractions: What potential distractions make
the room a less-than-ideal setting for your meeting? Is the air
conditioning too loud? Is the room situated on a busy street?
Does noisy foot traffic intrude from the hallway outside? Is
the room located adjacent to the kitchen or above a general session
auditorium where dress rehearsals may be taking place? Are the
walls thick enough to block out distracting noises? How about
the sound system - can you hear feedback from one room to another?
The only way to know the answers to many of these questions is
to test things out.
6. Seating and tables: Does your room have all the tables and
chairs you need, or will you have to rent them? Are you required
to rent them from the venue, or can you use an outside provider?
If the room has any furniture that in inadequate or inappropriate
for you meeting, will you have to move it out and store it? Will
the venue provide this service free of charge, or is there an
additional fee?
To make your life a little easier, get a copy of the blueprints
for the room you are using. These will help you immensely to
figure out how to arrange seating, the stage, and equipment.
Realize that if you're planning to use the same room for several
presenters or meetings, you need to decide the best configuration
for all the different presentations. You want to avoid the expense
of having the room reconfigured for each separate meeting.
7. Rental time: Be sure you have access to the room early enough
to set up and troubleshoot any unanticipated problems before
the meeting begins. Build in time for audiovisual technicians,
lighting specialists, chair and table suppliers, caterers, and
any other service providers to do their thing before attendees
arrive. You may also want to give presenters rehearsal time in
the room to become familiar and comfortable with their environment,
and to run through their presentations in search of potential
problems, such as sight lines.
8. Room capacity: Find out about the legal capacity of the room
you are renting, and do not exceed it. Also check out all emergency
exits, and work them into your planning, being careful not to
obstruct them with a stage or seating. Make sure that all the
exits are clearly marked and illuminated.
9. Essential items: Find out in advance whether you venue provides
the following essential items either free of charge or for an
additional fee. Any of the items not included, provided, of course,
you need them, ought to become part of your contract
Coverings for any tables you're using, such as tablecloths and/or
table skirts.
