Interested to hear how important you think the venue and the food is!

Hi 4Ners

I was wondering how important you thought a venue was to the meetings, and whether it would have any influence on whether or not someone would attend. 

The same goes for the Breakfast (or evening meal).  I know we don't go for the food, but would it put you off booking into a meeting if you felt it was poor, or even downright bad!?

Would love to hear what you think.

Carole

I do feel the venue plays a part in the feel of the meeting.  However, I must say, that the quality of the food can make or break a meeting.  I've even come across someone who avoids a meeting because the coffee is bad?!

That's a shame if it turns out to be at your local 4N!

Unless you've got an exceptional speaker or other attraction then yes, the venue is massively important.  I've tested and measured this with tons of seminars, both paid and unpaid courses.

The main factors to increase numbers, and decrease dropouts..  with:

Free parking (at the venue, not near)

A landmark location

A proper projector and screen (pubs are notorious at not having this)

Free wifi

The venue being used for other business events (social proof)

I don't really buy into the food thing, and especially not the bacon and eggs nonsense.  If you want that, go to a transport cafe.

I will attend some venues less due to, lots of stairs or steps.

Milton Keynes new one is great, but the old one was bad if you had a mobility issue.

Olney, I don't go there at the moment as to many steps up and down all the time. But they are one of the best meeting I have been to.

I'm fully onboard with this as with my heart condition I struggle with stairs sometimes , I guess thats what I mean by "a venue that holds lots of other biz events" - they are likely to have good access for people less able than the general population! 

...disagree that food / venue are unimportant. Both are. Given the wide choice of meetings available and the time limits for attending them, even food becomes a decision maker. I'd rather attend a meeting with a good breakfast than a cr**py one. At least if I don't do any business that morning I know I'll have something decent to eat!

Paul 

We'll have to agree to disagree here Paul.  I think your product is excellent but I think placing any priority on the food at a short business event is a case of misplaced priorities.  I do a 4Sight on the relationship between diet and the diseases of affluence.... it's summed up below, (hint: eating bacon/eggs/sausages regularly accelerates your death.)

Adam, fair point, but you're assuming a few things.

1. If I think a breakfast is bad at a given venue, then in all probability others also share that view.  It then follows that they too may avoid that particular meeting/ seek alternatives. This will directly affect my ability to network with others on any scale and eventually filter down to my bottom line. - At the very least being confronted by a bad breakfast, especially from a hotel venue, when I know that down the hall the guests are being served up a sumptuous breakfast buffet displeases me. 

2. You're assuming that I mean't a full English.   

Paul

Some interesting comments here.  Thanks everyone.  I guess some of us will have to agree to disagree how important the breakfast is!

I hadn't given much thought to access / stairs etc as all venues now should have disabled access but I don't suppose that stops them putting the 4N meeting in a first or second floor room, and stairs are a vital consideration for many members, or potential visitors.

I have to admit that the venue is something a few 4ners and i was discussing on Friday, I have to be honest it does from parking, to meeting the ops assistant to the venue and of course the breakfast provided.

That is why the Yeovil Court Hotel at 4N Yeovil is by far the best venue i have visited since rejoining the network (although all ops assistants are just as good as each other of course).

Kirk

Great to hear you think Yeovil 4N has a great venue.  We think so too!