Corporate events can be stressful to plan with multiple stakeholders, sponsors, and hundreds of attendees. Follow our advice and your event is sure to go off without a hitch.
Proper Planning
Establishing a structure for your event will make it easier to manage, promote, and execute. Ask yourself a couple of questions before starting off:
What’s our objective? A defined objective will set up a pathway for achieving your goals and a method for measuring success.
Do we have a message? A message not only helps to mold the theme of the event but will convey to your attendees what the purpose of the event is and solidify their interest to attend.
From there, become a logistical master. Make checklists and be tediously detailed. Delegate tasks to others on your team and follow up with them to make sure they remain on track to complete them by their due date. Follow up and keep everyone on the same page.
Stay Organized
Excel is your friend!
Now, before I lose you, hear me out. The last thing you want is to be trying to recall a quote or date that you wrote on that little slip of paper you spilled coffee on last week. If you don’t want to use Excel, that’s okay, but try to keep everything together in a document or online planner to take a look back on in need. Keeping your documents on Google Drive is also a smart way to make sure that everyone can access the most updated copy of your event information (and so you can access it remotely).
By organizing deadlines, quoting comparisons, and updating checklists in an easy-to-read format, you’ll save yourself and your team some time and stress. Not a fan of keeping vital information on your computer? Create a planning binder and have different tabs based on the different areas of the event (i.e. food, entertainment, etc.).
Budget
Sometimes budgets can be unclear, making tracking them even more difficult. Quit the guessing game and define your budget to be realistic and cater directly to your corporate event. It’s okay to overestimate costs. Chances are you’ll encounter hidden expenses or last minute changes and these can be pricy. That being said, keep a contingency fund available should any unforeseen issues arise. Record every dollar spent and hold onto all receipts and invoices for backup. The best thing about a budget is that you have control on where and how the money is spent, so spend it wisely.
Marketing
What’s an event without guests? It’s important to create buzz about your event through strategic marketing in order to generate the best attendance possible. Proper marketing can be crucial to ensuring that your guests feel like they “have” to attend the event rather than simply wanting to attend.
Have your current marketing systems do double-duty for you; feature your caterers, speakers, and entertainment, and look at this as an opportunity for promoting the company or sponsors. For larger events, the use of a mobile event app can be useful for keeping those involved up-to-date and informed not only on the event’s sessions and activities, but also on any future events and promotions..
Create Solid Programming
Take some time to think about what would interest and engage your audience and relate it back to your theme and messaging. Choosing the right entertainment, food, venue and speakers can not only drive up your registration numbers, but also keep your guests engaged and entertained during the event so that they stay longer. Chances are your guests have attended several events similar to the one you’re planning, so looking for new and exciting ways to feed your guests and decorate the venue is also crucial for ensuring your guests want to stay until the end of the event.
Corporate events commonly involve hundreds of attendees over multiple days so create a program that hits on all of your goals but is still fun, engaging, and exciting for guests. You’ll want them raving about how informative and worthwhile the event was long after it’s over.
Debrief
A corporate event isn’t over once the event concludes. The days following your event are perfect for gathering your team together and going through the different aspects of the event to measure its success. Not only is it crucial to get feedback from sponsors, but attendees will appreciate their chance to give comments as well. It’s the perfect opportunity to show gratitude and recognize those involved all while maintaining your relationships for future events.
