Unlike birthday parties or personal celebratory affairs, corporate events are of a different breed. From the mood and setting of the venue to the type of guests that will be attending and the impact the event will have on the company, planning and executing a corporate event has much higher stakes involved.
It will determine how your employees, partners, stakeholders, and even customers and clients will see you as a company. Whether your guest list is a small group of executives attending a training session or an annual conference where employees from across the world join in, executing a successful event requires careful planning.
Here are some tips that will help you plan an even that triumphs in the form of an increased ROI:
- Determine the Event’s Purpose
When you know what the event is supposed to accomplish, you begin on the right foot. For example, is your event a training session? A celebration? A meeting? A reception for stakeholders?
Ask yourself why you’re holding this event and what you want to get out of this. When the company name is at stake, you have to consider the event as the brand experience that will impact how and what people think about the collective organization.
- Budget – Don’t Skimp!
Well, this holds the meat and potatoes of corporate event planning. The finance team and management superiors will set and approve the budget as they see fit. What you should remember is to not skimp on things when planning a corporate affair, especially considering the impression you want to leave on official guests.
- The Attendees or Guests
One of the first things on your list of “things-to-do” is to create your guest list. This is important as you will be booking the venue based on this number. Plus, the target audience or guest list will determine what preparations need to be considered to ensure that the program caters to your chosen audience.
- The Venue
When the abovementioned three points are finalized, you have enough information to go on for booking the venue. From ballrooms and banquets to corporate event spaces such as auditoriums and executive meeting halls, you have a range of options to choose from.
- Consider the Small Details
When you have your venue, it’s time to think about the small details such as the theme and color palette. With formal events, sophistication is the prime factor to look at. Break down the budget and allocate it to things that are important.
Audiovisual rentals in Fort Worth, Texas should be one of the first vendors your talk with. The A/V tech team you choose will make or break an event, whether it’s a presentation or a company holiday party. The lighting and effects, the event DJ, and presentation technology such as screens, microphones, projectors, and the sound system are all critical.
The next to come is the seating arrangement or set up for the venue as you want to accommodate everyone on your list. Is the event a sit-down event? Do you need an auditorium? Will there be a reception after? If yes, where?
Also, the food!
Food is one of the main elements of any event. For a corporate event, you need to be even more careful and coordinate with the people on your guest list to make sure any dietary restrictions are taken care of.
- Invites and RSVP
Once you have a guest list, a date, and the venue finalized, start aligning the invites. Typically, three weeks to a month is acceptable for a corporate event. If your event is on or around a major holiday, send the invites a couple of months earlier. Invitations for large, B2B corporate events such as seminars and conferences should be planned and sent out more than 6 months to a year in advance as people might need to make travel plans.
Any Event Productions is a Texas-based company that is well-equipped and experienced enough to become your audio visual rental partner. From event DJs and emcees to lighting and effects, this is our area of expertise. We’ll take of these while you focus on planning and managing other aspects of the event, ensuring successful execution.