Perfect places for all events

By ELLEN READ

Getting the message across about what they sell is a big enough task for most businesses.

Two Auckland businesswomen took on an even tougher job two years ago when they formed Venue Search, an internet site that features details of venues around the country.

"We have to educate people about the internet before we can take our product to them," says Sarah Terry, one of Venue Search's directors.

Fellow director Theresa Marshall agrees, saying that the hardest thing about their business is that they are doing something new.

"It's hard getting venues to recognise the internet as a legitimate advertising tool," Marshall says.

But it's important too, as that's where Venue Search's money comes from. The site is free to browse and print - the featured venues pay the dollars.

It was a tough ask for two internet novices. Their solution was to contract out the web construction and design, then test it themselves.

If Terry and Marshall couldn't use or understand the designs offered, they were sent back for alteration.

The result is the country's most comprehensive web-based venue search site, containing 900 venues across New Zealand.

While weddings provide a lot of the business, the venues are also suitable for corporate events, sporting events, parties and so on.

"When I planned my wedding, I looked at 20 venues," Marshall says. "That's 15 weekends of a groom ready to kill you."

Venue Search began its development two years ago, when the women were already running a wedding planning business. They started receiving calls from people not wanting a planner, just venues.

"We saw the niche was unfilled and it went from there," says Terry.

The site has developed continually, driven mainly by feedback from the venues - all of which can access and change their own pages, giving them flexibility and control over their own content.

The site offers more than just a list of contact names and phone numbers. Each venue can present up to five photos and detailed information about its size, facilities and services.

While a few potential competitors have emerged, most have quickly disappeared soon after.

"It's sad when you see others go because you know the work and effort which has been put into it," says Terry. Venue Search remains dominant because of the number of venues it has listed and the presentation and details provided.

Juggling work and family commitments - both women have two young children - also presents challenges, but Terry and Marshall work well together.

"If one of us is down the other one can pull them up. And every time we get really down, we go register for a whole lot of business courses," Terry says, adding this is how they educate themselves and make contacts with other businesspeople.

The pair plan to continue developing the nationwide aspect of their listings.

"We want it to be like, if it's a venue of course it's going to be on Venue Search," Terry says.

Venue Search