A Guide to Planning a Successful Corporate Event

Planning a corporate event is a lot of work, but if you plan it properly and the event is successful it can also be very rewarding. For your corporate event to be successful you need to plan, be organised and prepare for the unexpected.

It is difficult to know where to start, you might not know what is involved, and you could be feeling overwhelmed. If you are, don’t worry, we have put together this useful guide to help you plan the most successful corporate event.

The Do’s and Don’ts

Here is a very useful Do’s and Don’ts infographic from rhnuttall:

Do’s:

• Invite as many people as you can, avoid missing anybody out or making anyone feel alienated or excluded.
• Plan and create an itinerary for on the day and leading up to it.
• Make the event fun to encourage as many people to come as possible.
• Provide food and drinks for your guests.

Dont’s:

• Sell your tickets to your own employees, if possible, make the event free.
• Have your event in your office, a new location will make the event more enjoyable.
• Hold your event on a bank holiday or any other day that most people are given the day off work.
• Curate the guest list to make sure you’re not doing something like inviting ex-employees.
• Forget to enjoy yourself, it is an event, but it should be fun for everyone, including you.

Tips to organise a corporate event

Here are 8 tips to help you to plan your event:

1. Work backwards. Before you start thinking about the details you need to think big picture. Have a vision of what you want your event to achieve. Should it be simply to provide a good time? Would you like it to be educational? Is networking the main priority? Understanding what you want from your event will help you to plan it better.
2. List the different elements your event needs. There are certain things your event will need, make a list of everything you need so that you can work through it systematically, breaking it into small and manageable tasks. This could include:
   o Venue
   o Decorations
   o Entertainment
   o Food and drinks
   o Tickets
   o Marketing
   o Transport
   o Accommodation
3. Budget. Events can be expensive and costs can mount up without you realising it if you don’t stay on top of your spending. The best way to control your finances is to set a strict budget, set a limit for your overall spending and then allocate a percentage of the budget to each of the above elements, keeping a reserve for any emergencies that arise.
4. Pick a date. It is a good idea to lock in a date as soon as you can, especially if your event is at a busy time of the year, like Christmas. The date you choose can be influenced by who you are inviting, how long it will take you to prepare, if you’re running the event inline with a product/service launch or business change, and finally the availability of your chosen venue.
5. Make a timeline. Create a timeline for leading up to the event and the night of the event. When you do, don’t forget to account for unexpected delays. Typical unexpected delays include: the venue being double-booked or becoming unavailable, items might be out of stock (like decorations), caterers might be late, errors could be made by print shops creating the marketing material or caterers, transport might break down delaying the guests.
6. Create a team to help you. If you want your event to be a success, you need a good team to help you.
7. Book a venue. When you’re booking your venue your main priority is to find something that is within your budget. Other things to consider include:
   o Is the venue big enough to hold all the invitees?
   o Does the venue have a waiting list?
   o Does the venue have all the equipment you need?
   o Is the WIFI and phone reception good?
   o Do you have to pay for a deposit?
   o What is venues policy on cancellations and refunds?
8. Promote your event. If you don’t promote your event and make people aware that it is happening, people might not turn up. Ways you can promote your event include:
   o email
   o Through social media posts and ads
   o Blog posts
   o Third-party event websites
   o Flyers/posters

Common problems

It is not uncommon for problems to arise when you plan a corporate event. The best way to plan for the unexpected, it to try to expect it. Familiarise yourself with the most common problems that arise and start thinking about how you would overcome them:

1. Dropouts: invitees could drop out, as could your event hosts and entertainment.
2. No one shows up
3. Technology fails
4. Bad weather
5. Queues
6. The venue is too small
7. Gatecrashers
8. Medical emergency
9. Limited or no parking, or the car park is too far away
10. Dietary problems

Now you’re armed and ready to plan your successful corporate event.