Corporate events can come in a variety of forms, each of which is equally important to your business’s success and your employees’ morale. For guaranteed event success, follow the tips below and enjoy a stress-free, fruitful corporate event!
#1. Plan The first step is to thoroughly plan your event. Determine the purpose of your corporate event – is it a treat for your hardworking employees, a conference or an expo in which you must impress industry peers? This will help you choose the right type of catering and venue for your needs. Make sure to document all the decisions you make so that your boss is aware of your efforts and so you can contact the same caterers and venues for future events. The planning stage also involves implementing a strict RSVP policy – when it comes to a large-scale corporate event, you need to be sure exactly how many people you are expecting well in advance. Delegate different parts of the planning process to different team members if necessary.
#2. Budget Stick to your budget! While you may want to blow away your guests or treat your employees, it is still vital to work within a budget. Try to trim costs where you can and be clever with how to use your existing resources. Track all your spending as you go for invoicing purposes. The most important thing about your event is whether you meet the needs of your guests and the purpose of your event – not how fancy the venue is or what kind of entertainment you provide.
#3. Venue Your chosen venue will set the tone for your event, meaning it’s critical to choose a suitable venue. A trendy bar could be great for networking event, while a conference room may be necessary for a serious expo in which you are trying to convert clients or connect with potential business partners. Ensure that the venue has all the audio-visual equipment you need for presentations, entertainment and more. Try going to a venue that is close to your workplace, as your employees are already familiar with the area and can easily access it.
#4. Catering Catering is an essential part of ensuring a successful event – after all, nothing makes people happier than free-flowing food and drinks! For most corporate events, canapes are the best bet, as people can mingle and network while enjoying nibbles. A corporate training event may necessitate wraps, sandwiches and cakes, while a work celebration may work best with a full sit-down dinner. Make sure that your chosen caterer provides a variety of options that suit different dietary requirements and request attendees to provide any allergies or dietary requirements they have in advance. There would be nothing more unprofessional than realising on the night of the event that several of your guests are not able to eat anything that you are serving!
#5. Read reviews Before hiring any service, always read reviews and testimonials on a variety of websites and ask any colleagues or industry peers for their recommendations. Whether you like it or not, a disappointing venue or lacklustre catering will reflect on your business, leaving your guests with a bad taste in their mouth.
#6. Optimise your event Your event is the perfect time to promote your business to the fullest, particularly if you are hosting a networking event or conference. Consider providing QR codes so guests can share where they are with their friends or live stream the event on Facebook to get full engagement.
#7. Make it fun While entertainment isn’t the primary purpose of your corporate event catering, you should still give your guests a breather. This could be in the form of a meal break, drinks or just some time to mingle between presentations. Alternatively, step it up with a DJ, photobooth or another activity for your employees to bond over – again, the appropriate entertainment will depend on the nature of your corporate event!
#8. Consider an event planner If all of the above seems a little intimidating, consider enlisting the help of a professional event planner. An event planner will ensure all elements of your corporate event are appropriate and impressive, choosing the ideal venue, catering option, décor and more. What’s more, an event planner will have the necessary connections and negotiation skills to get you the best package deal, saving you from having to organise every element of your event separately.
