Whether you are searching for an event venue, purchasing a home, or picking a restaurant for dinner with your spouse, you may find yourself spinning your wheels trying to find something that fits what you want perfectly. I have experienced this both personally and professionally. In fact, I have found myself successfully using these five steps three different times this week! Hopefully, this process will help you when it comes time for you to make that stressful or challenging decision.
I used to work for a real estate company that held industry conferences around the country. The company would often decide to host a cocktail party near the conference venue to entertain clients. The direction often looked like this:
“We want a cool, hip (yes, at times, they would actually use that word), corporate, rooftop venue within 1/4 mile of the convention center. It needs to hold 300 people, and no more than our budget of $40,000.”
Taking their directives, I would attempt to find a venue that met their expectation:
- Atmosphere (cool, hip, and corporate)
- Rooftop
- 1/4 mile from the convention center
- 300 Person capacity
- Fits within budget
What would happen is that I would usually get hung up on one or two items. I would find the perfect venue but it was 2 miles away. Or, I would find something within budget but it wasn’t “hip” enough. Back and forth I would go with my stakeholder. Many times, we could not find exactly what they were looking for.
I distinctly remember discussing at length with a stakeholder that a rooftop location within a ¼ mile from the conference center simply did not exist. Out of frustration he said, “I just don’t understand why you can’t find it!” Of course, I knew that I was unable to find it because it didn’t exist! So, we were left with two options: either adjust our criteria, or begin construction on the newest, coolest, hippest rooftop venue in the city within a ¼ mile of the convention center! We eventually found a spot, but it required us to adjust our expectations.
I found this process happening many different times for many different programs. There is discrepancy between the criteria, the expectations, and what actually exists. I began developing a process that would allow me to discover what was most important for the stakeholder and find a venue that would meet those needs. If you begin using this process you will waste less time, be more content and have your needs met.
5 Steps to help you find the perfect Spot
1. List out what you are looking for in an ideal location Make your initial list and refer to it throughout the process. It can be a lofty list at first; no need to lower your expectations immediately. Make a list of all the elements you are trying to find. Sometimes, it is even helpful to list what you don’t want, or what you won’t compromise. It is okay to shoot for the moon at first. List what perfect looks like and then try to find it. If you are doing this process for someone else – plant the seed that they may need to adjust based on what it out there. This is a way to proactively manage expectations. Assure them that you will try to find exactly what you are looking for, but help them understand what they are looking for may not exist and we may need to adjust our criteria
2. If you can’t find perfect, then determine what is most important.
After you have done your initial research and realize you can’t have everything you want, ask yourself: Which things are most important to me right now? You can do this a couple different ways:
- Look at your list of criteria and mark them in order of priority. For example, the most important thing may be distance of travel.
- Another clarifying process is to put two or three criteria items next to each other. Would you rather have a rooftop location or be under budget? Ask yourself, If I could find the perfect rooftop location 2 miles away would that be okay?
3. Look at the problem from different angles.
It is easy to get stuck going down a certain path. There may be multiple solutions to the problem or issue that just require you to look at them from a different angle. I had to use this method this week. I was helping a church find a location for a Pastor’s Retreat. They wanted a Lodge/Retreat 40 minutes from their venue location with an onsite spa for the wives to get a little R&R. I couldn’t find retreat space with an onsite spa, but I was able to find a location that met other criteria and that allowed a spa service to come to the Lodge. The problem was solved by looking at it from a different angle.
4. Ask Experts for help
Many times, I have found that I am limited by what I don’t know, so I have gotten good at finding people to help fill in the gaps. If you are having a hard time finding the right venue, find someone who can provide their expertise. I have called catering companies because they know the ins and outs of venues in the area and will know off the top of their head what might fit. They are motivated to assist and, who knows, you may end up using them as your catering service! Visitor bureaus may be helpful as well as they will provide some insider info and suggest something you may not have been aware of.
5. Communicate throughout the process.
Communication is key. Right now, my wife and I are looking at purchasing a new home. By collaborating to create our criteria list, we have gained a better understanding of what is important to both of us. It has allowed me to hear what she wants and provides me opportunity to ask questions to better understand her perspective. It is important to ask questions to understand why something is important to your client. I guarantee you will learn more about the person, better equipping you to meet their needs.
The process of finding the perfect spot can be daunting and frustrating. If you use these five steps you will be better equipped to find the perfect spot or have the tools you need to redefine perfect. You will be able to make a difficult decision because you know that you have weighed the options, articulated what is most important and acted accordingly.
P.S. If you are doing an awesome/hip rooftop or outdoor event, make sure you have back up location in case of weather. It is better to have it and not need it than to not have it and need it.