Sales Kickoff (SKO) Venue Checklist: 47 Questions to Ask

Category 1: Rooms (8 questions)

1. Total available room inventory for our dates?
2. Single-occupancy vs double-occupancy mix availability?
3. Room block attrition policy?
4. Suite availability for executive presenters?
5. Connecting / adjacent room options for executive teams?
6. Late check-out flexibility for departing flights?
7. ADA / accessible room availability?
8. Dietary-friendly mini-bar options?

Category 2: Plenary Space and AV (12 questions)

1. Plenary capacity (theater / classroom / banquet styles)?
2. Ceiling height (matters for large screens)?
3. Pillar-free?
4. House sound system specs (mixer, microphones, monitors)?
5. House lighting (programmable, can dim)?
6. Stage availability and configurability?
7. Multi-screen capability?
8. Livestream / recording infrastructure?
9. AV technician on-site during event?
10. Power redundancy?
11. Wifi capacity for full attendee count + livestream?
12. Sound bleed from adjacent spaces?

Category 3: Breakouts (6 questions)

1. Breakout count and capacities?
2. Distance / walking time between breakouts and plenary?
3. AV in each breakout (projector, mic, dial-in)?
4. Whiteboards / flipcharts available?
5. Breakout room reset time between sessions?
6. Soundproofing between breakouts?

Category 4: F&B (8 questions)

1. Per-person all-day rate (breakfast through dinner)?
2. Itemized: breakfast, morning break, lunch, afternoon break, dinner?
3. Dietary accommodation policy (vegan, gluten-free, kosher, halal)?
4. Energy-mindful food (avoid heavy lunches that crash afternoon)?
5. Awards gala dinner pricing (separate)?
6. Bar / open bar pricing options?
7. Coffee station availability throughout the day?
8. Water / hydration station availability?

Category 5: Logistics (7 questions)

1. Airport transfer service / cost?
2. Ground transportation partners?
3. Loading dock / event-storage access?
4. Pre-event setup window (day before)?
5. Branding / signage policy?
6. Wi-Fi password / network setup?
7. Security / badge-checking support?

Category 6: Post-Event (6 questions)

1. Cancellation policy?
2. Force majeure clause?
3. Payment terms?
4. Master account billing setup?
5. NPS / feedback survey support?
6. Cancellation insurance / option to insure?

How to use this checklist

Quick answer (40–60 words): Three ways to use: (1) drop into Easy RFP as a template — it imports as a structured RFP, (2) use as a manual interview script when conducting site visits, (3) share with stakeholders before approval to ensure no question is forgotten. We recommend (1) for repeat events and (2) for novel destinations.

Q: Should all 47 be answered before shortlisting? A: Top 20 (rooms + plenary + breakouts + F&B headline) for shortlist. Full 47 before contract.

Q: How do we capture answers efficiently? A: Easy RFP's templates structure these as form fields; vendors respond within the platform.

Q: What if a venue can't answer all 47? A: Some are answerable only at site visit. Mark "TBD at site visit" rather than dropping the question.

Sources

• General MICE / SKO planning best practices
• Easy RFP /docs/templates/

CTA

Import this checklist as an Easy RFP template — included in Pro and Team tiers.