A frighteningly good offer…
As Halloween approaches the Pera Conference Centre is offering a one-off scary offer!
Book any event during November 2012, to take place during December 2012, January or February 2013, and pay just £28.00* plus VAT per person for a full day event! That is a 30% reduction! Hurry now, as places are limited.
Call us now! +44 (0)1664 501501
*Offer does not apply to existing bookings, and applies for events for up to 65 delegates.
There are brighter times ahead …
It’s official. There is now light gleaming at the end of the recessional tunnel. It’s a signal to event organisers that it’s time to start planning again. But they have to concentrate on what delegates want out of an event rather than sticking to the old tried and (severely) tested formats.
For many people, the most important aspect of the conference is not necessarily what goes on in the main auditorium. It’s a bit like political party conferences; the sum of the fringe meetings and networking is often greater in value than the sound bites in the main auditorium.
A well-planned conference offers a comfortable environment in which to strike up conversations with complete strangers, resulting in the exchange of ideas and contact details. People simply come for the networking. They want to do business.
Others come along to keep up with the latest information, trend or technique. They love the workshops and breakout sessions, which offer them a real opportunity to contribute and convey. Some ideas ease the workload, some improve a service and others are good money spinners.
Then there are people who like to lead and set the pace at conferences. They include keynote speakers and industry gurus who introduce new concepts. They will challenge the accepted and illuminate with new data.
So it’s not just one element, but a blend that makes a conference a success.
Now is the time to plan the event you probably put into storage three or four years ago. It’s time to bring people back together, communicate your message in a fresh and contemporary way, and encourage people to get out and about.
Everyone needs to find new ways of doing things and we encourage event organisers to use all the facilities we have to offer. It makes the difference between a talking shop and an interactive environment.
Whether we do it indoors or out, we blend the tried and tested with the innovative – to make any event a success. So, whatever format you choose your venue team should be able to accommodate; if it’s possible, we’ll certainly aim to do just that.
Opportunity or threat?
Rachel Spencer looks at how economic downturn brings benefits as well as challenges for event planners and organisers.
Rachel Spencer
Depending on your view, recession can be one of two things: it’s a time when business planning is positively reviewed or it’s a ‘dig in and tough it out’ time.
The grim reality is that conference and exhibition activity across the UK has been severely hit over the last four years and reduced corporate spending power has led to a changing marketplace.
The more optimistic, creative and enterprising event organisers may well see it as a cyclical certainty and one that creates enormous opportunities. Some research has indeed suggested that a downturn in the economy can stimulate creativity and innovation.
Whatever our view we must never lose sight of the fact that events should be a necessity rather than a luxury or nicety. It’s just that motivation for organising an event becomes more critical during recession.
People and organisations both want convenient and cost-effective solutions but it may also be a time for change so-called ‘thinking outside of the box’. Originality and ‘value’ become essentials.
So organisers could consider how they have previously constructed events. By construct I mean the programme or agenda. Does it follow the same old well-trodden path that most do? What can you do to make it different? Can you turn it on its head and get people saying ‘this isn’t just another event this is one I need to attend.’
It may be an idea to consult the people you intend to invite or attract to your event. What is it that will ensure they attend in a climate that has seen so many people question the need to attend an event when travel costs, time out from fire-fighting and the potential benefits are taken into consideration.
Recession enforces change on event organisers and event management teams. It might even mean abandoning traditional approaches and managing change and expectations among delegates. But it is an opportunity to step outside the comfort zone and make changes.
We work with clients to provide variations to focus, impact, and cost-effectiveness so that you can differentiate your offer from the rest.
It doesn’t matter whether if it’s a product launch, team building event, a policy conference or annual staff awards ceremony that you’re organising, there’s always something that can be done to make it different.
And different stands out. Different makes people come back again for the next one.
What makes a good conference?
Rachel Spencer
Rachel Spencer, one of the team at Pera’s Conference and Exhibition Centre in the East Midlands, provides a few pointers.
If you were to eavesdrop on conversations among delegates at any conference you’ll hear people in earnest conversation about one of the speakers, the overall programme, the catering, the venue, and any number of unrelated subjects such as local politics and of course in the UK the weather!
This highlights that for many people, the most important aspect of the conference is not necessarily what goes on in the main auditorium. Conferences offer an acceptable way of striking up a conversation with complete strangers resulting in exchanging ideas and contact details. They simply come for the networking.
Others come along to keep up with the latest information, trend or technique. They love the workshops and breakout sessions, which offer them a real opportunity to contribute and convey. Some ideas ease the workload, some improve a service and others are good money spinners.
Then there are people who like to lead and set the pace at conferences. They include keynote speakers and industry gurus who introduce new concepts. They will challenge the accepted and illuminate with new data. So it’s not just one element, but a blend that makes a conference a success.
As a venue team we understand that and work hard to encourage event organisers to use all the facilities we have to offer.
Whether indoor or out, blending the tried and tested with the innovative – to make their particular project a success.
