Hidden terms and conditions and unclear additional
fees top a list of frustrations event buyers have with venue booking offers
and incentives.
Buyers are also likely to get frustrated by venues failing to tailor offers and incentives, and
providing limited availability when they promote offers, research by The Delegate Wranglers and CUSTARD has revealed.
The results of a recent survey of event buyers and
venues on the topic of offers and incentives provides an insight into
booking behaviours. The results make it clear that exclusive offers and booking
incentives matter, with 95 per cent of event bookers saying they would consider a venue
for their event if they had them.
As to the kind of offers or incentives buyers are seeking, price isn’t always number one, the research
revealed. Instead, the majority of event bookers (61 per cent) are looking for
value-driven incentives, with added extras and enhanced packages. Buyers also expect deals on quieter days,
specifically Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays.
Last-minute offers to fill spaces are of little interest
to almost two-thirds of event bookers (64 per cent), who said they rarely took them.
Instead, the majority prefer between one- and four-weeks’ lead time should they
be offered a deal.
Being fair and transparent with those deals is also
crucial to avoid frustrations down the line, and while value was found to be
more important than price, the latter is still important to event bookers.
Indeed, the most attractive deals to event bookers
were those offering a discount on venue hire or complimentary services such as
AV or catering.
However, discounts or incentives are no contender
for location. It is the main criteria in choosing a venue, followed closely by
price. A large number of event bookers also select a venue based on reputation.
How all of this is communicated also matters.
Venues for instance prefer to use direct email, then email newsletters to
promote their offers. By comparison, event bookers’ preference is to receive
news of offers via email newsletters, then the venue’s website.
Neil Thompson, founder and managing
director of The Delegate Wranglers, said: “This insight provides a 360-degree view of the
heavily contested approach to incentives and offers, and is part of wider
research into habits of event planners and venues led by CUSTARD and The Delegate
Wranglers. It demonstrates that it doesn’t all come down to price and that
event planners are seeking value-added incentives while being transparent with
any terms and conditions is essential.”
Lesley Whyte, senior account director at CUSTARD,
said: “Understanding what it is that event planners are actually after is
essential in the ever-evolving MICE sector, so shaping and adapting strategies
to recognise this will certainly be key to success for UK venues. It will no
doubt provide great insight to venues as to what motivates event buyers as they
start their budgeting and planning for 2025.”
