A corporate event is any form of social activity which is organized or funded by a business entity. A corporate event is an effective way for companies to engage with employees, board members, stakeholders, customers/clients and potential clients.
In a world where everything is being done digitally, a corporate event allows people to connect in a personal way and develop genuine relations. Face to face interaction in corporate events has been known to be a very effective channel for achieving business goals. For these reasons, hosting corporate events has become important and something to look forward to.
The process of planning a corporate event can be simple and easy with the right amount of consideration and thought. While you may feel overwhelmed, if you break your process into steps you can manage your event one task at a time.
Establish your event’s budget
This is one of the most important parts of planning an event. Many great ideas fall by the wayside because the team tasked with planning forgot to put into consideration their budget before beginning to plan. Some of the critical expenses you need to include in your budget are: venue, food and drink, entertainment, décor and miscellaneous. Even the best-planned event will have some additional costs come up. Ensure you account this in your budget so that you’re not caught unawares.
Find a venue
Many aspects must be considered when choosing a venue for your event. Among the considerations you have to make are ensuring the venue has the correct equipment, ensuring the venue fits the theme/tone of the event, navigating the costs and quotes and the accessibility of the venue.
The venue of the event is the first thing your guests will see when they arrive at the event, therefore it needs to set the mood and create the perfect atmosphere. Think about the capacity of the venue, hiring out a venue that is too small creates a very uncomfortable atmosphere and ultimately an unsuccessful event as the guests are not pleased. On the other hand, a venue that has a much greater capacity than the number of guests invited can be equally as uncomfortable and awkward for guests.
Before closing down on one venue, ask questions like, how many staff will be working the event? Can you bring your own caterer? How late is the event allowed to stay? Do you need to get any special event permits? Are tables, chairs, and equipment included?
Find a caterer
Depending on your theme and menu, you can choose a caterer accordingly. You know the guests that will attend the event best therefore make sure you pick out a menu that they will love. Ensure you have a diverse selection of food, especially for those who may have dietary restrictions. You can also include vegetarian and gluten-free options so everyone can take part in the culinary affair.
Get some good entertainment
Your corporate event doesn’t have to be dull or too serious. If it’s a conference, get a really good guest speaker to break up the feeling of corporate meetings and presentations. If it’s a cocktail event, secure an appropriate DJ or band.
You can also include fun activities, like having contests or giveaways, and maybe even a door prize. Order some company swag and have a welcome bag for guests.
Plan the Event Theme and Format
When planning an event, it is important for the organizers to set a well-thought-out theme that is in line with the objectives of the event. It should reflect the goals and also support the purpose of the event.
Having a theme for the event helps the speakers and facilitators gain more insight of the audience and their expectations. When the theme is chosen well, it can generate a buzz and build suspense for a social event. Make an event stand out by using unique event decor and backdrops to encourage guests to interact with each other and engage with your event theme.
When choosing a theme, do some research on what is trending. The venue that you decide to go with will also define the kind of theme you will choose. Decide how much you want to spend in theming, if the budget is tight, rather than spreading your theme thinly, it’s worth focusing your budget on one or two impact areas such as entrance features, stage features, fun table dressing, or a fun photo opportunity.
Send out the invitations
You have planned every detail of your event, now it’s time to invite your guests by sending them an invitation. The first step is to identify who your target audience is, this knowledge will help you choose the tone and design of the invitation.
The invitations should include all the relevant information for attendees. Let them know where to park, what the dress code is, what style of event it is, accommodation information if necessary, and even public transit information. And because it is a corporate event, ensure you include an agenda for the event.
Now, you have taken into account all the details of your event. You are all set to sit back and enjoy your event! After the party you can have a post-party meeting with relevant stakeholders to do a post-event check-in to learn from what worked and what didn’t.
