Have you been put in charge of planning a corporate event for your employer? If so, and you haven’t done this kind of thing before, you may be feeling understandably nervous.
Whether you need to organize a conference, product launch, trade show, or team-building day out, there are several elements that you need to consider.
5 Tips for Planning a Successful Corporate Event
Your goals and objectives
Before you start planning your event, you first need to think carefully about your goals and objectives as these will help guide you through the process. Ask yourself the below questions:
- What’s the purpose of the event?
- How many people do you want to attend?
- Do you need to make a profit from the event? And if so, then how much?
- Where will you host your event?
By considering all the aspects above, you’ll be able to plan an event that aligns with your vision and your goals.
Your budget
Next, you need to consider your budget as this will have a considerable impact on your event. When creating a realistic budget, it can be useful to look at figures from similar events in the past, although bear inflation in mind.
Make sure that you make a list of all necessary expenses and set aside a contingency budget to cover any unexpected fees or costs.
Your theme
A theme sets the tone for your entire event, so you need to decide what you want to achieve as early as possible. For example, if you want to foster a feeling of community, an in-person event is a good choice. However, if you need to reach a wider audience, it can be a good idea to also livestream your event.
If you’re planning a hybrid event, bear in mind that you need to make special considerations such as setting up technology for streaming and selling tickets online.
Your location and venue
If you want your event to be a success, you need to pick a prime location. More specifically, you need one that’s easily accessible for all your guests. Ideally, you want to choose a venue that can be accessed by car and public transport, as this will give attendees more flexibility with transportation.
When choosing a venue, you also need to find out their capacity limit, how much they cost to hire, and if they can work with your chosen corporate catering services.
Your guest list
Unless you’re planning a corporate event that’s open to the public, you need to think about who you want to invite. Knowing the number of people attending is crucial in balancing your budget and in planning other aspects of the event such as catering and seating.
To make sure that you attract the right type of people to your event, think back to your goals and objectives as this can help you to identify your target audience. Also, keep in mind the capacity of your venue as you don’t want to overbook.