When it comes to business event planning, there are two things you need that support everything else on your list: the date and the location.

Knowing when your event is, of course, makes it possible for you to book and plan and schedule. But, knowing where your event will take place gives you the opportunity to plan the details of what the experience of your event will be for its attendees.

It is your venue choice that can transform your corporate event into an engaging and unforgettable experience.

The Importance of Venue Selection in Corporate Event Success

An event venue is more than just a location. It sets the tone for the experience that the attendees will have and is just as important for corporate events as with any other type of event. Choosing a venue where you can create the right ambiance that influences engagement between attendees will help make your event a success.

Attendee Perception

Gathering for a corporate event means one of two things. That the companies of those attending have chosen to spend their budgets on sending their representatives, or for internal events, you are asking employees for extra time and effort. Either way, it needs to feel worth it.

As a company sponsoring the event, you want those attendees to have the perception that it was time or money or both well spent. Your choice of venue can go a long way in supporting a positive perception. Choosing a unique venue that supports an environment of luxury and refinement means the work of creating that positive perception is mostly done for you.

Brand Representation

That attendee perception is also tied to your brand. Choosing a venue that puts your brand in a positive, productive, and memorable light can go a long way in elevating your brand, which is one of the reasons to sponsor a corporate event in the first place.

Overcoming Challenges

The list of needs for a corporate event is long. It is often hosting many different people from many different places during a short amount of time with a long agenda to accomplish.

There are space requirements that range from small workshops to full-conference gatherings, and vendor booths to presentations. Not to mention scheduling in times to mingle, network, and learn while also making sure everyone is also well fed and entertained.

Fulfilling this list can be a challenge, especially if a venue has limited and non-flexible spaces, the setting is generic and requires a lot of work to give it an engaging atmosphere, or the space lacks amenities, which force you to have to bring those things into the space, which takes extra time and expense to accomplish.

Read More: Mastering the Art of Preparing Memorable Large-Scale Corporate Events 

The Role of Ambiance in Engagement

Ambiance is the look and feel of a space. It includes those things that appeal to our senses, such as lighting, music, décor, scent, and acoustics. We all know a warm and inviting space when we enter one, this is true too when it comes to creating an event space that inspires engagement between the people in attendance and with the topics the event is structured to tackle. The more interaction an event can spark, the better it supports the goals of the event.

Ambiance makes interaction between attendees more organic, making engagement easier to foster. It creates an environment that can enhance networking, participation, and employee morale.

A traditional hotel conference room usually has generic lighting and decor, drab walls, and utilitarian furniture. This type of venue takes effort and expense to create an engaging atmosphere that elevates interaction, making it harder to accomplish the event’s goals. Choosing a more unique, inspiring event space, however, can make creating an interactive and engaging ambiance much easier. A space with lighting and décor that graces aesthetically pleasing spaces will naturally enhance the atmosphere and setting of your event and can easily support your event’s professional goals.

Unique Features of the Lumber Exchange Event Center

For Minneapolis corporate events, the Lumber Exchange has many striking and unique features that can add that extra special something to elevate your corporate event into the stand-out business experience you want.

Historic Architecture

As far as historic event venues go, the restored venue at the Lumber Exchange Event Center, including the nine-story atrium space, adds charm and grandeur to any event. The historical architecture lends itself to creating a truly unique event space.

Customizable Spaces

The various rooms available for seminars, workshops, galas, vendor and trade floor set-up, and conferences makes the flexibility of the space perfect as a corporate event venue.

State-of-the-Art Amenities

‘The built-in AV systems, stage setups, and flexible layouts available within the event center space also allows you to leverage technology both seamlessly and effectively.

Catering and Bar Services

The food and beverage that is served at corporate meeting venues is often one of the top complaints for attendees when surveyed about their experiences. The Lumber Exchange has premium food and beverage options that elevate the experience and make this important part of any corporate event remembered for all the right reasons.

Central Location

If you are hosting your corporate event in Minneapolis, you want it to be in Minneapolis, making the Lumber Exchange’s convenient location in the heart of the city ideal.

How to Maximize Your Venue for Engagement

Your business event planning should also include ways to maximize your venue for engagement with event engagement strategies.

Leverage the Ambiance

Enhancing the experience of your corporate event means leveraging the natural effect of ambiance on networking, participation, and engagement. This includes lighting that is not harshly artificial, which can be irritating and tiresome. Lighting that makes use of natural light and hits on the full spectrum is more conducive to human productivity and interaction. This is true for décor too. Harmonious colors and patterns, a variety of textures, and aesthetically pleasing arrangements can lend a feeling of calm to a space and also make it feel luxurious, ultimately supporting human interaction. Experiences can also be enhanced with the use of music and acoustics that make talking and listening easier.

Optimize Layouts for Interaction

When at a networking event feeling like you are not a part of the action can be detrimental to your experience. Arrange traffic patterns throughout the venue that make it easy for attendees to get around. Also arrange seating and network areas so attendees can mingle, network, and navigate the space seamlessly and effortlessly. Attention to these things will make your event stand-out by making interaction and networking easier. Most people want to feel they are a part of the action but also not feel overwhelmed, which can be accomplished when the venue is both expansive and intimate at the same time.

Use Technology to Your Advantage

Use in-house AV systems, projectors, and sound setups to support communication throughout your event. This will make attendees feel like they know where to be and makes what they can accomplish easier. Leveraging these technologies and seamlessly incorporating them into sessions, presentations, and gatherings can increase participation and help attendees get the most out of being there.

Create an Unforgettable Experience

Other ways to create an unforgettable experience for the attendees at your corporate event can include adding entertainment, such as live music, comedians, inspirational speakers, or other performers. You can also add interactive elements such as photo booths, mini-golf or other sports stations, trivia games, food and drink stations, or craft activities. These activities can also include elements with branded touches.

Why Investing in a Unique Venue Matters

When it comes to business event planning, choosing a standout venue over a traditional conference hall can do much of the work for you in creating an unforgettable event that attendees will remember for years to come. Tying your name to such an event will pay dividends for years to come too. The Lumber Exchange is one of those luxury event spaces that gives you a unique ambiance without added effort but also provides the services you need to accommodate the long list of must-haves for corporate events. Schedule a tour or consultation with the Lumber Exchange and see how this unique venue adds up to making your business event planning easier.