Event Planning 101: How to Plan an Event for a Company
Running a successful business requires a lot of different skills. Yes, it requires serious business savviness, a penchant for logistics, and a disciplined focus. However, if you can’t get people in and out of your business excited about what you are doing, then you’ve lost before you’ve even started.
A party or an event is a great way to get the word out about your work while celebrating the hard-working individuals who have made that work possible.
However, not everyone is aware of how to tackle such a task. Corporate event planning is its own unique skill and one that has many facets. If you need help planning your next big work party, fundraiser, or publicity event, read on. We’ll walk you through the basics and get you started out on the right path.
Lay The Proper Framework
It’s easy for your brain to go in every direction at once when you first start thinking about your corporate event. There are just so many different areas that need to be handled. You likely have a few ideas spring to mind, and these may be as specific as the color of napkins you want to buy.
However, you need to stay organized in your approach to this event if you want to succeed. And that means working from the big picture first and then into the specifics and details. If you lay the proper groundwork for your event, it’ll be much easier to then hash out the proper details.
So first and foremost, get the date and location down on paper. These are the big question marks for any event, and what your guests will likely need to know far ahead of time. If you can tell them where and when they’ll likely leave you alone as you figure out the rest.
The Right Date
For a busy company, there might never feel like there’s an ideal night to throw your big event. The calendar always seems filled to the brim, and someone essential to the success of the night always seems to be booked up.
It can be helpful to let go of the idea of the ‘perfect’ night, where there are no conflicts whatsoever. This will just not be possible in most scenarios. However, it’s likely you can find a very strong night with only a few compromises or consolations.
Avoid planning your event directly next to big holidays like Christmas or the Fourth of July. Your anticipated guests might be out of town!
The Right Place
Location, location, location. There’s likely not a more important decision you’ll make for your event than when you decide where it will be.
First, you’ll need to consider the vibe you’re looking to set, your budget, and the number of people you’re anticipating will be in attendance. These are hard and set qualities that you won’t want to change. Determine where around town can match these requirements.
After you have a small list of applicable places, you can start narrowing them down. What advantages and disadvantages does each have? One may have a more preferable location in town, but no parking for your guests. You will likely need to play pros and cons with the locations and decide which one provides the best value.
Make sure you put down a deposit far ahead of time. The last thing you want is to find the perfect location and then lost it because you didn’t make a move fast enough.
Set The Scene
The success of your corporate event will really depend on how well you can set the atmosphere. If you’re trying to be festive and fun, make sure you purchase the right goods to set this tone. You’ll need bright colors, groovy lighting, and maybe even a banner and a banner stand.
If you’re going for something more buttoned-up and professional, that will come with its own set of requirements as well. Buy some smart tablecloths and maybe put out a notice of a more formal dress code.
The soundtrack to your event will be just as important in deciding the tone as any physical item you purchase. Set up a playlist ahead of time or hire a DJ. Make sure they fully understand the vibe you are trying to set and make it so.
Test All A/V Devices Ahead of Time
Playing a company video at your event, or planning on having a few people give speeches? It’s a great idea. But you’ll need to put in some extra work ahead of time to make sure it all goes smoothly.
We likely don’t have to be the ones to tell you that anything involving technology tends to sometimes go wrong. The last thing you want is the flow of your night ruined by a malfunctioning projector or faulty sound system.
Prior to the start of your event, make sure you test out all A/V equipment and items. Get it all working exactly how you plan it for the evening ahead. Double-check all the connections, and don’t get lazy.
With proper planning, you can ensure everything goes smoothly and that your guests have a great time.
Corporate Event Planning 101
If you’re new to the world of corporate event planning, there’s a lot to consider. The above information can be a helpful guide to the basics of putting this kind of event together. If you keep the above items in mind, your event should go off without a hitch.
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