The right corporate event can help your company achieve goals, build lasting connections with customers, and attract new business. But planning a corporate event can be an overwhelming task. You want your event to be successful, but you also want it to be enjoyable for your guests.
Every aspect of your corporate event can affect its success.
What is a Corporate Event?
A corporate event is any large gathering event hosted by a business or organisation that employees, executives, customers, or clients can attend. These include company parties, conferences, seminars, award ceremonies, and even picnics and retreats.
During corporate events, there may be guest speakers, important announcements, or presentations. They might include a free meal for all guests and participants. Or they could include group transportation to ensure the right people can attend.
How to plan a Corporate Event
Planning a successful corporate event takes great care and attention. It’s wise to build a team or assign one or two people tasks to help make planning the event easier and ease the workload for the event.
After you’ve chosen your team, it’s a good idea to make a planning a corporate event checklist. You can use it to stay on track and give yourself a timeline for planning. The sooner you begin planning, the greater the chance your corporate event will succeed.
A few questions to ask yourself while making your checklist are:
- What are your goals? This should be the first thought when planning a corporate event. An event with the goal of team building will run differently than an event with the goal of gaining new employees.
- What is your budget? You don’t want to plan a massive event only to have your budget fall short. Although your goals will determine the type of event you’re planning, your budget will determine the size, location, and other important aspects of the event.
- Where will the event be? Your venue can make or break your corporate event. A space that’s too small will limit the number of guests who may attend. A space that’s too large might feel impersonal or cold.
A few things to consider for your event include:
- Goals
- Budget
- Venue
- Catering
- Scheduling
- Speakers
- Sponsors (if any)
- Transportation
- Promotion/Invitations
You should also consider if you want to plan the event yourself or if you want to hire an event planning company to help make the event a success. Another thing to consider when considering venues is whether they will provide decorations or if you’ll have to do that yourself.
Pre-Event
Finalise your details a month before the event. Confirm your dates with the venue, speakers, caterers, vendors, and anyone who plays a role in the success of your corporate event. If someone is unavailable, you have time to find a replacement or make alternate arrangements.
Plan the logistics of your event in advance. You should have the event planned down to the minute. From when your attendees arrive, when food is served or set out, to the time the first speaker steps up to the microphone, each detail should have a designated start and end time on the schedule.
Double-check any loose ends a week before the event. Get together with your team to solidify all the last details.
On Event Day
Arrive early and prepare for the unexpected. Things can go wrong at the last minute, so having a backup plan is helpful.
Someone must act as the master of ceremonies to help speakers adhere to the schedule as closely as possible. Running behind schedule can cause your event to go over budget if you overstay your allotted time at the venue.
Post-Event
After your event, you’ll need to pay any outstanding fees to vendors and go over your finances.
You should also debrief with your team and review the successes and failures of the event. What could you have done better? What can you exclude or avoid for the next event?
It’s also a good idea to get feedback from your guests. Send out a survey asking for their opinion about their impressions of your corporate event.
Need Help with a Corporate Event?
Navarra Venues are ready to help you with your next corporate event. From arranging a venue and planning an event to catering and logistics, we can help you create an engaging and successful corporate event. Contact Navarra Venues today.
