Unique venues can provide the "something special" that gets execs out of their offices

I discovered a stunning, little-known London event venue last week.  Two Temple Place was William
Waldorf Astor's London headquarters, built with no expenses spared in that lush pastiche of historical architecture the Victorians so adored.  It's located on Victoria Embankment, has views from its main rooms of the Thames between Blackfriars and Waterloo bridges, and ... aside from a brief period each year when it opens its doors for an art exhibit ... it's available only to those associated with the charity that owns it, and those who book it for events.  (For more on the building and the current exhibit, read my alter ego's blog entry here.)

Temple Place reminded me of the wealth of distinctive event venues available in London, and how important they are in getting a corporate executive out of the office.  Let's assume you've taken care of the "table stakes".  You have a fascinating agenda, efficient organisation and flawless event delivery.  Even with all that, it takes something special to get people to commit to you.  Especially the kind of senior people who get a score of invitations a week, and have demanding diaries that make every minute precious.

Unique venues can make a difference, especially when it comes to tempting the palates of people jaded by regular corporate hospitality.  Here are three factors to consider when you want the venue to be part of the draw.  I've written with London in mind, but the key points work anywhere.

ONE.  Play the culture card.  This seems obvious, especially in London.  Yet you'd be surprised at how rare it is, as people still default to sports and dinners at obvious venues.  I've regularly heard attendees express their appreciation for "something different".  A little known but historically significant spot like Two Temple Place is a great example.  I once attended a profitable breakfast meeting on the dramatic gallery hanging between the V&A's plaster cast halls before a pre-opening tour of an exhibit that had sold out to the general public.  The great hall of the Royal Courts of Justice got me to an event I wasn't much interested in, to see a building I had little chance of getting in otherwise. Just about every cultural organisation is supplementing tight budgets with hiring out their venues for special events. Figure out what appeals to your target market, and start asking around.

TWO.  Rooms with a view.  London is an unusually low-rise city for a global capital.  And though that's changing fast, it still means that there are only a handful of places to get a perspective from on high.  For years I was blessed with the BT Tower as a venue; a powerful draw as it's closed to the general public and is the only high spot in that part of town.  (Though access is controlled by BT, if you're a partner business or charity it's worth exploring possibilities.  You'd be surprised by the range of events that take place there.)  The Shard is all the rage now, but I'd put my corporate appeal money on the new Sky Gardens at 20 Fenchurch Street.  And don't forget the endless fascination of the River.  Tate Modern, the Oxo Tower and The Swan Restaurant next to the Globe are all dependable venues that encompass one of the world's great views.

THREE.  Exclusive access.  Any time you can offer people entry to something they'd have little chance of experiencing on their own, you're on to a winner.  If you're going to sponsor sport, don't just do the event.  Include, for example, a behind-the-scenes tour and a meeting with a driver before a race.  Some of the hottest, most impossible-to-book restaurants have private dining or chef's tables ... often easier to book than a regular table.  These are compelling draws for foodies and provide excellent venues for serious conversations.  Most popular art exhibitions organise private viewings for corporate events, giving attendees a chance to contemplate at leisure, with a clear line of sight, what they'd be battling crowds to see as members of the general public.

Combine the three, of course, for a real winner.  One of the best events I ever produced took place in the penthouse at The Dorchester.  With outrageously opulent interiors by famous stage designer Oliver Messel, it's a one-of-a-kind historic setting.  Its balcony gives a rare perspective on Hyde Park, and on a summer's day is like having drinks in the treetops.  And, unless you have the vast wealth of a Russian oligarch or a Saudi prince, your only ticket in here is a corporate event.

Of course, we were also launching a new white paper with some fascinating, fresh research, and had a couple of household names from the London business community to chair our conversation.  No matter how grand, events do not flourish on venue alone.