3
Academic Venues
A new plan
for Venuemasters
The plan for the academic venue consortium has the support of VisitBritain
enuemasters, the
consortium
representing
academic venues, has
completed a full review of its
operations culminating in the
announcement of a 12-point
strategic plan that outlines their
direction for the next five years.
An important outcome of the
review has been the need to
focus on membership
recruitment and engagement.
As budgets have tightened
during the last 10 years so have
the available resources that
venues have to spend on
marketing activity. Venuemasters
is focusing its efforts on
increasing its membership to 90
members by 2022, while
improving engagement with its
current members. Rachel
Bartlett, sales and membership
director, comments: “My role is
two fold. Firstly, to improve
communication with our
members and the opportunities
open to them and how
Venuemasters can support
them. Secondly, to develop
relationships with potential
members across the whole
academic venue spectrum.”
One of the key facets of
membership is the opportunity to
take up an array of marketing
opportunities.
At their recent annual
conference the appetite for
collaboration was evident both
between members and other
partner organisations such as The
University Caterers Organisation
(TUCO), and also media partners.
Natalie Williamson (pictured),
general manager, says: “Event
organisers benefit from the
academic venues sector’s culture
of collaboration, as we pride
ourselves in referring business
within the sector, often
suggesting to event organisers
other academic venues. It’s
essentially a win-win situation.
Referrals are an important part
of how we want the membership
to be collaborating more closely,
and we are looking at how we
can support this.”
“Referrals are how we want
membership to be”
12-point plan
1. Review Brand, Business Plan, Vision and Mission
2. Leadership and Specialist Team
3. Industry Leading Website
4. Membership Recruitment Focus
5. Membership Engagement Focus
6. Great Value for Money Fee Structure
7. Innovative Marketing Products
8. Proactive Sales and Exhibitions
9. Enquiry/Referral Sales Process
10. Partnerships with other key organisations
11. Preferred Supplier Programme
12. Learning and Development Academy
www.conference-news.co.uk
National and International
Collaboration
VisitBritain is supporting the
plans. Kerrin MacPhie, head of
business events for the national
tourism board said: “VisitBritain
recognises the contribution
academic venues play in the UK’s
international business events
offering, not only for the high
quality conference spaces but its
world-leading academic
community.
“We are committed to
supporting the business events
sector to be internationally
competitive, growing the UK’s
share of the global market and
its economic contribution. We
are delighted to include
Venuemasters as one of our
partners through its learning and
development programme.”