The annual corporate holiday party will soon be here, whether you’re ready or not. With just a few weeks left to plan, you know you’ll need to put on your decision-making hat and get things done.
How do you organize an event?
Whether it’s the holiday party or a conference, there are certain steps you’ll need to take when planning an event. First, you’ll want to create a budget. Next, you’ll set the date, book a venue, and confirm the guest list. You’ll need to think about food, entertainment, and decorations as well.
In short, there are many different aspects of planning a corporate event. If you’ve been tasked with planning the holiday party for your workplace this year, avoid these four devastating mistakes, and you’ll be well on your way to hosting an amazing event.
1. You Don’t Set a Budget for Your Corporate Holiday Party
This is perhaps one of the most common mistakes anyone makes during event planning. You don’t set a budget. Maybe you have a vague idea of what you want to spend, or maybe you’re just using numbers from last year. You might even agree to pay the going prices and quotes instead of shopping around for the best deals.
Setting a budget is so important. You don’t want to skimp out on the food or book an inappropriate venue just to save a few dollars, but having a budget will show you how much you have to spend on each item. Then you can work within that range.
At the end of the day, you’ll spend just the right amount.
2. You Leave Booking the Venue until the Last Minute
The next devastating mistake you can make when you’re planning any corporate event is not booking a venue until the last minute. This can leave you scrambling to find an appropriate venue, one that’s priced correctly, in your area, or large enough for your party.
Venues in the GTA especially tend to book quickly around the holidays, so you’ll want to be sure you book the venue early in the process. If you can, select a couple of back-ups in case the venue has to pull out.
3. You Don’t Book Enough Staff
Maybe you’re hoping it takes fewer people to staff a buffet, or maybe you think your employees won’t need much help finding the venue. Whatever the case, you allow the venue or the caterer to understaff the event.
This situation usually ends with poor service and your employees complaining about the corporate holiday party, not raving. If the bathrooms aren’t stocked during the event, they might complain about the venue. If food runs out or service is slow, they’re likely to critique the caterer or you for booking them.
Be sure to ask your caterer and the event coordinator how many staff members they’ll supply and how many they think are needed for an event of your size. You might even consider adding a pair of hands or two.
4. You Don’t Communicate
Your guest list has suddenly changed, resulting in fewer people coming to the party. Your venue location changes. You have several people request vegetarian meals. Somehow, this information doesn’t make its way to the relevant vendors.
Communication is so important when it comes to ensuring your corporate holiday party goes off without a hitch. Make sure your vendors are also communicating with you. Before you hire anyone, make sure they’re on the same page about how and when to communicate any changes or issues.
These are just some of the mistakes that can happen as you plan a corporate holiday party. If you need a helping hand, talk to experienced caterers and event coordinators. They can help you avoid common planning pitfalls in order to prepare the best party.
