Thinking of planning a corporate event soon? If so, tip number one: make sure you know what you want to accomplish with it.
See, corporate events come in many types. They can focus on employees (like team building exercises) or clients (like trade shows). The only thing these events have in common is that they have to engage their audience.
Need some help with setting everything up? Here are five effective event-planning tips that will do just that!
1. Set Your Budget
Once you know what your event is about, you’ll need to set your budget. Start by looking into what your guests would expect from the event. For a team picnic, for example, you’d focus on food, games, and decorations.
Before setting the budget, consider each expense your event could incur. When you have a general idea of how much you’ll have to spend, put a hard limit on it. Try to negotiate with vendors to reduce your costs.
2. Create a Guest List
With the budget settled, it’s time to start thinking about guests. If your goal is to entertain clients, start by creating a list of guests to invite. For best results, send these invitations at least a week before the event.
For internal company events, you’re best off creating an attractive invitation card. Keep in mind that it’s better to invite too many people than too few. For most businesses, empty seats are a waste of money.
3. Choose a Venue
There’s nothing like a great venue to bring business events to life. If you know of a great place, it can be tempting to book it without honing the above details. In general, though, it’s always better to build the architecture first.
If you have a tight budget, try holding your event at a less popular time. For instance, consider holding a media breakfast on a Monday morning. That said, you should still try to avoid all the key holidays.
4. Plan the Logistics
For your event to be successful, you’ll need to plan the logistics of the day. That may involve hiring caterers, finding the best DJs, and so on. Of course, you’ll also need to book the right speakers, presenters, and influencers.
It’s important to strike a balance between engaging your audience and giving them freedom. All successful events need some variety, but jam-packing the schedule won’t give your guests time to recharge.
5. Market the Event
The final step in planning an event is marketing it. Smaller events can be invitation-only, but larger ones take more effort. For social media promotion, for example, you’ll need to use consistent messaging across platforms.
You may also want to consider sponsorship opportunities. If a sponsor has a vested interest in taking part in your event, they may fund a part of it. Think about which brands could be a good fit for your event.
This Is How to Plan a Corporate Event
There’s no denying it: planning a corporate event is far from easy. At the end of the day, though, all you need to do is break the event down into manageable stages. The above tips are a great starting point!
Want to learn more about the importance of corporate events for your company? Keep checking out our Business section!
