Forty-one percent of marketers believe event marketing is the most crucial channel.
A corporate event can help you attract new customers, build a loyal base of clients, and create brand awareness. It can also be a great way to reward your customers and employees.
When done right, corporate events pay for themselves many times over.
However, a successful corporate event requires careful planning and execution. With the right event marketing, you can ensure your event is a success.
If you are looking for a guide to corporate event planning, this article is for you.
Table of Contents
- 1 Set Clear Goals and Objectives
- 2 Create a Budget
- 3 Develop a Timeline and Schedule
- 4 Choose the Right Venue
- 5 Plan the Menu Carefully
- 6 Choose the Right Entertainment
- 7 Plan the Event’s Audio-Visual Needs
- 8 Create a Registration and Ticketing System
- 9 Develop a Marketing and Promotion Plan
- 10 Coordinate Transportation and Parking
- 11 Prepare a Contingency Plan
- 12 Create a Post-event Survey
- 13 Corporate Event Planning: Make It All Come Together
Set Clear Goals and Objectives
Before you plan your business event, it is important to set clear goals and objectives.
You need to know what you want to achieve by holding an event. This will help you determine the size of your venue, the number of attendees, and the overall theme of your event.
You should also set specific goals for your event. These goals will help you plan activities that support your objectives.
Create a Budget
It is important to create an accurate budget for your event. Use online calculators to help you estimate costs.
You will need to include all the major expenses associated with planning and hosting your event.
The most important thing to remember is that it is better to underestimate your budget than to overestimate. This will help prevent any surprises once the company event begins.
Develop a Timeline and Schedule
A timeline and schedule are essential for any event.
They will help you stay organized and ensure that everything runs smoothly. Consider creating a detailed timeline and schedule at the very beginning of your planning process.
This will allow you to adjust it as needed as new information becomes available.
Choose the Right Venue
You must choose a space that is suitable for your event and budget.
Consider whether there are any additional costs associated with using the venue, such as setup fees, cleaning fees, and insurance requirements. The venue should be large enough to accommodate your event and have amenities, such as a kitchen for food prep.
The venue should be accessible to all your guests, in an area where parking will not be difficult or expensive. If you need logo tablecloths for 8ft table, click here.
Plan the Menu Carefully
The menu should be appropriate for the occasion and reflect your event’s theme.
You want to have a meal that can be served quickly, such as pizza or sandwiches. Or have a buffet with plenty of options so that guests can eat what they like.
If you plan on serving alcoholic beverages, you will need to get any necessary licenses and permits.
Choose the Right Entertainment
The entertainment for your event should match the theme of your party.
If you’re having a fun-filled celebration, then hire a DJ or live band. If it’s more of an elegant affair, consider hiring a classical string quartet or piano player.
Entertainment services will let your guests know you put thought into their experience.
Plan the Event’s Audio-Visual Needs
Audio and visual needs can be the difference between an average event and a great one.
You should plan for crystal-clear sound and video. Make sure you have enough equipment to handle the audience size.
If you need help setting up your audio-visual equipment, consider hiring a professional AV company to assist.
Create a Registration and Ticketing System
Your guests may not be ready to buy tickets on the day of your event.
Create an online registration system for them to sign up for tickets. This will also help you track who is coming so you know how many people to expect at the door.
The registration system should allow your guests to select their ticket prices and pick a seat. This will help you manage your inventory, as well as identify which seats are the most popular.
Develop a Marketing and Promotion Plan
You need to get your guests excited about attending your event.
Create a marketing plan that outlines how you will reach out to potential guests and encourage them to buy tickets. Send out emails, create a mailing list, and send postcards to your guests.
Create an event website where people can learn more about the event, book their tickets, and even share it with their friends.
Coordinate Transportation and Parking
If you’re hosting your event at a venue, they will often help you coordinate the parking and transportation needs of your guests. If not, you will need to work with a local taxi company or car service to provide transportation for your guests.
You should also plan to have plenty of parking at your event so that your guests can park their vehicles easily. You can coordinate this with the venue, or you can provide free parking in a lot or garage nearby.
Prepare a Contingency Plan
If you’re hosting a large event, it’s important to have a contingency plan in place.
You should have a backup plan for if the power goes out or your venue has an equipment failure. And plans for bad weather and other issues that could affect your event.
The best way to prepare a contingency plan is to have a team of volunteers on hand who know what they’re doing. This way, they can help you decide quickly and efficiently when an emergency arises.
Create a Post-event Survey
You can use a post-event survey to get feedback from your guests.
Find out what they thought about your event and use the survey for data analysis so that you can improve on future events. Use the survey to gauge interest in your next event.
If you have an online form, be sure to send it out to all your guests after the event has ended.
Corporate Event Planning: Make It All Come Together
As you can see, there’s a lot to consider when planning a corporate event.
The key is to start early and plan thoroughly. By doing your research and getting all the details in order, you’ll be able to ensure that your event goes off without a hitch.
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