Whatever format you choose your venue team should be able to accommodate; if it’s possible, we’ll certainly aim to do just that.
Food that has the wow factor
Good quality catering can be the difference between a good and a great event but it is surprising how easily this is overlooked. Event catering is often nothing special and you could be eating anything, anywhere. There’s no wow factor or focus on local speciality foods.
Being based in the ‘Rural Capital of Food’ we are well aware that food is not just for refuelling, but done well can also be inspiring! We have listened to our clients and worked closely with our chefs to develop menus that offer a range of fresh dishes showcasing produce from around the East Midlands. We want to make the most of local as well as seasonal produce.
We’re rather proud of our reputation at Pera because our food is often cited as one of the stand-out features of the conference day; it constantly scores highly on feedback forms and is often discussed by delegates. It has the wow factor.
Our menus include speciality breads from a local artisan baker, award-winning cheeses and meats from local producers and, of course, the EU protected Melton Mowbray Pork Pies. All our dishes are freshly prepared on-site, and our dedicated catering team pays as much attention to the quality and presentation of our food as we do to our conference services.
Our finger buffet does of course offer sandwiches, albeit made with hand-cut artisan breads, but also offers mini savoury scone with olive tapenade; Lincolnshire cocktail sausages with a honey and sesame dressing; Stilton and mushroom filo purse; sticky sweet chicken skewer; and roasted baby new potatoes with rosemary.
There are also healthy eating options that include lemon scented chicken breast; Wild Fig salad (dressed mixed leaves, baby potatoes, French beans and eggs); poached salmon fillet served with an oriental dipping sauce; as well as a wide range of freshly made salads.
The fork buffet option can include chicken Waldorf salad; noodles and peppers with soy and citrus dressing; spiced rice salad with warm parsnip and Stilton tart; sweet corn and pepper coleslaw; and of course Melton Mowbray pork pie with English mustard.
Whichever option you choose, we also offer a fabulous selection of home-made desserts including fresh fruit pavlova, chocolate roulade, or a zingy lemon tart. Or, for the more health conscious, how about a freshly prepared exotic fresh fruit platter?
As well as our standard menus, we can of course also cater for special dietary requirements, or work with you to devise a menu with a specific theme for your event.
Why not visit www.peraevents.com for more mouth-watering information or call Rachel Spencer on 01664 501501.
Team talent
Some conferences and events inspire and motivate us; some inform, even educate and persuade us; others create opportunity and bring new business ideas. But what they all have in common is the hard work ‘behind the scenes’ that makes them a success.
So what’s the value in having an experienced conference team working with you?
Well, few organisations actually have specialist event managers in-house; they may have people with some experience of finding a venue or putting together a programme or content but that’s different to taking on every aspect of event management.
Let’s face it – most small and medium size enterprises, as well as a range of other organisations, don’t have the resources.
An experienced team brings benefits to all elements of a conference, meeting and event: that experience can mean the finishing touch that creates a truly memorable occasion.
Rachel Spencer
For event organisers Rachel Spencer (pictured) and Lesley Harris at Pera Conference and Exhibition Centre, planning isn’t just about a room booking, invitations and menu choice.
For them even the smallest gathering requires a lot of attention: staging, decoration, audio-visual equipment, speakers, and display materials, and all have to be considered. The bigger events may include introductory videos, filming of speeches and presentations, and even web-casting around the world. And, of course, there’s the catering; many events are judged by the standard of the food not the speeches!
The Pera team build close relationships with clients, whether they organise a small, intimate gathering or bring an industry together to raise profile. They want to help them get the most out of their budget because it’s hardly a secret that conferences can require a substantial outlay.
And to help clients get the most out of that budget, they provide a level of service that leads to the support needed to free up client personnel, save time and money, minimise any risk of things going wrong, and ensure the event is a success for all who take part.
Much more than just office space
Finding suitable office accommodation at the right price and in a location that reflects the business’s ambitions is often a challenge.
But for those looking for first-class serviced offices and inclusive cost packages in the heart of the East Midlands, Pera Business Park at Melton Mowbray is a fantastic solution.
The business park, which includes the prestigious Pera Conference and Exhibition Centre, offers superior offices set amongst beautiful landscaped grounds. They’re ideal for a wide range of start-up, growing or established businesses because of the range of space available. From a PO box number, to casual hot-desking, to full time offices from 266 to 3000 square feet.
But it’s much more than just an office block – it’s a lively business environment. The main building boasts an impressive double height manned reception area, as well as free on-site car parking, a fully equipped gym, a range of meeting rooms, 24 hour access, a secure site, an on-site café, mailroom services as well as IT support.
Office tenants benefit from being close to excellent nearby amenities in the form of shops, cafes and restaurants and excellent transport links to major cities and towns. Local buses and trains provide fast and efficient access from many other locations.
You can see more about the Pera site and facilities at www.pera.com and for more details about the conference and exhibition centre go to www.peraevents.com
