It’s been a roller coaster couple of years, and it’s finally feeling like ENTERTAINING IS BACK! The energy is palpable and the desire to entertain is overwhelming.
Those of us who have opened event venues in the past know that there are many ups and downs when it comes to building or redesigning an event space. Even more so when global pandemics halt progress and subsequent supply shortages delay opening. Trust us, it’s frustrating. But when progress is made and you get closer to opening your doors, you recognize that patience and hard work continues to pay off.
Despite the hardships of late, here at Butler’s Pantry, we are in the process of building out and opening two new venues later this year. Here are the top six things we have learned:
1. Develop a brand personality and stay true to it.
When opening a new venue, it’s important to build a personality for the space. Beyond developing color schemes, textures, furniture and fixture plans, you have to decide WHO your brand is and WHO will be attracted to it. For us, this meant giving our brands a voice and conceptualizing who our brands would be if they were a person…down to the type of shoes they would wear! We have kept this visual in mind at every design decision.
2. Invest in Technology.
In the past two years, we learned that we could help connect people through hybrid events for a memorable experience–almost as successfully as for in-person events. There are creative ways to use technology to bring those individuals who cannot make it, ‘into the room’. While groups will gather in person more and more as time passes, the desire for virtual capabilities doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon.
3. Flexibility is King (or Queen!).
One of the silver linings when designing your own space is the opportunity to use movable panels, sliding doors and creative furniture in order to create a variety of event spaces within one venue. This may allow you to host multiple events simultaneously or create more intimate spaces for events with lower attendance. You also have the potential for multiple room reveals within the duration of an event! A designated space for cocktail hour, a new space for dinner and yet another for dessert and dancing…a huge selling point!
4. PR and Marketing Strategy.
No matter the venue, you need to grab the attention of consumers and media outlets. This often has to be done based upon renderings or mood boards. Booking an unfinished space (often a construction zone) is no easy feat. Many potential clients may have trouble visualizing the space and how their event will look. So, you have to get creative! Tell the story, provide the vision, and make compelling arguments for how a prospective client’s event will be unlike any other in your new space. The more effectively you can connect your brand’s personality with a client’s, the better chance they’ll make the leap and book your space prior to completion!
5. Set a Budget.
Every successful business depends on the effectiveness of the owner’s planning process, a budget being one of the most important elements. Not only is it efficient to budget, but it’s also necessary when making any decision. When strategizing about improvements or adding new features, consider doing so in phases, especially when prices climb and supply chain challenges start to add up.
6. Have an open mind.
Supply chain issues and employee shortages are just a few of the global challenges that so many are facing. Flexibility and creativity are paramount when planning right now, when so much is out of your control. Expect obstacles, expect cancelations, expect delays. But don’t let that deter you. What you can control is the way you handle them. And the trials can even be a part of your marketing story.
We guarantee these tips will help anyone planning on opening their own event venue, especially when people are planning more events with pandemic rates declining. As we look forward in 2022, let’s look forward to a fantastic year as we create more moments to share, celebrate, and remember.
