When planning corporate events, it’s common for internal personnel to act on incorrect assumptions. Below are three important tips for planning corporate events.
Don’t wait too long to plan corporate events!
4 weeks is not enough! Try 4 MONTHS – the more time, the better. Have we planned an event in a matter of weeks? Yes, but often this requires a rush fee and you also risk having a significant lack of choice in vendors and venues.
Be realistic with your budget.
Events generally cost more than people think these days, and you can blame a whole lot of things – cost of food and labor (catering), demand (popular venues), and the overall cost of doing business vendors have to asborb, particularly in major metropolitan areas. One of the first things I do for clients is put together a realistic budget with contingencies to make sure everyone is clear on the cost, and can get the expenditures approved.
Think about branding opportunities.
Branded photobooth printouts, custom lighting gobos that project the corporate logo – these are all things that reiterate the message of your company. Giveaways, signage, and interactive social media prompts throughout the event will also extend engagement with your guests. Even with in-house corporate events, these elements reflect team spirit and pride in your company’s mission, and can boost morale.
Keeping these three concepts in mind will be key to planning – and affording – a successful corporate event. Happy planning!