In the world of corporate event planning, things can (and often do) go wrong, even for the most experienced of planners. It just seems to be the nature of the business since you’re dealing with so many variables. Just because these issues can arise doesn’t mean you can’t still put on a fantastic event.
Whether you’re an experienced event planner or you’ve just been assigned the task of planning an event for your company or charitable cause, knowing how to plan a successful corporate event can be a tricky endeavour. Managing so many people and so many details can get complicated, but thankfully we’ve put together these 6 quick tips for planning a great corporate event:
1. Don’t Pack the Programme
No matter how good your charitable cause is, corporate events are always networking opportunities. Don’t forget to take this into account and make sure to allow time for your guests to chat and network without packing the programme full of speeches and loud entertainment.
2. Don’t Run Too Late
Many events are held on weeknights, so it’s important to take this into account when you’re planning your schedule and meal times. Keep in mind a couple of things: first, people have to work in the morning so they’re not likely to have stay out late. Many of them will also go to several of these events in any given week, so don’t give them a reason not to return by dragging the evening on or serving dinner too late.
3. Keep the Speeches Short and Sweet
Speeches are often a part of every successful corporate affair, however, the truth is that many of your guests won’t really be listening anyway. They’re more likely to be chatting with the other guests at their table, so keep each speech under three minutes and consider adding in more lively media such as videos, live presentations or entertainment.
4. Don’t Be a Fan around the Entertainment
Some major corporate events pull in some pretty big names when it comes to live entertainment. While you may be a huge fan of Katy Perry in your off time, during your event it’s important to remain as calm and professional as possible. You’re representing a cause and a company, so running up to your favourite musician with stars in your eyes could create a bad image for your event. Take the lead on this and others will follow.
5. Expect the Unexpected
In the world of corporate events, things can and will go wrong. However, this doesn’t mean you’re a bad event planner; it’s just the nature of the business. For this reason, it’s always best to expect the unexpected, or in other words, always prepare for the worst-case scenario. This way if issues do arise (and they usually will), you’ll have a plan already in place for how to deal with them.
6. Remain Calm under Pressure
This next tip really goes along with the previous point, but remaining calm under pressure is an important tip that deserves mention of its own. As we said, issues will arise and how you deal with them could mean the difference between a successful event and one that’s not so successful. Think of any great event you’ve attended; we’re sure it didn't feature an event planner running around like a chicken with its head cut off. As the lead planner, it’s also your responsibility to keep everyone else calm, so lead by example and others will follow.