Events are all about experiences, and in the future, experiences will continue to be a major influence as events increase in number, and participants are spoilt for choice. Apart from the destination, the second biggest feature that is guaranteed to make your event stand out from the competition is the venue. We’ve all seen congress centres and hotel conference rooms in all of their available varieties. But to create a different, unique impression for potential visitors, you need to “think different.”
Here are 10 ways an unusual venue will transform your event into a unique experience
- Having a unique venue for your event will definitely make it stand out amidst competing events. And that’s true for any business industry and sector.
- Venues that are not typical for a particular industry or sector are much more likely to create media ‘Buzz’. We’re talking traditional, digital and social media. A unique venue will always provide a more interesting story to write about and share.
- Media Buzz will, in turn, improve the event’s attendance. Who doesn’t want to be part of a unique experience that’s the ”talk of the town”?
- With all the Buzz and attendance of course comes engagement. As participants and media become part of this unique event they are much more likely to talk about it, share their thoughts and experiences.
- And so we come to social proof, testimonials and endorsements. No longer will you need to ask for a recommendation, just collect the articles about your event, the user tweets, the positive mentions, comments and shares.
- Even long into the future, the original venue and unique experience provided, are much more likely leave long-lasting memories with your events’ participants.
- Which brings us to the “WOW” effect and…
- You, the event producer, being remember as original, unique and creative.
- And guess what, being a memorable organizer of events, a producer who creates Buzz, attendance and engagement – you will always generate sponsorships!
- This is not so much a “unique experience” for participants, more of a unique experience for your wallet. Unusual venues can work out cheaper than traditional, more lavish locations, in terms of fee to hire.
I hope you’re beginning to see how unique venues bring unique experiences. However keep in mind that they also bring certain ‘unique’ problems. But don’t worry, here are three quick tips on solving potential problems with unusual venues:
The venue is in a ‘rough’ state
Unusual venues are not designed with a specific event-related function in mind, and they may look a little grubby at first sight. Have no fear, with appropriate professional decoration, lighting and details, a venue can be given a completely new life. More on that below.
There are no bathroom amenities
If you’re hosting a dinner inside a cave, don’t expect luxurious bathroom facilities. The problem is easily resolved by contacting a supplier for portable bathroom facilities There are hundreds of available options and you don’t need to settle for plastic festival loos!
The location is not central
You’ll find that a lot of the unusual venues are at the outskirts of big cities or even further away, and access to them may be limited. A problem that can transformed into an opportunity for an even more unique experience. Choose a unique form of transportation for your participants! Or, simply provide shuttle transportation from a more central location.
Our List of 11 Unusual Event Venues
1. In the sky
Image: Dinner in the sky
Image: Events in the Sky
Source: London in the Sky – 2015 by Kit Allen
2. Abandoned old house
Image: Ján Jakub Naništa licensed under CC0 1.0
Image: William Ross licensed under CC BY 2.0
3. Cave
Image: “Gibraltar World Music Festival 2012/ Sephardic Divas” by Pedrito Guzman licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
4. Abandoned Train Station
Image: Brunel’s Old Station
Image: Brunel’s Old Station
Image: Brunel’s Old Station
5. Vault
Image: The Whole Venue
Image: The Whole Venue
Image: One-Tunnel
6. Clock Tower
Image: Clock Tower Events
Image: Clock Tower Events
7. Old War Bunker
Image: Bunker 42
Image: Bunker 42
Image: Bunker 42
8. Airport Hangar
Image: Lyon Air Museum
Image: Lyon Air Museum
9. Aquarium
Image: SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
Image: SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium
10. Old warehouse or Loft
Image: Green Point Loft
Image: Green Point Loft
11. Abandoned Underground Station
Image: The Vaults Theatre
Image: The Vaults Theatre
Featured image: derivative of Città del Vaticano, Vatican City by Yoosun Won licensed under CC0 1.0
Guest Author:
Dimitar Toshkov
I’m a wiseacre Millennial, but you’ll find my articles are the result of meticulous research and careful observation.
