words Al Woods
Corporate events are a great way to strengthen the company’s relationships with their employees, clients, and partners. They help to increase the company’s visibility and keep their employees motivated. However, once you have decided to organise an event, you will need to plan ahead for it. It’s important to plan very far ahead for these months in advance. Sometimes, you need to plan a whole year in advance, that’s how serious it is. While corporate events aren’t exactly a “make it or break it” for a company, they can damage a reputation quite severely if partners or clients are involved in this event.
That’s why you need to ensure that everything for this corporate event is tip-top. In general, planning ahead is always a good idea when it comes to these events. They are a great way of strengthening your company’s relationships with everyone; increasing your company’s visibility; and keeping your employees motivated – but only if they’re planned correctly!
So, what exactly goes into planning a corporate event? How can you ensure that it becomes a major success? What are corporate events even needed anyways? This is your guide to navigating and surviving your first corporate event. Planning an event like this is never easy, but it can be done. Here’s how!
What are the Benefits of Planning a Corporate Event?
Corporate events aren’t entirely necessary, but every once in a whole some company (regardless of size) will want to have one of these events. Sometimes, there is some type of need such as showing off some major achievement or milestone. Other times, it’s just to boost employee morale. Though, other times these events can be based around trying to generate some goodwill, giving back to the community, showing off the company to clients, or even celebrating a holiday. There are plenty of reasons why corporate events happen.
While some can be fun, others can be more uptight. It also just depends on the reason for the event and how the event is going to be planned. Just keep in mind that organising corporate events is not an easy task. There are many aspects that need to be taken into consideration – the venue, food and drinks, entertainment, speakers and so on. So, what about the benefits? What are some of the benefits of having a corporate event? While it depends on the event itself, Some can include:
-Boosting company morale
-A time to allow employees to celebrate
-Highlights how successful the company is
-Celebration such as a milestone or retirement
-Employees get to mingle with other departments
-Learning experience
There are plenty of other reasons why companies could have events and these are only just a few benefits that employees can enjoy.
How to Keep a Corporate Event Interesting?
There are many ways to keep a corporate event interesting. For example, you can use different types of activities like games or quizzes for participants. You can also use creative content such as video clips or slideshows from your company’s archives. One of the most popular ways to keep an audience engaged at a corporate event is through interactive presentations and discussions with speakers who are experts on the subject matter being discussed. Of course, you’ll want to maintain a positive ambiance through the event.
Whether this is a tradeshow, ceremony, party, dinner, conference, or any other type of corporate related event, you’re going to need to have the right atmosphere. Having the right atmosphere will ensure that the event maintains its interest. So, how can you do that? There are various ways this can be achieved. This can include food, performances, speeches, getting a corporate event DJ for the music, the venue itself, but also the décor too. Maybe try to have something interactive for the guest (whether it be partners, clients, employees, or family of employees).
What You Need to Know Before Managing a Corporate Event
There are many aspects to managing a corporate event. Here are some of the most important things you need to know.
– A corporate event can be anything from a meeting to a conference, and it can be for any number of people, from 10 to 10,000.
– There are two types of events: internal and external. Internal events typically take place in the office or another building owned by your company, while external events usually take place at a hotel or convention center.
– The key is knowing what you want your event to accomplish and then figuring out what kind of event will best accomplish those goals.
Sounds fairly simple, right? Well, it can be but of course there are numerous factors such as the scale of your corporate event. If you’re wanting to reduce the cost of this event (as they are pricey) then you’re going to need to have plenty of time to do research. So, what needs to be considered when trying to create a successful corporate event? These are some crucial things you can’t forget about!
Start your Planning with a Corporate Event Planner Checklist
The corporate event planner checklist is a list of the items that you will need to plan an event. The first thing that you should do when planning an event is to get it approved. This means that you will need to get approval from your boss and/or the company’s board of directors. Next, you should determine what type of event it will be – a conference, seminar, or something else. Then, you should determine the venue for the event and how many people are expected to attend. Finally, make a list of all the tasks that need to be completed in order for this event to happen successfully.
On paper, it all sounds easy enough, doesn’t it? Having a checklist will help a lot. But if this is something that seems too difficult you could always hire an event planner. They have the experience, connections, and can work with any budget.
Choose the Best Venue and Location for Your Corporate Event Planner
One of the biggest things you need to think about after you figure out the scale of your event would be the venue. The venue can have an impact on the outcome of your event. There are many factors that need to be considered when choosing a venue such as: size, location, amenities, budget, availability and more. Even the style of the venue itself is going to make a huge impact on the impression of the venue and the atmosphere too. Sometimes, a venue isn’t needed, especially if it is something small scale.
Some events can easily be held in your workspace/ office. If you have a conference room and the event will be small, why not utilise it? You can then invest in a large meeting table, maybe food, drinks, and then you’d be all set. But if it’s going to be more than 15 people, it would be ideal to do a bit more planning.
The Right Price Point & Value Proposition & Budgeting For Your Corporate Event Planner
The price point of your event is one of the most important factors to consider before you plan an event. Event planners can offer a wide range of pricing for their events, depending on the type of event and their experience. Many event planners have found that the budgeting process is one of the most daunting parts to planning an event because it’s hard to know how much money is needed upfront. But ensure you do some research first and see where some corners are cut, and also see where some simply cannot be cut.
Who Will Speak at Your Corporate Event?
An event is a great opportunity for companies to showcase their products, services and brand. It is also an opportunity to be seen as a thought leader in the industry. So who should you invite to speak at your event?
There are many speakers out there who can deliver a compelling message about your company. But it can be hard to find one that will resonate with your audience. There are many factors that come into play when choosing the perfect speaker, but in the end it’s up to you and what you feel would be the best fit. Here are three ideas.
– Industry experience: A speaker should have experience in the industry they are speaking on behalf of so they will have credibility and be able to relate their message better.
– Personality: The personality of the speaker should match with the personality of your company.
-Comedian: Some major companies will pull strings to get a small-time or big-time comedian, they can be great.
In general, it’s really up to you whether you want a speaker or not, the event doesn’t need to be flashy, so someone at work with the best public speaking skills could do this instead.
The Guests at Your Function – What is the Guest List For My Company?
One of the most important aspects of any business event is the guest list. It’s about who you invite and who you decide not to invite. You want to have a good balance in terms of diversity. This will help your event be successful and memorable. Oftentimes, corporate events will allow family of the employee’s to be there. You may also want to consider inviting your best clients, and even some partners too (such as suppliers).
Having more than just your employees there will make it feel a lot more welcoming for everyone. Plus, not every corporate event should be solely about the company itself. Allow others outside the company to be a part of this major event. It speaks volumes about you, especially when it comes to the family members of your employees.
The Food at Your Function – What is On Our Menu?
When it comes to food, everyone will have various preferences and dietary restrictions. This is going to need to be kept in mind. It’s also a good idea to offer options that are widely popular, like pre packed sandwiches, salads, pasta dishes, spring rolls, and other crowd-pleasers. Here are some things you can’t forget about when planning the event:
– Providing vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy free and halal menus.
– Catering packages for all budgets.
– Including a wide range of dishes from light bites to hearty dishes so there is something for everyone.
Don’t be afraid to ask catering companies what they can offer. Usually thinking about dietary restrictions won’t hinder the budget.
