If you have ever planned an event in the past, then you would agree with me that it’s not for the faint hearted. That is why people hire an event planner to go through the stress of planning and organising the best event ever. Planning for corporate events might be a little more tricky, so we have provided this article which highlights 5 things that you need to know about corporate event planning. I hope that these 5 points will guide you when you are planning your next event.
1. Be clear about your goal
Sometimes, in all the stress and excitement involved in planning an event you can easily forget the objective of the event. Not knowing this will derail you from the main purpose. You wouldn’t want that to happen. Here are some important questions that you can keep asking to keep yourself on track.
- WHO is coming? Who is the event orginizers? Answering questions like these will help you stay on track. Knowing the number of people to expect at your corporate event will influence a lot of decisions.
- WHAT is your events theme? What is it about? Never lose focus of your theme during the entire planning phase.
- HOW will you market your event to reach the right target audience? This is closely tied to your budget. Make sure that whatever you decide on is within your budget.
- WHEN will the corporate event be held? Get a convenient time that will favour your target audience.
- WHY is this corporate event being held? This question should be at the heart of your planning process.
2. Have a workable budget and timeframe
Sometimes, in all the stress and excitement involved in planning an event you can easily forget the objective of the event. Not knowing this will derail you from the main purpose. You wouldn’t want that to happen. Here are some important questions that you can keep asking to keep yourself on track.
- Do indepth research about you costs in advance.
- Have an overall budget.
- Divide the budget into categories with an estimate for each.
- Take miscellaneous costs into consideration. Every event organised has these.
- Have a contingency plan and a budget for it, just in case.
3. Create a detailed and actionable checklist
Checklists are almost inevitable when it comes to planning an event. It helps keep everything organised and everyone knows what must be done. A good checklist has the following attributes;
- Work is clearly delegated to team members.
- The main focus of the event is clearly in sight.
- The checklist is easily accessible to all team members at will through useful apps such as Trello.
4. Have a plan B
Every event has the capacity to be unpredictable. There are many factors that you might have no control over or that could have been missed during the planning process. Being prepared for the worst is a smart way to plan your corporate event.
To avoid this, take into consideration every stage of the event and have at least two possible alternatives to the way it can be done. Having a plan B or a contingency plan will help prevent panic and disarray when the unexpected strikes. Its is important that every team member is updated on your plan B.
5. Be clear in your communication
Communication is key to any successful event. Clear and precise communication between your team, event hosts and attendees is vital for a problem-free corporate event. Every task must be clearly stated and understood by the event team. Miscommunication can cost you a lot. Imagine communicating the wrong time of the event to the caterers. You can already imagine the type of chaos that small miscommunication can cause. Always verify if what you have communicated is well understood before you proceed.
So don’t let your corporate event be left to chance. Always have a solid plan and stick to it to have a successful corporate event. A good plan coupled with a strong team can organise any event, be in corporate or not.
